Mention A Time That You Failed In This Job And The Lesson You Learned
Even though you do not get to make too many errors in the medical field, you must have at least one experience of making mistakes and learning from them. This is where you will prove to the interviewer that you can take accountability for your actions and even learn from them.
Sample Answer
I once missed a vein in an attempt to draw blood from a patient, which made him angry on the second attempt. I could feel his frustration and anger and had to ask the physician for help. This experience taught me to always properly locate the vein before drawing blood and ask for help from the physician when vein location is a problem.
Share With Us Your Experience Taking Patients Histories And Checking Patient Vitals
Your primary job as a medical assistant will be to record patient history and check their vitals. These two will ensure that the patients get the proper care. Your answer should, therefore, clearly detail your experience taking patientsâ vitals and recording their medical histories as well as basic medical assistant skills.
Sample Answer
My training program taught me everything I need to know about taking patientsâ histories which I did during my internship. I have also had the chance to check patient vitals both in my internship and as a student. I am looking forward to more of such experiences.
What Skills Do You Need To Be A Medical Assistant
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Putting It All Together
Going to any interview can be nerve-racking. Thatsjust the nature of the beast. But, by being prepared, you can make sure thatyou nail the medical assistant interview questions and stand out from thecrowd. Just work your strategy to create great answers and practice, practice,practice. Have your examples at the ready. And, remember, youre a greatcandidate. You just have to show them that you are.
Good luck!
Do You Like Being Around People
- People skills are a necessity for medical assistants. When answering this question, be sure to show that you enjoy interacting and working with others and that you also derive great enjoyment from helping others. This will show that you are a team player and that you would be a valuable team member.
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How Much Experience Do You Have
Employers are looking for an answer that mixes relevant and diverse experience. If youve worked as a medical assistant before, describe the length of your experience. Be specific about where youve worked, which schools youve attended, and what relevant volunteer experience you may have.
If youre interviewing for your first job, focus on the experience you gained at your externship, Scheetz says. Talk about skills you performed and observed there, which you can bring to their companythings like having good communication skills, following HIPAA protocol, experience with EKGs, and proficiency with electronic medical records.
Hire And Retain Top Medical Assistants For Your Practice
Asking the right medical assistant interview questions by focusing on hard skills, soft skills, and cultural fit doesnt mean youll never have to do another interview again but it can help. Ready to take your candidate search to a higher level? Get started on finding the right fit today by posting your job for free on Monster.
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Mention A Challenge That You Encountered In Your Last Role And How You Managed It
This is a chance to show the interviewer that you are a problem solver. Look at all the challenges you faced in your former role and mention the most daring you managed to deal with. You will also get to sell yourself since everyone wants an employee who can solve the challenges that come with the job.
Sample Answer
I was mainly stationed in the front office during my previous job and therefore had to deal with irate family members. However, I understood that they were worried about the patients, which turned into anger and desperation. I showed empathy and stayed calm while interacting with them, occasionally assuring them that their family members would be okay. I managed to calm down most of them.
What Have You Done To Reduce Costs Increase Revenue Or Save Time
- Even if your only experience is an externship, you have likely created or streamlined a process that has contributed to the earning potential or efficiency of the practice. Choose at least one suitable example and explain how you got the idea, how you implemented the plan, and the benefits to the practice.
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Questions About Experience And Background
Employers ask these questions to see if you have enough relevant experience for their position:
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How much health care experience do you have?
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Are you comfortable answering phones and greeting guests?
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Tell me about any phlebotomy training you might have.
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What experience do you have taking patients’ vitals?
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Are your CPR, emergency treatment and AED certifications current?
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Do you have any experience with medical billing and coding?
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Do you have experience working with prescriptions?
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What is your favorite part of being a medical assistant?
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What is your least favorite part of being a medical assistant?
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Do you plan to complete any continuing education?
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How Do You Communicate With A Patient That Has A Language Barrier
There may be times when a patient cannot communicate effectively. The question’s goal is to evaluate how the candidate deals with communication barriers, such as loss of speech, medical impairment, or hearing disorders. What to look for in an answer:
- Ability to remain patient and compassionate with all patients
- Communication skills to use other options when needed, such as writing, pictures, and sign language
- Interpersonal skills to assist patients in communicating and being treated with respect
Example:
“When I’m dealing with a patient who has a communication barrier, I try to find the best option to communicate with them. Sometimes, I have had to write things out for them. Other times, I will use diagrams or pictograms. I also know a small amount of sign language.”
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What Is It About Our Clinic That Made You Apply As A Medical Assistant
The question’s goal is to determine what research the candidate completed about the organization before attending the interview. What to look for in an answer:
- Communication skills to express thoughts and ideas effectively
- Interpersonal skills to build rapport with the interviewer
- Ability and willingness to research as required
Example:
“The reason I applied to your medical clinic is that the wide range of specialties you offer excited me. I find it intriguing to work with a variety of specialized doctors and other health care practitioners in a professional environment.”
How Would Your Former Employer Describe You
- In all likelihood, the interviewer will actually speak with your former employer so honesty is key. Answer as confidently and positively as possible and list all of the positive things your past employer would recognize about you. Do not make the mistake of simply saying you are responsible, organized, and dependable. Instead, include traits that are directly related to your work as a medical assistant, such as the ability to handle stressful situations and difficult patients, the way you kept meticulous records, and more.
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Describe Your Daily Routine
What are some of the roles that you perform daily or regularly in your workplace? This is where you get to tell the interviewer that you are conversant with the job. You can mention the daily routine in your former jobs if you have been around for quite some time or find more about this particular clinic or hospital.
Sample Answer
My day revolves around preparing, maintaining, and updating patientsâ medical records, scheduling examinations or treatment visits, and attending to administrative duties such as answering the phone and sending emails. I also check, maintain, and place orders for different office and medical supplies.
What Schedule Do You Hope To Work Are You Willing To Work Extra Hours
- Be honest. If you really want the job and are willing to work any schedule needed, say so. If, however, you have no intention of working late hours or weekends, simply let the interviewer know the hours that you are available to work. The same applies to extra hours. You are more likely to be hired if you are willing to work any time you are needed. However, saying that you are willing and then complaining about the hours once you start working is a recipe for disaster.
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What Experience Do You Have Using Electronic Health Records Software
Most clinics and medical offices keep electronic health records with specific medical software instead of paper files. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate’s experience with EHR software specific to your organization. What to look for in an answer:
- Basic computer knowledge and skills
- Organization-specific EHR software experience, as required
- Ability to adapt experiences to the current situation
Example:
“I have experience using a few different electronic health records software. For example, in my current position, the clinic uses Accuro. Before that, I gained experience using MicroQuest. Many of the software platforms are similar for use as a medical assistant.”
By Step Guide To Acing Your Very First Medical Assistant Interview
The time has come. After much study, much time in the classroom and lab, and surviving your first time caring for a real client under your instructors eagle eye, you have graduated from medical assistant training. Not only that, but you have also searched for open positions and applied for a job, and they scheduled you for an interview.
After the initial excitement and cheering are over, you may have panicked. Now what? How does one ace a medical assistant interview? Here is a step by step guide to acing your very first medical assistant interview. So take a deep breath, and lets get started!
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Why Do You Want To Work Here Sample Answer Medical Assistant
I feel that my training, internship experience, and communication skills make me a strong candidate for this position. As a physician, I have the confidence in all of the responsibilities outlined in the job descriptions, and I have the skills to make patients feel comfortable during their visit with me.
Medical Assistant Interview Questions
Job interviews are stressful. While youll never be able to remove all of that stress, you can cut it down by spending some time preparing for your meeting.
Research the company, go over your resume and note the highlights you want to hit, and, most importantly, run through some practice interview questions.
Even though there will always be a few questions you arent ready for, having an idea of how to answer most of them will help keep you from being blindsided throughout the entire interview.
In this article, youll find 25 of the most common questions you might encounter in an interview for a position as a medical assistant and some sample answers.
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Have You Thought About Getting A Certification
The requirements for medical assistants vary from state to state , and you do not necessarily need a certification to start this job. But it is better to have one, as it not only prepares you for the role, but also shows that you are serious about your career choice .
Tell your interviewers that you will get a certification as soon as you can afford to pay for the classes, or give them a clear reason why you can not afford it at the moment.
To be honest, a certification has never made a great employee of anyone. It is your attitude that matters, your motivation, and your willingness to learn. But we live in an era of diplomas, degrees and certifications, and you should try to convince us that you plan to get one.
Special Tip: To know how to answer a question is one thing, to come up with a good and original one in your interview another. If you feel anxious, or do not know what youd say in your interview, check my eBook, the Medical Assistant Interview Guide. Updated in 2019, and includes everything you need to know to ace your interview easily. Thank you!
Questions To Expect At The Medical Assistant Interview
There are many potential interview questions for medical assistants. Here are some of the most common.
Tell me about yourself.
Dont let this open-ended question catch you off guard or tempt you to go on too long and tell your entire life story. You want to introduce yourself as a job candidate and craft your answer as a response to the medical assistant job description. Focus on your experience and how it relates to the position. Be interested, quick, and concise. You want to exude confidence and professional poise.
How much experience do you have as a Medical Assistant?
Mention your experience, your training, and any externships.
What is your greatest strength?
Answer honestly and confidently. Align your strength in regard to the position. Some great strengths are being compassionate and patient-centered, being a team player, and having excellent time management skills.
What is your greatest weakness?
This can be tricky but answer honestly and then talk about how you are working on your problem area. If you are new to the medical assistant field, this is can be an excellent answer to this question. My weakness is that Im a new medical assistant. I will need to learn your office processes, yet I am confident in my clinical and administrative skills. I am eager to apply what I learned in my coursework and gained through my externship.
Tell us about your computer skills.
Have you been training in phlebotomy?
What are the next steps?
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Sample Situational Interview Questions For Medical Assistants
How Do You Normally Deal With Upset Patients
You will meet different patients in your line for work. Most of them will be uncomfortable or anxious and bombard you with many complaints that you should be ready for. You must therefore be ready to handle all these outbursts gracefully, whether justifiable or not.
Sample Answer
I first try to understand the issue by urging them to speak or open up and actively listen before rephrasing their complaint to ensure we are on the same page. I will then empathize and let them know of my concern with their well-being before taking the proper steps based on their complaint and finding a solution.
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How Do You Handle Stress And Pressure In A Fast
Working as a medical assistant can sometimes feel stressful. Even though the stress level of a medical assistant job was ranked by the US News and World Report as average, some employers might be interested in knowing how you deal with a fast-paced environment. Answer this question with the truth. Lets be honest, we all get stressed out at work sometimes.
Sample Competency Skills Interview Questions For Medical Assistants
1. Can you emphasize the main duties of a medical assistant?
2. Tell me about a time you had to prioritize tasks and work with other team members to complete them within tight deadlines. What was the outcome?
3. What is your opinion on needle testing for HIV?
4. Have you ever felt that you were not listened to or felt like an outsider in the workplace because of your knowledge, experience, or belief system? How can companies create more inclusive environments where people feel listened to?
5. Do you have any goals for the next five years?
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What Experience Do You Have Dealing With Electronic Health Record Software
This is yet another common question in medical assistant interviews that sheds more light on your general experience in this field. You can name some of the software applications you are well versed in, and if possible, highlight a software the clinic uses. Show that you have vast experience with EHR software and in taking patientsâ medical histories.
Sample Answer
I do not have any tangible experience in this field, given that this is my first try at a medical assistant job. However, we used a simulation of an electronic health software during my training which had similar components ss the regular software applications used in clinics and hospitals. I also used eClinicalWorks in my place of internship and can confidently say that I have a great deal of experience using the program.
