Medical Assistant Resume Example + Tips to Land an Interview

There is no standard medical assistant resume template; you can use any of our resume templates and customize them for the job you want.

We offer a variety of templates in all three resume formats — chronological, functional and combination — so that you can use the format that best suits your professional history. 

A good resume for a medical assistant will look much like the sample medical assistant resume on this page and will contain the job seeker’s contact information, skills, employment history, education and certifications, if applicable. 

A medical assistant resume might also contain sections for awards and honors if the job candidate has them to display.

A resume for a medical assistant should only include skills that are relevant to the job and fit the job applicant’s true skill set. Review medical assistant resume examples for ideas on how to display your skills on your medical assistant resume. 

Not all resumes are created equal. Here are our top tips for crafting a perfect medical assistant resume:

• Add separate sections for extra training, certifications, licenses and awards.
• Keep your resume short and to the point. If you have less than 10 years of experience, it should be one page long; if you have more than 10 years of experience, then it’s acceptable to have no more than two pages. 
• Use keywords from the job description in your medical assistant resume work experience section to pass ATS screening. 
• Ensure your resume is formatted correctly, meaning margins should be one inch on all sides and line space should be single or 1.5 inches. 
• Only use appropriate fonts, like Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica, in 11-12 points on the body and 14-16 points on headers.
• Proofread your resume more than once before sending it to potential employers.

Concentrate on the skills you already have that show you’re capable of handling the job. Instead of a work history section, create an “Activities” section where you can mention any part-time or volunteer experience you have that relates to medical work, such as “Volunteered as an assistant at Dr. Charles High Hospital.” 

Finally, indicate in your medical assistant summary for a resume and skills section that you have the ability to pick up on new skills. For example, note your strong work ethic in your skills section, or tell employers you’re a fast learner in your summary statement.

Medical assistants perform administrative tasks and clinical duties in hospitals and medical offices, often serving as the main point of contact with visitors and patients. 

Their duties often vary depending on the facility where they work or the size of the medical practice. This is an entry-level job that does not typically require professional qualifications.

Explore sample medical assistant skills and resume examples to get inspired for writing your resume.  

No job is exactly the same — your resume should never be the same, either. Tailor your resume according to each specific job you apply for, using the specific requirements of each individual job. 

One medical assistant position might emphasize “preparing treatment rooms and patients for examination” while another might focus on “records management and maintenance.” 

In both cases, list skills and experiences in your resume that meet these requirements and prove you either have the experience or the aptitude for the job.

What’s better than telling someone what you did? Telling them how well you did it. Quantify your work achievements wherever possible. “Assisted 10-member executive team with visitor reception and phone calls” paints a more impressive picture than simply stating, “Assisted a large executive team with visitor reception and phone calls.”

Keep to the most important facts in your resume — the particular skills and work experiences that best relate to the job you’re pursuing. 

For example, listing all your tasks from a previous job in the entertainment industry won’t help convince employers you’re the right person for a medical assistant job; indeed, it might lead to hiring managers tossing your resume instead of reading through. 

Instead, just mention facets of your entertainment job that might apply to the new position (e.g., efficiently keeping electronic database records or a facility for organizing equipment).

Take note of the major responsibilities and requirements mentioned in the job description, such as “Knowledge of and ability to use and apply medical terminology.” 

In this case, “medical terminology” is a key phrase to keep in mind as you write your resume. Show in your skills or work experience section that you’re proficient in this area. 

Using keywords like these will improve the chances of your resume passing recruiter review, as well as application tracking systems (ATS) that many recruiters now use to filter out eligible candidates based on content.

After the role of a medical assistant, there are many managerial positions open in the medical field. Some of these can be:

• Clinical team leader
• Lead medical assistant
• Medical office manager
• Clinical office manager
• Medical assistant instructor
• Medical records manager
• Health care administration

To fashion a resume to help move you on up, emphasize managerial abilities such as organizing weekly staff meetings, continue gaining knowledge of medical equipment and terminology, and look to improve your administrative skills through administrative certification classes.