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What is a medical assistant instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA)
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As a medical assistant instructor, your career will lead you to teach students how to perform the tasks of a medical assistant. You will need to demonstrate techniques to students, find materials and include these materials in lectures, give students hands-on experience with techniques and equipment in the school labs. You will also need to explain topics about different medical procedures.

To be a medical assistant instructor, you will need to be a medical assistant and have a license plus several years of experience. The experience you need in this field includes both front and back-office work. You will need to perform phlebotomy, do injections, wound care, vital signs, and calculate dosages. In addition, you will need to be familiar with standard office software, have communication skills, and the ability to adjust lessons to the abilities of your students.

You will need an associate degree in medical assisting or nursing plus a few years of experience in the medical field. Often a bachelor's degree in nursing and teaching experience is necessary. You can earn a median salary of $45,000 a year.

What general advice would you give to a medical assistant instructor?

Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA)Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA) LinkedIn profile

Faculty Coordinator of Allied Health/Medical Assistant Program Director, Midstate College

-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
ScoreMedical Assistant InstructorUS Average
Salary
3.2

Avg. Salary $40,698

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.9

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 9.79%

Black or African American 10.45%

Hispanic or Latino 24.15%

Unknown 4.75%

White 50.04%

Gender

female 81.42%

male 18.58%

Age - 35
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35
Stress level
7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.6

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Medical assistant instructor career paths

Key steps to become a medical assistant instructor

  1. Explore medical assistant instructor education requirements

    Most common medical assistant instructor degrees

    Associate

    26.5 %

    Bachelor's

    21.8 %

    Diploma

    20.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific medical assistant instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients15.96%
    Vital Signs8.77%
    Patient Care7.67%
    Phlebotomy6.74%
    CPR6.35%
  3. Complete relevant medical assistant instructor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical assistant instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a medical assistant instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical assistant instructor resumes.
  4. Gain additional medical assistant instructor certifications

    Medical assistant instructor certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific medical assistant instructor certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for medical assistant instructors include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research medical assistant instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage two full classes of 30+ students each and ensure all comply with OSHA and the schools' standards and guidelines.
    • Utilize nursing process and critical thinking skill and manage flight medic activities in combat deployment environment.
    • Prepare students to sit for the national CPC exam through AAPC.
    • Facilitate anatomy and physiology courses.
  6. Prepare your medical assistant instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your medical assistant instructor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a medical assistant instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable medical assistant instructor resume templates

    Build a professional medical assistant instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your medical assistant instructor resume.
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
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    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
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    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
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    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
    Medical Assistant Instructor Resume
  7. Apply for medical assistant instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a medical assistant instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first medical assistant instructor job

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Average medical assistant instructor salary

The average medical assistant instructor salary in the United States is $40,698 per year or $20 per hour. Medical assistant instructor salaries range between $27,000 and $60,000 per year.

Average medical assistant instructor salary
$40,698 Yearly
$19.57 hourly

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Medical assistant instructor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

Helping patients


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Cons

Underpaid.. Work overload. Sometimes unorganized management. Unfairness...number one is understaffing


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Being able to incorporate my ideas and make positive changes

Cons

Everyone’s slack falls on me and I have to do the job of 4+ people and my own work gets neglected


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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