Sample Interview Questions for Medical Assistant Positions (with Answers)

By practicing with sample interview questions for medical assistant position, you will be able to do well at the interview and increase your chances of being hired.

Please, read on:

What do Interviewers look for in a Medical Assistant?

As a medical assistant, your duties and responsibilities will vary depending on the level and type of facility you’re working in.

For example, entry-level assistants typically perform tasks such as taking vital signs, changing patient sheets and answering phones while higher-level assistants may need to deal with more complicated procedures.

Interviewers look for candidates who are knowledgeable about the company’s philosophy and mission, as well as those who have at least one year of experience under their belt.

10 Most Common Interview Questions for Medical Assistant Positions

Here are common interview questions you may be asked when sitting for a medical assistant job interview, with suggested answers to enable you to effectively prepare your responses for the interview:

1. What is an example of a time when you had to go above and beyond the basic requirements of your job?

I think the time that I had to go above and beyond my job requirements happened when one of my co-workers was working on a project where I was also working.

He had to create charts with graphs which were hard to understand. He asked for my help because he knew I was great at math.

I tried to help him as much as possible by going through a bunch of his work and trying to figure out what he needed.

So I helped him by creating a completed chart that he can just print and present to his boss.

2. In your previous job, how did you reach out to employees for assistance?

I reached out to my co-workers but also tried looking up online or searching through our company manuals because sometimes it’s easier going directly to someone who knows how to do the task.

I also spoke to our supervisors, who were also very helpful and knowledgeable about tasks that needed to be done.

3. What is your greatest strength?

My greatest strength is my ability to stay positive under pressure because sometimes it can be very challenging but staying optimistic has helped me deal with difficult situations in the workplace.

4. What is your greatest weakness?

My greatest weakness would be my perfectionism because I want to make sure that the task gets done in its best state.

More Common Interview Questions for Medical Assistant Positions

5. How do you deal with difficult patients?

Difficult patients are the ones who are not willing to listen or cooperate, but I try to communicate with them in a professional manner and always have a smile on my face to put them at ease.

I’m very patient with people so difficult patients are never really a problem for me.

6. How do you keep yourself organized?

I keep myself organized by making to-do lists, setting reminders of tasks that need to be done at work and I always have folders for every file that needs to be worked on.

7. What are some of the things you learned from your last job?

I learned how to effectively communicate with colleagues, co-workers and superiors. Also, I was able to familiarize myself with our policies and procedures which made it easier for me to quickly adjust when I changed jobs.

8. Are you willing to work overtime, weekends and holidays?

Yes, I am willing to work late hours or on weekends if needed because my only priority is providing the best care for my patients.

9. How would you deal with an upset patient?

An upset patient can be difficult but I think the best way to deal with it is by trying your best to find out what the problem is and then give your patient a solution.

Also, it helps to keep them calm by smiling, introducing yourself and giving positive feedback.

10. What are some of the things you learned from your last job?

I learned how to effectively communicate with colleagues, co-workers and superiors. Also, I was able to familiarize myself with our policies and procedures which made it easier for me to quickly adjust when I changed jobs.

More Medical Assistant Interview Questions

Here are more samples of commonly asked medical assistant interview questions:  

Sample Behavioral Skills Interview Questions for Medical Assistant Positions

1. Walk me through a time when you had to handle a difficult client
2. Give an example of when you overcame a significant challenge
3. What type of situation do you not want to find yourself in?
4. Share with me an instance where you decided there was no room for debate and made the decision that needed to be made.
5. Tell me about your most recent boss and how did he/she treat you?

Sample Case Interview Based Questions for Medical Assistants

1. What do you think about our company?
2. Why should I hire you as a medical assistant?
3. How would your co-workers describe you?
4. Have you ever been to a doctor for anything other than an annual checkup or physical that wasn’t treated by your primary care physician/dentist/chiropractor, etc.?
5. Would you rather work alone or with a team of people on a project?

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?

Sample Problem-solving Interview Questions for Medical Assistants

1. What’s the best way to keep a medical assistant organized?
2. How do I organize patient histories?
3. What are the most common problems in this type of profession?
4. How can I optimize my time with patients’ records so I have enough time for other things, too?
5. Why is it important to know all about diseases and treatments before assisting doctors during surgery or examination at clinic appointments?

Sample Situational Interview Questions for Medical Assistants

1. How would you handle an angry patient?
2. What is the first thing you would do if there was a medical emergency?
3. What are some of the responsibilities of a medical assistant?
4. Describe your work ethic.
5. Why should I choose you for this job, what makes you different from other candidates that have applied for this position?

Sample Communication Skills Interview Questions for Medical Assistants

1. What is your greatest strength?
2. Tell me about a time you worked in a team environment.
3. How do you think your experience will be helpful in this job?
4. Is there anything I haven’t asked that you want to tell me about yourself?
5. Why are you passionate about working with medical assistants?

Sample Interpersonal Skills Interview Questions for Medical Assistant Positions

1. Are you a team player?
2. Do you have issues with other people taking credit for work that you’ve done or not giving input on projects?
3. What’s your typical response to criticism?
4. How do you handle working long hours when needed, but also making time for yourself and managing your stress levels?
5. How did you deal with a difficult boss or co-worker in the past?

Sample Company Culture Interview Questions for Medical Assistant Positions

1. Why do you prefer this company over the competition?
2. Can you enlist some of our values at this company?
3. How would you define success in this role (medical assistant)?
4. What will be the biggest challenge that a person in this role will face?
5. Who do you consider to be our competition?

Sample Technical Questions for Medical Assistants

1. What is your skill set for medical imaging?
2. How do you place a Foley catheter?
3. What blood pressure reading would you expect to see after completing an echocardiogram?
4. List the steps in drawing spinal fluid.
5. Which surgical instruments would you use if repairing a grade 3 liver laceration, and what are they used for?

Medical Assistant Interview Success Tips

Medical assistants are in demand all over the country. They work with physicians and other medical professionals to provide a wide range of services.

To improve your chances of passing a medical assistant interview and getting the job, here are useful tips you can apply in preparing for the interview and in responding to questions at the interview:

1. Research the geography of the company by checking their website and social media to learn about their community and find out if you would enjoy working in that environment.

2. Have examples ready for common interview questions.

3. When you get the offer, be sure to ask what benefits come along with it—you may be able to negotiate better work-life balance or flex-time arrangements by focusing on the benefits the company offers rather than salary.

4. Be open about your salary expectations so they can counter-offer with a number of their choosing.

5. Be ready to discuss your past, sharing examples of how you dealt with certain situations in the past so it can help them determine if you will be a good fit for the company culture.

Conclusion

The medical assistant field is one of the fastest growing professions in America, and for good reason. The job demands a diverse set of skills: you’ll need to be knowledgeable about health care and patient-focused care practices, as well as know how to use modern office technologies like scanners and computers.

This post has provided a lot of sample questions and answers to help you to effectively prepare for and perform excellently in a medical assistant interview.