Medical Assistant Interview Questions for 2020
Contents
- So, you want to be a medical assistant?
- The medical assistant interview: what to expect
- The top 10 medical assistant interview questions (and how to answer them)
- How to show you’re the right fit for the job
- The importance of bedside manner
- How to demonstrate your clinical skills
- The value of a medical assistant certification
- Your medical assistant career goals
- How to stand out from the competition
- Wrapping up your medical assistant interview
If you’re looking for a medical assistant job in 2020, you’ll need to be prepared to answer some common interview questions. Here are some of the most popular medical assistant interview questions for 2020, along with some tips on how to answer them.
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So, you want to be a medical assistant?
Are you considering a career as a medical assistant? If so, you’re probably wondering what the interview process will be like.
While each interviewer is different, there are some common medical assistant interview questions that you can expect to be asked. Here are 10 of the most common questions, along with tips on how to answer them:
1. Why do you want to be a medical assistant?
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
3. What is your experience in customer service?
4. Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer or patient.
5. Describe a time when you had to go above and beyond for a patient or customer.
6. Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult situation at work.
7. Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work and how you handled it.
8. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a challenging tasks or projects at work.
9. What is your experience in the medical field?
10. Do you have any questions for us?
The medical assistant interview: what to expect
An interview for a medical assistant position is your opportunity to demonstrate to the hiring manager that you have the necessary skills and experience for the job. You will also be able to ask questions about the role and the company, and get a better sense of whether or not this is the right opportunity for you.
To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of common medical assistant interview questions. We recommend that you take some time to think about how you would answer each question before your interview.
What experience do you have working with patients?
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult patient.
How do you deal with stress?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How would you handle a situation where a patient was not following their treatment plan?
What do you know about our clinic/hospital?
Why are you interested in this position?
What do you think are the most important qualities for a successful medical assistant?
The top 10 medical assistant interview questions (and how to answer them)
Medical assisting is a dynamic and growing profession, and one that offers a great deal of opportunity for those who are passionate about helping others. If you’re considering a career in medical assisting, you’re likely wondering what the interview process will be like.
While each interview will be unique, there are some common questions that you can expect to be asked. Here are 10 of the most common medical assistant interview questions, along with tips on how to answer them effectively.
1. Tell me about yourself.
This is a common icebreaker question that allows you to give the interviewer a brief overview of your background and experience. Keep your answer relevant to the medical assistant role you’re applying for, and try to highlight qualities that would make you a good fit for the job.
2. Why did you choose medical assisting as a career?
This question allows the interviewer to get to know your motivations for choosing this career path. Be honest in your answer and share what it is about medical assisting that has drawn you to it. Again, try to highlight qualities that would make you a good fit for the job.
3. What do you think are the most important qualities for a successful medical assistant?
This question allows the interviewer to gauge your understanding of what it takes to be successful in this role. When answering, focus on qualities such as multitasking, strong communication skills, and being able to work well under pressure.
4. Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer or patient. How did you handle it? This question allows the interviewer to see how you deal with difficult situations that are likely to come up in this role. When answering, share an example of a difficult customer or patient encounter and explain how you handled it in a way that diffused the situation while still maintaining professionalism and providing quality care..
How to show you’re the right fit for the job
When interviewing for a medical assistant position, it’s crucial to demonstrate that you have the required clinical and administrative skills, as well as the ability to effectively interact with patients.
Some common medical assistant interview questions include:
-What inspired you to pursue a career in medical assisting?
-What do you feel are the most important qualities for a successful medical assistant?
-What do you think are the biggest challenges faced by medical assistants?
-How would you deal with a difficult patient situation?
-Can you describe a time when you had to go above and beyond for a patient?
-What do you feel is the most important aspect of customer service in healthcare?
-How do you handle stress while working?
-What do you think are the most important qualities for a successful medical assistant?
The importance of bedside manner
While your technical skills as a medical assistant are crucial, your bedside manner is also important. This is the way you interact with patients and their families, and it can have a big impact on their experience. Here are some questions to help you prepare for a discussion about bedside manner during your interview:
-How do you deal with difficult or emotional situations?
-Can you give an example of a time when you went above and beyond for a patient?
-What do you do if you see another staff member behaving rudely?
-What do you think is the most important trait for a good medical assistant?
-How do you handle it if a patient is unhappy with their care?
How to demonstrate your clinical skills
No matter what type of medical assistant job you’re interviewing for, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate your clinical skills. Here are some questions that might come up in your interview, along with some tips on how to answer them.
1. What are some of the most important clinical skills for a medical assistant?
Some of the most important clinical skills for a medical assistant include taking vital signs, performing basic lab tests, administering injections, and assisting with examinations.
2. Can you give me an example of a time when you had to use your clinical skills?
One time, I had to take vital signs for a patient who was feeling faint. I quickly checked her blood pressure and pulse and found that she was experiencing a drop in blood pressure. I alerted the nurse and helped the patient lie down so she could be monitored.
3. What would you do if you saw a colleague making a mistake with a patient?
If I saw a colleague making a mistake with a patient, I would first try to calmly speak to them about it outside of earshot of the patient. If they didn’t listen or take my concerns seriously, I would escalate it to a supervisor.
The value of a medical assistant certification
The value of a medical assistant certification cannot be understated. Earning your certification shows potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to be a successful medical assistant. Furthermore, having a certification can help you earn a higher salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for Medical assistants is $33,610, but those with a certification earn a median salary of $35,720 per year.
Your medical assistant career goals
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in medical assisting?
2. What do you think are the most important qualities for a successful medical assistant?
3. What do you think distinguishes Medical Assistants from other allied health professionals?
4. What are your career goals as a medical assistant?
5. Are you willing to work overtime or evenings if necessary?
6. Do you have experience taking medical histories and performing physical examinations?
7. Do you have experience with Electronic Health Records (EHRs)?
8. Can you describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult patient or situation?
9. Can you think of an instance where you went above and beyond for a patient or coworker?
10. What do you do if you don’t know how to answer a question or complete a task?
How to stand out from the competition
When you’re interviewing for a job as a medical assistant, you want to do everything you can to stand out from the competition. After all, there are likely to be many other candidates who have the same or similar qualifications as you. So how can you make sure that your interview is successful and that you land the job?
One way to stand out is to be prepared with thoughtful, insightful answers to common medical assistant interview questions. To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of 20 of the most commonly asked medical assistant interview questions, along with advice on how to answer each one.
1. What qualities would you bring to this role?
When answering this question, it’s important to focus on qualities that are relevant to the role of medical assistant. Some qualities that may be relevant include: good communication skills, being able to work well under pressure, being detail-oriented, etc. Avoid listing qualities that are not relevant to the role, such as “being a people person” or “being good at math.”
2. What experience do you have in a similar role?
If you have experience working as a medical assistant or in a similar role, this is your chance to shine! Be sure to highlight your most relevant experience and any achievements or successes you achieved in your previous roles. If you don’t have any direct experience working as a medical assistant, that’s okay – just focus on transferable skills and experience from other roles.
3. Why are you interested in this particular role?
This is your opportunity to show that you’ve done your research and that you understand what the role of medical assistant entails. In your answer, focus on specific aspects of the role that interest you and explain why they appeal to you. This will show that you’re committed to the role and that you have a good understanding of what it entails.
4. What do you think are the most important qualities for a successful medical assistant?
Again, focus on qualities that are relevant to the role of medical assistant when answering this question. Some examples include: good communication skills, being able to multitask effectively, being organized and detail-oriented, etc. By focusing on qualities that are relevant and necessary for success in the role, you’ll be able demonstrate your understanding of what it takes to excel in this position.
5. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer/patient/situation?
When answering this question, it’s important to choose an example where you handled the situation well despite it being challenging. In your answer, be sure to describe the situation briefly and then explain how you handled it effectively. This will show thatyou have the skills and abilityto deal with difficult situations in a calm and professional manner – which is an important quality for any medical assistant
Wrapping up your medical assistant interview
Once your interviewer has finished asking questions, it’s your turn to ask a few of your own. This is an important part of the interview process as it allows you to find out more about the role and company, and gauge whether they’re a good fit for you.
When preparing for your interview, make sure to have a few questions ready to ask at the end. Here are some examples:
-Can you tell me more about the day-to-day tasks of this role?
-What opportunities are there for career progression?
-What do you enjoy most about working here?
-What challenges does this team currently face?
-Can you tell me more about the team I’d be working with?
-What is the company culture like?