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Medical assisting extern skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Jamie Myers,

Jamie Myers

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical medical assisting extern skills. We ranked the top skills for medical assisting externs based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 24.0% of medical assisting extern resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a medical assisting extern needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 medical assisting extern skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how medical assisting externs use patients:

Determined patient eligibility and benefits services, assisted patients in accurately completing appropriate forms, documented all received information.
Escorted patients to examination room, collected demographics and health history and recorded information accordingly.

2. Vital Signs

Vital signs are a set of values indicating different body systems' performance. They are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four major vital signs used in medicine to assess a patient are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Here's how medical assisting externs use vital signs:

Back office responsibilities included preparing exam rooms, accurately recording vital signs, administering injections and performing EKG's.
Recorded patient histories, monitored and recorded vital signs, performed urinalysis and communicated lab results to patients.

3. EKG

Here's how medical assisting externs use ekg:

Operated electrocardiograph (EKG) and other equipment to administer routine diagnostic test; prepared examination room and sterilized equipment.
Performed EKG testing and analysis -Explained medical treatments, medications and medical terminology based on physician instructions

4. Office Procedures

Office procedures are the protocols and standards which define how the staff works together. The office procedures can be a set of rules and regulations which guide the employees and help them run the office operations smoothly. Paperwork, customer interaction, taking messages, handling calls in and out all fall under the office procedures.

Here's how medical assisting externs use office procedures:

Explained procedures and answered concerns of patients regarding medications, medical equipment and clinical office procedures.
Explained and answered questions concerning prescriptions, medical equipment and clinical office procedures.

5. Exam Rooms

An exam room in a hospital is a place where patients are examined by medical representatives. In several cases, the exam room distinguishes the doctor-patient relationship and is a critical component of the overall care process.

Here's how medical assisting externs use exam rooms:

Demonstrated proficiency in taking patient medical histories Ensured cleanliness, sanitation, and maintenance of exam rooms and equipment
Collected and packaged specimens also cleaned and sterilized instruments and prepared exam rooms.

6. Laboratory Specimens

Here's how medical assisting externs use laboratory specimens:

Collected and prepared laboratory specimens to send out to the laboratory.
Collect and arrange laboratory specimens and carry out routine laboratory tests.

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7. Phlebotomy

Here's how medical assisting externs use phlebotomy:

Experience also included patient encounter charted, patient education, vital sign assessment, phlebotomy, medication administration and injections.
Performed phlebotomy under supervision and adequately prepare the specimens to be picked up by the laboratory.

8. Medical History

Here's how medical assisting externs use medical history:

Prepared patients for examination by taking vitals, interviewed patients to obtain medical history and processed laboratory work.
Developed clinical skills by charting patient medical history, performing physical examinations, and prescribing medicine.

9. Appointment Scheduling

Here's how medical assisting externs use appointment scheduling:

Verified insurance eligibility, entered billing information, created patient correspondence, filing, appointment scheduling.
Supported front desk receptionist with administrative duties including reminder calls, appointment scheduling, and scanning/filing.

10. Blood Pressure

Here's how medical assisting externs use blood pressure:

Obtain patient vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, height, weight, head circumference for infants).
Interview patients, measure vitals signs, pulse rate, temperature, blood pressure, and record information on patients charts.

11. Venipuncture

Venipuncture, or also known as venapuncture, venepuncture, or venupuncture, is collecting blood directly from a vein, which is done mainly for laboratory purposes. It is typically performed by a phlebotomist.

Here's how medical assisting externs use venipuncture:

Performed venipuncture procedures and administered intramuscular vaccinations
Demonstrated proficiency in establishing patient medical histories, taking accurate vital signs, venipuncture, injections, and various diagnostic procedures.

12. EMR

Here's how medical assisting externs use emr:

Prepared exam rooms for patients*Confidently answered phones, completed faxes and delivered messages*Utilized Microsoft Word and EMR
Inducted patients using EMR* Medication and vaccination administration* Waived lab diagnostic tests performed

13. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how medical assisting externs use patient care:

Prepared individual patient assessments to assist nurse practitioner and behavioral therapist to expedite quality patient care.
Provided excellent patient care, occasionally handled front desk reception and scheduled patient appointments.

14. Front Desk

Here's how medical assisting externs use front desk:

Front desk responsibilities included answering phone/faxing, scheduling appointments, and checking in/out patients.
Managed all front desk patient activity/operations and provided impeccable customer service for busy office.

15. Patient Charts

Here's how medical assisting externs use patient charts:

Entered new patient data and schedule patient appointments, maintained computerized inventory of patient charts for established patients and discharged patients.
Practiced proper documentation techniques while updating patient charts with confidential information and abiding by strict HIPAA regulations.

5 Medical Assisting Extern resume examples

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What skills help Medical Assisting Externs find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on medical assisting extern resumes?

Jamie Myers

Education Program Associate, Allied Health Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University - Hazleton

Bilingual, Phlebotomy, EKGs.

What soft skills should all medical assisting externs possess?

Jamie Myers

Education Program Associate, Allied Health Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University - Hazleton

Critical thinking, problem-solving, dependability.

What hard/technical skills are most important for medical assisting externs?

Jamie Myers

Education Program Associate, Allied Health Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University - Hazleton

Computer skills.

What medical assisting extern skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

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

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

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

Do you want to know more?

List of medical assisting extern skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a medical assisting extern resume and required skills for a medical assisting extern to have include:

Patients
Vital Signs
EKG
Office Procedures
Exam Rooms
Laboratory Specimens
Phlebotomy
Medical History
Appointment Scheduling
Blood Pressure
Venipuncture
EMR
Patient Care
Front Desk
Patient Charts
Triage
Patient History

Test Results
Patient Appointments
Drawing Blood
Patient Vitals
Treatment Rooms
Patient Examinations
Office Equipment
Patient Education
PowerPoint
EHR
Insurance Verification
Administrative Tasks
Insurance Forms
Patient Intake
HIPAA
Patient Rooms
PAP Smears

Specimen Collection
Telephone Calls
Computer System
Medical Procedures
Hippa
Vital Statistics
Word Processing
Administer Medications
Lab Results
Urine Samples
Press Releases
Medical Equipment
CLIA
Rooms Neat
Treatment Procedures
Suture Removal

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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