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Best Jobs For Former Medical Assistants [2026]

By Chris Kolmar
Jul. 13, 2022
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

Top Career Paths for Former Medical Assistants in 2026

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve in 2026, many medical assistants are reassessing their career trajectories. Job satisfaction and stability in the profession have been challenged, leading to a notable shift in the workforce.

While enrollment in medical assistant training programs remains stable, the number of individuals entering the field has decreased, prompting many to explore alternative career opportunities.

This trend raises an important question:

What new paths are former medical assistants pursuing?

To answer this, we analyzed the resumes of ex-medical assistants and identified the most common jobs they transitioned into. We compiled data from thousands of resumes, narrowing it down to the top 100 roles.

Below, we highlight some standout job options for those moving on from medical assisting.

Best Career Options for Former Medical Assistants

  1. Phlebotomist

  2. Patient Care Technician

  3. Front Desk Receptionist

  4. Surgical Technician

  5. Front Desk Coordinator

  6. Unit Secretary

  7. Office Administrator

  8. Radiologic Technician

  9. Patient Service Representative

  10. Medic

Each of these roles offers unique opportunities, catering to various skills and preferences. The full list of potential job options can be found below.

Comprehensive Ranking of Jobs for Former Medical Assistants

Rank Job Title %
1 Registered Nurse 3.22%
2 Customer Service Representative 2.47%
3 Certified Nursing Assistant 2.2%
4 Administrative Assistant 2.15%
5 Licensed Practical Nurse 1.95%
6 Phlebotomist 1.84%
7 Office Manager 1.57%
8 Sales Associate 1.4%
9 Cashier 1.28%
10 Home Health Aid 1.13%
11 Receptionist 0.87%
12 Medical Receptionist 0.84%
13 Patient Care Technician 0.75%
14 Billing Specialist 0.75%
15 Pharmacist Technician 0.69%
16 Registered Medical Assistant 0.68%
17 Volunteer 0.66%
18 Physician Assistant 0.61%
19 Office Assistant 0.59%
20 Clinical Medical Assistant 0.55%
21 Assistant Manager 0.55%
22 Technician 0.55%
23 Internship 0.53%
24 Server 0.53%
25 Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist 0.52%
26 Front Desk Receptionist 0.48%
27 Surgical Technician 0.47%
28 Laboratory Assistant 0.47%
29 Medical Assistant Instructor 0.47%
30 Front Desk Coordinator 0.46%
31 Medical Records Clerk 0.46%
32 Manager 0.42%
33 Unit Secretary 0.41%
34 Lead Medical Assistant 0.41%
35 Laboratory Technician 0.4%
36 Customer Service Trainer 0.38%
37 Teacher 0.37%
38 Assistant 0.32%
39 Substitute Teacher 0.32%
40 Office Administrator 0.32%
41 Medical Office Assistant 0.32%
42 Radiologic Technician 0.31%
43 Clinical Assistant 0.3%
44 Security Officer 0.3%
45 Patient Service Representative 0.3%
46 Supervisor 0.29%
47 Medical Assistant Externship 0.29%
48 Medic 0.29%
49 Front Office Assistant 0.29%
50 Emergency Medical Technician 0.28%
51 Specialist 0.27%
52 Ophthalmic Technician 0.26%
53 Patient Care Coordinator 0.26%
54 Patient Care Assistant 0.26%
55 Instructor 0.25%
56 Coordinator 0.25%
57 Patient Access Representative 0.25%
58 Personal Assistant 0.24%
59 Medical Technologist 0.24%
60 Team Leader 0.24%
61 X-Ray Technician 0.23%
62 Assistant Office Manager 0.23%
63 Teacher Assistant 0.23%
64 Associate 0.23%
65 Research Assistant 0.22%
66 Store Manager 0.22%
67 Phlebotomy Technician 0.22%
68 Secretary 0.22%
69 Allied Health Instructor 0.22%
70 Clinical Research Coordinator 0.21%
71 Clerk 0.2%
72 Case Manager 0.2%
73 Data Entry Associate 0.2%
74 Direct Support Professional 0.19%
75 Sales Representative 0.19%
76 Clinical Coordinator 0.17%
77 Warehouse Associate 0.17%
78 Customer Service Associate 0.17%
79 Owner 0.17%
80 Surgical Assistant 0.17%
81 Waitress 0.17%
82 Medical Coder 0.17%
83 Data Entry Clerk 0.16%
84 Medical Assisting Instructor 0.16%
85 Preschool Teacher 0.16%
86 Driver 0.16%
87 Staff Nurse 0.16%
88 Crew Member 0.16%
89 Clinical Technician 0.15%
90 Assistant Laboratory Technician 0.15%
91 Referral Coordinator 0.15%
92 Medical Support Assistant 0.15%
93 Human Resources Coordinator 0.14%
94 Legal Assistant 0.14%
95 Service Representative 0.14%
96 Ob/Gyn 0.14%
97 MD 0.14%
98 Surgical Coordinator 0.14%
99 Office Manager/Medical Assistant 0.14%
100 Massage Therapist 0.14%

Common Career Paths for Former Medical Assistants

  1. Registered Nurse

  2. Customer Service Representative

  3. Certified Nursing Assistant

  4. Administrative Assistant

  5. Licensed Practical Nurse

  6. Phlebotomist

  7. Office Manager

  8. Sales Associate

  9. Cashier

  10. Home Health Aid

These roles utilize skills developed as a medical assistant and serve as viable stepping stones to diverse career paths.

Methodology for Identifying Top Jobs for Former Medical Assistants

Our analysis drew from a comprehensive database of over 7 million resumes. We focused on resumes that included medical assistant in their work history, then tracked the subsequent job titles they held, organizing the results by frequency.

To create our list of unique and interesting job options, we filtered the ranked data to highlight roles that:

  • Appeared in less than 1% of all new job postings
  • Were not included in the top 100 job titles in our dataset

In summary, the landscape for medical assistants is changing, and many are successfully transitioning to rewarding careers beyond their initial training. Explore these options and consider where your skills may take you next!

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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