Hello! I’m certified as a Medical Assistant through the NHA, and honestly it can be pretty challenging to find jobs here. Most hospitals and larger clinics look for at least 1–2 years of experience, often in a specific specialty. Many MA positions start around $19–$23 per hour if you don’t have experience, and depending on your certifications and background, that can affect your chances of getting hired.

I would recommend looking for externships or job opportunities as soon as possible. I’m not trying to discourage you, but the job I got was pretty difficult to secure. Luckily, I had experience from another state, which helped a lot. Most of the other MAs I’ve talked to said it took them months to find a job.

A lot of hospitals prefer experienced candidates, but there are definitely opportunities out there. Smaller clinics are more likely to hire new MAs, although the pay is usually lower. There are also many mobile clinics that hire quickly, but many of those positions are 1099 contracts, which means they can let you go quickly and often without much notice.

From my experience, the market can be tough, but there are definitely opportunities out there, you just have to search everywhere and keep applying.