Medical Assistant Job With No Experience

What doctors want and new medical assistants don't know... have you ever decided to skip a job ad and not apply because it specified 1–2 years job experience which you don't have (or may be you do, but you don't know it)? Here is why and how you should apply for these positions anyway.

We have been writing a lot about the medical assistant job application process, resume writing and how to word your cover letter. In essence, a cover letter speaks of the reasons why you should be considered for an available position and why you feel you are the perfect match.

In the past, we have also discussed the so-called catch-22 situation when new medical assistant school graduates without job experience wish to apply for advertised jobs, but do not have the expected years of experience. While there hardly ever are any clear cut answers that work one-hundred percent all the time, we have made several suggestions that should prove helpful and at least, get the attention your application deserves.

We want inexperienced medical assistants to realize that there ARE opportunities for them out there, and persistence pays off. Don't let your peers discourage you, and don't let the words 1–2 years experience deter you from your ambitions.

Valued Attributes and Related Job Experience From Other Jobs

In today's fast paced job market ANY employer says in their ads that they want experience, which to some extend is true, but what you need to understand is that work related experience comes in many forms, and your successful completion of your externship and prior other job experience, or volunteer work, or even your engagement in extra curricular activities, such as, for example, being involved in a community garden project counts as valuable experience, however you have to be able to present it as such and make it count.

The following job announcement perfectly illustrates our point. It attests to the fact your cover letter is a very important part of the application, and experience comes in many forms:

On 2012-05-26 MedLion, a medical practice located in Ryan Ranch, Monterey posted a Medical Assistant position. In the ad they describe their company as a rapidly growing, modern medical office with a friendly, sophisticated atmosphere and genuinely caring and compassionate staff. The office is seeking a friendly, polite, hard-working individual for their open medical assisting position. Their perfect candidate, so they say, will be well-spoken, quick to smile, and enjoy being efficient. Formal training is a must and experience is a plus. Those with highly polished customer service skills and excellent references will be best suited for the position, they say. 

The job announcement closes with: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter explaining why they want to be considered for a position at MedLion.

So, lets see, are you someone who is

• polite

• hard working

• genuinely caring

• friendly

• compassionate

• efficient

• and have customer service skills?

If so, then you are at least half way there, especially if you take the time to write a matching cover letter that expresses your sincere interest.

What Doctors Expect and New Medical Assistants Don't Know

Valuable personal traits and attributes, and prior related job experience that's important for this position count, even if it was "as-little-as" a  previous waitress job, sales associate position, Burger King cashier, or your involvement in a community volunteer project, or workshops, where leadership, effective communication, friendly disposition, active engagement, hard work and team spirit was the pinnacle of your success. By the way, many new medical assistants don't realize it, but customer services and friendly disposition can make or break a medical practice, more so than most other skills, and doctors know this.

Ready For the Job But Not Enough Experience?

You have achieved your goal and successfully completed your medical assistant training program; but now that you are going through the job search and application process, you realize that most medical assistant positions offered require at least 1-2 years of experiece. Now what? How can you land a job to gain experience if no one wants to hire you?

You Might Not Think So, But YES - You Have Experience!

Remember, as a medical assistant student you did spend a considerable amount of time in the clinical lab practicing important patient care skills under the supervision of your MA instructor. Lexi, a successful Certified Medical Assistant told us:

"Did you do an externship? If you did an externship, put every bit down on your resume, and applications. Make it look awesome, e.g. I live in a very rural area and traveled an hour and a half each way to school! I used this on my resume when I first got out to show how motivated I was to future employers."

 For example:

• Basic concepts of EKG, ESR, hematocrit
• Urinalysis, stool samples, throat cultures
• Drawing up exact amounts of medications from vials
• Injections: intradermal, subcutaneous, deltoid, and Z-track
• Basic wound care
• Vision screening, Snellen eye chart
• Venipuncture/Phlebotomy
• Collecting and organizing data for research and patient care
• Data entry and safe keeping of records

Prior experience in the healthcare field, such as a nurse's assistant, or home health aide is very helpful and should not be forgotten either, as well as other work experience that will now be applied in a medical office.

Or, as a medical assistant without experience, but other related experience, you can write your cover letter along these lines:

Dear Ms. Jones: I am responding to your ad in The Sun Herald for the Medical Assistant Position. Attached is a copy of my resume that outlines my qualifications and career experience. I have successfully completed a 2 year degree in Medical Assisting (Associate of Applied Sciences), and completed my externship in a busy multi-physician practice. I also have 2 years prior experience as a hotel receptionist where I applied and solidified my customer service and interpersonal communication skills required for your position. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you to discuss my qualifications and how they could benefit your organization.

Determination Wins the Job

We recently came across a very creative way where a new medical assistant puts the word out that she is looking for work on Craigs List. This medical assistant school graduate showed that she is determined, confident, energized and eager to get to work. Her ad also showed, very discretely, that she is looking for work to gain experience and is willing to start low, at the front desk, or as a receptionist, which not every medical assistant is willing to do. Great move.

Medical Assistant Job Description and Application Process

Medical assistants are sought for full-time, permanent, and per diem, part time positions everywhere. Per diem is just another word for as needed. Medical offices and other facilities offer per diem positions to fill in staffing gaps and  cover for shortfalls when one, or several of their full time personnel are suddenly sick or absent for other reasons. In this case, a per diem position opens for temporary work, where work hours are scheduled as needed.

Medical assistants who work per diem pretty much do the same thing the permanent medical assistant would do, which includes prepare patients for office visits, take their weight and height, vital signs, blood glucose check, medication list and document information in patient's chart. The per diem medical assistant might be asked to man the front office and reception area where they must process incoming and outgoing patient telephone calls and patient-related correspondence and manage the appointment schedule.

Medical Assistant Job Description

We recently spotted a typical medical assisant job ad on our affiliate partner site Indeed.com. It included a list of expected duites, qualifications and benefits:

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Medical Assistant is a key member of the Physician Practice and provides clinical expertise to ensure all patients receive high quality, efficient care.

DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
·         Provide overall support for Physicians and office operations.
·         Prepares patients for examination and treatment.
·         Takes patient histories and vital signs.
·         Prepares exam and treatment rooms with necessary instruments.
·         Gives injections and assists with lab testing and Phlebotomy.
·         Prepares and maintains supplies and equipment for treatments, including sterilization.
·         Assists physicians in preparing for minor surgeries and physicals.
·         Assists with scheduling of tests and treatments.
·         Screens telephone calls for referral to physician.

EDUCATION
·         A high school diploma or GED is required.
·         Graduation from a Medical Assisting training program is highly preferred.

This example is typical for most medical assistant job announcements. Most doctors and facilities expect a certain amount of job experience before they are willing to hire someone new. Medical assistant job applicants should add into their application and cover letter that they are able to schedule appointments, accurately take and record vital signs in patient’s chart, explain policies and procedures and any medical office management software skills you have, such as MediTech experience. Also add in that you are highly organized, able to pay attention to detail, and very good at multi-tasking and computer skills.

If you are trained in drawing blood, point out your phlebotomy experience. Highlight your knowledge in customer services and care of patients, patient flow and properly taking and routing telephone messages. These are all important medical assistant skills doctors value and expect since these are areas where things can quickly go wrong and become a headache for the rest of the staff. So, again, make sure this is clearly marked in your medical assistant job application and medical assistant cover letter and resume.

Special Prerequisites and Requirements

Don't be surprised if a potential employer asks whether you have certified medical assistant credentials and many many also expect you have current CPR certification. If not, some doctors will stipulate that you obtain it within 3 months of hire. Furthermore, potential employers might ask you to take a pre-employment physical, and sometimes a breath alcohol and DOT drug screening test before or within 6 months of hire. Yes, they do have the right to do that.

Most medical assistants who land the job, whether full-time permanent, or part-time per diem, can expect excellent benefits packages, competitive salaries and growth opportunities.