How to craft the ideal medical assistant resume

In the bustling world of healthcare, the role of a medical assistant may be considered entry-level and the competition for this position is fierce.

But fear not! With our step-by-step guide and user-friendly resume builder, we'll equip you with the tools to craft a standout resume.

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Hired by:

Hired by: Tarpon Orthopedics

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In this guide, we will be covering several key topics that will help you in writing and formatting your medical assistant resume. Keep reading to learn all about:

• Choosing a resume format that suits your experience level
• Writing an eye-catching medical assistant summary
• Using your skills section to show off your relevant talents 
• Focusing on your ability to collaborate within your work experience section
• Listing your education and certifications properly and separately

1. Choose a resume format that fits your experience level

As a medical assistant, you may be a seasoned professional or this may be your first time entering the field. Choosing a resume format is highly dependent on this experience level, as certain resume formats will focus on different elements of a resume.

In general, there are two main types of resume formatting options to choose between: the reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume. 

When to use the reverse-chronological format as a medical assistant 

If you have a healthy amount of previous work experience, then the reverse-chronological format is for you. This format focuses on work experience, listing your most recent position first and working backward from there. 

The reverse-chronological format is also great if you have several examples of quantifiable accomplishments you want to showcase on your resume.

When to use the functional format as a medical assistant

The functional resume format deviates from the reverse-chronological’s focus on work experience, instead emphasizing education, skills, and unpaid experience. 

There are 3 main use cases for the functional resume for medical assistants:

• You’re a student. Students don’t always have a ton of work history upon graduating, but they do have a lot of relevant educational experience, coursework, and internships. 
• You’re changing careers. Changing careers can be tricky – the key is to highlight your overlapping skills and talents. For instance, a former office assistant will have many administration skills that are useful as a medical assistant. 
• You have a resume gap. If you have taken time away from work resulting in a significant gap on your resume, a functional resume can help you re-focus the document on your relevant experiences and qualifications. 

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2. Craft an eye-catching medical assistant resume summary

As a medical assistant, you want to emphasize on your resume the many different qualifications that make you the best candidate for the job. Your resume summary is the perfect place to hook the reader with compelling information about your professional work, qualifications, and accomplishments.

Here is an example of a weak medical assistant summary, followed by an explanation of how to correct it:

What's wrong with this example? In this example, the applicant is a bit too passive in expressing their career goals and fails to provide specific examples of their skills that make them a well-qualified candidate for the job. 

Why is this better?This corrected example offers more specific information in regards to the number of years the applicant has worked in the field and the types of responsibilities they have specialized in (medical administration and related technologies). 

3. Use your skills sections to show off a wide range of talents

As a medical assistant, you will serve a wide range of responsibilities and complete a large assortment of tasks. This means that on your resume, you want to show off that you have a diversified skill set and are capable of many different essential activities. 

When creating your skills section, you should include both hard and soft skills, as your ability to deal with patients is equally important to your more technical talents. 

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4. Focus on your ability to collaborate in your work experience section

Being a medical assistant requires you to collaborate and work effectively with many different people within the workplace, peers and patients alike. 

For this reason, emphasizing your ability to work in a team in your work experience section can give you the boost you need to stand out from competing applicants. Not only does this show you understand the importance of collaboration in medical settings, but it will also indicate to an employer that you are a team player. 

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Hired by:

Hired by: Centre for Neuro Skills

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5. List your education and certifications separately

Becoming a medical assistant often requires you to become a jack of all trades. As a result, you will have a diverse range of skills and a colorful education background that will often have additional training and certifications involved. 

If this is the case for you, knowing how to organize your resume is critical. We recommend splitting off your certifications and training outside of your degree program into a separate certifications or qualifications section. 

As for your education section, your best bet is to keep it simple. While you can become a medical assistant through a four-year university, many choose to seek alternative paths such as vocational school or community college. 

No matter how you came to be a Certified Medical Assistant, be sure to include the formal title of your degree or certificate, what organization you earned it through, and when you graduate or completed your education.