Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for medical assistant externships in the United States
Medical assistant externship job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected medical assistant externship job growth rate is 16% from 2018-2028.
About 117,800 new jobs for medical assistant externships are projected over the next decade.
Medical assistant externship salaries have increased 14% for medical assistant externships in the last 5 years.
There are over 661,097 medical assistant externships currently employed in the United States.
There are 172,671 active medical assistant externship job openings in the US.
The average medical assistant externship salary is $35,460.
Are medical assistant externship jobs in demand?
Medical assistant externship job and salary trends over time
Medical assistant externship jobs over time
Medical assistant externship job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 661,097 | 0.20% |
| 2020 | 647,624 | 0.19% |
| 2019 | 651,107 | 0.19% |
| 2018 | 617,294 | 0.19% |
| 2017 | 593,292 | 0.18% |
Average medical assistant externship salary over time
Medical assistant externship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $35,460 | $17.05 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $34,421 | $16.55 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $33,244 | $15.98 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $32,126 | $15.45 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $31,197 | $15.00 | +3.1% |
Medical assistant externship jobs by state
Most common states for medical assistant externships
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 179 | 26% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 160 | 26% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 314 | 23% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 309 | 23% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,629 | 22% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 127 | 22% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,421 | 21% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 404 | 21% |
| 9 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 615 | 20% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,074 | 19% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 686 | 19% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,281 | 18% |
| 13 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,202 | 18% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,089 | 18% |
| 15 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 335 | 18% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 172 | 18% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,964 | 17% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,026 | 16% |
| 19 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,106 | 16% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 119 | 16% |
Most common cities for medical assistant externships
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muncie | 2 | 3% | $29,418 |
| 2 | Alpharetta | 1 | 2% | $26,351 |
| 3 | Anderson | 1 | 2% | $29,300 |
| 4 | Bowie | 1 | 2% | $33,892 |
| 5 | Coral Gables | 1 | 2% | $27,248 |
| 6 | Gilroy | 1 | 2% | $45,771 |
| 7 | Poway | 1 | 2% | $40,977 |
| 8 | Clearwater | 1 | 1% | $27,250 |
| 9 | Troy | 1 | 1% | $32,969 |
| 10 | Yakima | 1 | 1% | $40,972 |
| 11 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $42,850 |
| 12 | Portland | 1 | 0% | $39,500 |
| 13 | Saint Petersburg | 1 | 0% | $27,270 |
Medical Assistant Externship job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of medical assistant externship experts
Midstate College
Pennsylvania State University - Hazleton
Merrimack College
University of Montana
Bellevue College
Eastern Michigan University
What general advice would you give to a Medical Assistant Externship?
Candace Keck: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of medical assistants is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. This positive job outlook ensures future job opportunities and career stability.
What Medical Assistant Externship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Candace Keck: Depending on the area where the medical assistant works, such as clinic vs hospital vs care facilities, the day-to-day duties can vary. The commonality, no matter the location, is they work closely with providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses, to name a few) and other healthcare professionals to deliver patient care. It can involve direct patient care and administrative work. They need to have strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a compassionate approach to patient care.
What will help Medical Assistant Externships increase their earning potential?
Candace Keck: I don't have an answer to this question. I'm not scheduled to work in the hospital any time soon so would not have the opportunity to ask.
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
Clinical Associate ProfessorWhat will help Medical Assistant Externships increase their earning potential?
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE: I think honing clinical judgment is the KEY to safe patient care. A lack of clinical judgment competency is associated with preventable nursing errors, such as medication inaccuracies or failure to recognize a patient is deteriorating and then step in to rescue that patient. These errors are more prevalent in new graduate nurses. This is why the National Council State Board of Nursing changed the licensure exam to reflect the Clinical Judgment Model. As the complexities of health care expand, the clinical judgment of the nurse must expand with it.
What general advice would you give to a Medical Assistant Externship?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: To maximize salary for a medical assistant obtaining certification from one of the credentialing organizations such as American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) can make a new hire more competitive. Continuing educations along with developing any specialized skills such as phlebotomy. Demonstrating professionalism initiative and reliability, along with gaining a strong reference from previous employers.
What Medical Assistant Externship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: Flexibility is a must in healthcare. You must be flexible with your job functions, time and most importantly your patients. You must be able to pivot with little to no notice and be ready and wiling to assist anyone in your clinic; providers, co-workers, patients, etc.
What will help Medical Assistant Externships increase their earning potential?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: To meet the demands of evolving healthcare and provide high-quality care to patients technological proficiency (EHR systems, Telehealth support), clinical skills (any skills that can enhance what you’ve learned in school. Phlebotomy, point of care testing devices), communication and soft skills (adaptability, problem-solving, empathy and compassion) are a must. I feel a lot of the younger generation lacks the soft skills needed in healthcare/professional jobs. Administrative skills and patient care and safety (infections control and chronic disease management).
What general advice would you give to a Medical Assistant Externship?
Shanna Chapman DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, APRN: People like being a nursing assistant for a lot of reasons similar to those listed in #2. It is rewarding and gives the nursing assistant a sense of purpose. It gives them the opportunity to directly impact patients. There is a large variety of settings that the nursing assistant can choose to work in and there is definitely job stability. There is a high demand that will not be dissolving with an increase in the baby boomer population into geriatrics. There is opportunity for the knowledge gained to be utilized if the nursing assistant wants to go to nursing school and a lot of nurses will use it as a stepping stone to learn. The dislikes about being a nursing assistant is that it can be mentally and physically challenging. Some facilities may work shorthanded causing the nursing assistant to have higher patient loads resulting in stress as well as physically challenging. I also recommend that nursing assistants do their research on the facility before applying for a job. Make sure that the facility expectations, mission, and values are congruent with the nursing assistant's personal beliefs.
What general advice would you give to a Medical Assistant Externship?
Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA): -LIKE- People who enjoy working as a Medical Assistant do it because they get a
great satisfaction from help other people. They are often the first contact with the
patient in the medical facility, which sets the tone for the rest of the visit.
They feel good making sure that their patients have the right information that they
need, the appropriate medical care they need, and helping patients feel better.
Good problem-solving skills, compassion, understanding, patience and keeping
up with a fast-paced office is very rewarding.
-DISLIKE- Some Medical Assistants have determined that there are
area/tasks/etc. that they dislike, listed below are some of these things:
You’re always around people who are sick
Long work hours can include 10 or 12-hour days
Lower starting salary, which is usually based on education and
experience level
Having to deal with stressful situations and difficult patients
Dealing with patients who are angry, cranky, anxious or not feeling well
Working under pressure from extremely tight deadlines
What Medical Assistant Externship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA): duties vary, depending on the medical office/hospital/urgent/specialty clinics
where they are employed. Below are some specific job duties that are very
common in the day-in-the-life of a Medical Assistant (these duties include, but
are not limited to the following):
Greeting patients and checking them in at the Waiting room window
Collecting vital signs from patients
Answer phones as needed
Assist with scheduling patient appointments
Data entry of patient information in an electronic medical record (EMR)
Using various computer applications
Transmitting prescription refills
Insurance coding & billing
Obtain or completing procedures for preauthorizations/hospital
admissions/outside testing/etc.
Collecting specimens for Point-of-Care testing or send outs to reference
labs
Venipuncture/Examination Assistance to provider/other duties as needed
What will help Medical Assistant Externships increase their earning potential?
Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA): Medical Assistants
have become a vital member to any health care team! Below are some specific
educational areas and training that a face-to-face or hybrid Medical Assistant
Program offers and what students will do on a daily basis (or during class and lab
sessions) that will help provide training quality assurance: (these are just some of
the areas of training and education that students will receive in an CAAHEP
(Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) accredited
Medical Assistant Program:
Interacting with patients
Hands-on training with hypodermic needles used for injections and
venipuncture
Using other medical equipment like the various thermometers, pulse
oximeter, EKG machine, nebulizer, etc.
Experience with scheduling/accounting/EMR software applications
Students learn and practice many clinical procedures like patient transfers,
wound care, disease transmission prevention, completion of various
requisitions for medical testing, emergency procedures, caring for adult
and pediatric patients, and much more.
Students also learn and practice Pharmacology procedures which include
medication administration, adult and pediatric medication dosing,
medication uses, side effects/adverse effects/toxicity/etc.
Laboratory Procedures allows students to learn and practice how to
perform Point-of-Care testing, venipuncture, laboratory testing results,
urinalysis, etc.
Finally, Students will complete a Medical Assistant Program Externship at
a medical office/hospital/urgent care/specialty clinic to practice the skills
and training in real life.
Jamie Myers
Education Program Associate, Allied Health CoordinatorPennsylvania State University - Hazleton
Continuing Education Department
What skills stand out on Medical Assistant Externship resumes?
Jamie Myers: Bilingual, Phlebotomy, EKGs.
What soft skills should all Medical Assistant Externships possess?
Jamie Myers: Critical thinking, problem-solving, dependability.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Medical Assistant Externships?
Jamie Myers: Computer skills.
What skills will help Medical Assistant Externships earn the most?
Jamie Myers: Bilingual, Phlebotomy, and Computer.
Comora Sarah
Assistant Clinical ProfessorMerrimack College
Nursing Department
What skills stand out on Medical Assistant Externship resumes?
Comora Sarah: Experience in the industry, Dementia training, BLS certification
Michelle Boller
Chair, Business Technology, Associate Professor and Program DirectorUniversity of Montana
Business Technology Depatment
What skills will help Medical Assistant Externships earn the most?
Michelle Boller: Proficiency in all of the expectations of your particular clinic, as well as all skills that fall under a medical assistant's scope of practice, will bring promotions to supervisory or management roles. Consistently gaining knowledge in all things medicine and clinical skills will bring pay increases.
What soft skills should all Medical Assistant Externships possess?
Marina Orobinskaia: Friendliness, positive energy, leadership.
Michael Williams Ph.D.
Director and Associate ProfessorEastern Michigan University
School of Nursing
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Assistant Externship job market given the pandemic?
Michael Williams Ph.D.: So much has changed with the current pandemic. With the initial surge of Covid-19 cases, nurses and nursing assistants were in high demand. Nurses were re-deployed within the healthcare system to areas overrun with Covid-19 issues. Elective surgeries and clinic visits were halted, and the healthcare agencies suffered significant financial challenges. As a result, some nursing assistants and nurses were subsequently furloughed.
However, as the healthcare systems recover from economic difficulties, or there is a second surge of Covid-19 cases, nursing assistants and nurses will again be in high demand. Nurses, working within any aspect of the healthcare system, are working harder than ever before. Staffing shortages, even short term, create additional stressors to the nurses providing care to patients.
Nursing administrators are challenged to provide sufficient staff to prevent physical and emotional distress among their nurses. Nursing faculty are working even more, challenged to prepare nursing students for this new world of healthcare. Education for nursing students has changed dramatically. Students are learning much more from simulation and virtual reality than has previously been used.
As a result, new nurse graduates will need more and additional support when they transition from nursing students to full-fledged registered nurses! All nurses will need more generous support from society with the stress of the pandemic. Nurses are, regrettably, at greater risk for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and suicide ideations due to the epidemic's prolonged strain. The physical and emotional health of nurses and all healthcare providers needs to be a societal priority. Despite all of these challenges, nurses will be there!