Elena Prokopets
Claire Briggs Webber, CPRW
Now more than ever, there is a significant demand for allied healthcare professionals. The Great Resignation and rapidly aging population have left healthcare institutions across the country short on staff. Per official estimates, the demand for medical assistants is expected to grow by 18% in the next decade, with some 140,000 new job openings becoming available each year.
For candidates, that’s good news. You have more negotiating power over your salary and working hours, plus a wider pool of jobs to choose from. Yet, you are still competing against other job seekers and must present a good case for hiring you against others. So don’t skim on writing a personalized cover letter.
To help you with this task, we’ve created a detailed medical assistant cover letter sample with some profession-specific writing tips!
Cover Letter Sample for a Medical Assistant (Word version)
Medical Assistant Cover Letter Example (text version)
Dear Diana Abrams,
My name is Tracy Dennison and I am writing this letter to express my interest in the position of Medical Assistant at Uplands Pediatric Clinic. I learned of this position while looking for new opportunities on the Medjobs website. After reading the job listing and learning more about Uplands, I am confident that I am a strong fit for this role.
At present, I’m employed as a pediatric medical assistant by the Wellness Clinic at University Hospital. My core duty is to provide care to pediatric patients who come in with acute, non-emergency medical concerns.
I am responsible for:
- Taking medical histories and updating patient records
- Communicating with patients and their parents about symptoms and other concerns
- Preparing patients for exams and assisting physicians in the process
- Delivering post-exam paperwork to patients and their caregivers
- Providing aftercare and follow-up instructions – in-person and online.
Additionally, I work with physicians, nurses, and other medical staff to arrange ancillary services such as scans and x-rays. I am also responsible for determining patient priorities based on established hospital guidelines.
In my current position, I am evaluated using the Allied Healthcare Patient Outcome Protocol Survey. I’m proud to say that have consistently received ratings of 90% or higher over the past four years. This is significantly higher than the industry average of 74%. I believe this can be attributed to my commitment to combining skill and efficiency with empathy.
When researching Uplands, I was happy to learn about your mobile clinic outreach program. I believe that efforts to provide wellness services to low-income, rural community members who may not otherwise have access to medical care are desperately needed. This is a program that I would love to be involved with.
As mentioned in the job listing, my Medical Assistant Licensing is up to date. I have attached proof of this along with a copy of my Certificate of Completion from Allied Medical College and my resume. Again, I am very interested in this position and hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you for your consideration,
Tracy Dennison
How to Write a Cover Letter for a Medical Assistant Position
Though a medical assistant is more of an administrative position, you are still required to showcase both hard and soft skills. Your cover letter should offer an overview of your main work experiences, professional licenses, training, and education. Plus, contextualize some of your core administrative skills.
To create such a “balanced” cover letter, follow these tips.
Do Your Research First
Take the time to research the clinic or doctor’s office that you want to work for. If you learn something interesting about news, events, or special projects find a way to mention that in your cover letter. This helps you to personalize your writing and shows that you have taken the time to learn something beyond what is in the job listing.
Read more about how to research a company before applying.
Highlight Your Most Important Responsibilities
Medical assistants are extremely busy multitaskers. So you probably have dozens of responsibilities. However, for your cover letter, you should pick five or so key responsibilities. These should reflect the needs of your potential employer and be your biggest selling points.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to highlight your core competencies, specific to the role, plus a wider range of soft skills.
Share a Bit of Data
There’s nothing better than cold hard numbers to back up your claims. For example, the cover letter above uses percentages to prove that the job applicant has a great track record when it comes to patient satisfaction.
Think about your professional accomplishments. Is there any way you could quantify the results? If yes, absolutely include such data snippets into your cover letter.
Include The Required Information
Do you need a resume, background check, copy of your certification, or any other documents? Make sure you have included these as instructed. The last thing you want is to be excluded from consideration because you missed something or failed to follow instructions.
Final Thoughts: Show How Organized You Are
A good medical assistant has exceptional organizational skills. You must assist doctors with patient prioritization, keep excellent records, and maintain a schedule. You are largely the one who is responsible for avoiding delays and keeping wait times at a minimum. The way you write your cover letter can reflect your organizational skills.
Pay close attention to your paragraphs. Each one should address a single topic such as your experience, why you are interested in this position, your passion for the healthcare industry, or your qualifications. Use bullet points to make important points stand out. By doing this, you ensure that your cover letter is easy to read and adequately communicates your abilities.
