A medical assistant cover letter is a concise document job seekers write and submit to express their enthusiasm for the role and highlight their key competencies. You’ll typically send a cover letter in addition to your resume to significantly improve your chances of impressing hiring managers and potential employers.
In this article, we’ll give you an in-depth guide on how to write a job-winning medical assistant cover letter. We’re going to cover everything—from how you should format the document to which sections it needs to contain to maximize your chances of getting an interview invitation.
Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
The best format to follow for a medical assistant cover letter is the business letter format.
For an optimal layout, your letter should be one page long with a professional font, 1-inch margins, and 1.0 line spacing.
The first paragraph of your letter should grab the reader’s attention with your key strengths.
The last paragraph should have a call to action to increase your chances of landing an interview.
Your cover letter should match your resume in format, layout, and content to create a cohesive and professional application package.
What Format to Use for a Medical Assistant Cover Letter
Business letter format is the best one to use for your medical assistant cover letter. It offers an established structure for professional correspondence and organizes the contents of your letter in a simple manner that makes it easy to read.
Here’s how you should arrange the sections of your cover letter:
Cover Letter Sections
Contact information belongs in the header of your cover letter.
A formal greeting addresses the reader before they see the body of the text.
The introductory paragraph is your elevator pitch, containing your key strengths.
The middle portion is the vital part that should contain your most impressive skills and accomplishments.
The closing paragraph is best used as a thank-you note and a call to action.
A conclusion and sign-off at the end neatly conclude your cover letter.
With the format out of the way, let’s learn how to create a professional cover letter layout. This is the visual aspect of your document, and to make it spotless, you should follow these guidelines:
Cover Letter Layout
Keep your cover letter one page long.
Don’t write over 3–5 paragraphs and 250–400 words.
Choose a professional font for your cover letter, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
Make the font size 10–12 pt.
Ensure margins are at least 1 inch.
Set line spacing at 1.0, with double spacing between paragraphs for legibility.
These guidelines will help you craft an outstanding medical assistant cover letter from scratch. However, there’s an even easier way to do it, and that’s by using our cover letter builder.
Get a head start when creating your document by choosing one of the many expertly designed medical assistant cover letter templates. Instead of worrying about format and layout, you can just add your writing and download a finished document.
7 Essential Elements for Your Medical Assistant Cover Letter
Now that we know all about the format and the layout, let’s learn how to write a cover letter for a medical assistant by going through each of its sections. To help with that, here’s a concise visual guide:
#1. Heading
The heading is the functional part of your cover letter. It should contain contact information and the date of writing.
First, you should list your details and include the following:
Heading Mandatory Details
Your name
Job title
Phone number
Email address
Optionally, you can add:
Heading Optional Details
Mailing address
LinkedIn link
Once you list your contact information, you should include the location and date of writing before adding the hiring manager’s contact details.
Here’s an example of what that looks like:
Heading Example
Doris Torres Medical Assistant 1846 Meadow Lane San Jose, CA 95113 707-294-5145 doristorres@example.com
Los Angeles, 03/11/2024
Carol Nichols Hiring Manager BetterHealth Medical Center 2776 Nickel Road Los Angeles, CA 90017
#2. Greeting
A polite greeting establishes a connection with the reader and introduces them to your letter. To get the most out of it, you should address the hiring manager by their name. That’s why it’s vital to research the company and read the job ad. That way, you show diligence and build rapport with them, increasing the impact of your medical assistant cover letter.
Here’s an example:
Greeting Example
Dear Ms. Nichols,
If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, you can address them by their title or department. You should avoid generic greetings, like “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern,” as they can seem too detached.
#3. Introduction
The introductory paragraph is the one that should grab the reader’s attention. That’s why you want to fill it with invaluable information and make it as impressive as possible. This means mentioning the role that you’re applying for, how much experience you have, your most notable skills and accomplishments, and similar.
For instance, a medical assistant cover letter for an externship should clearly state that you’re looking for an opportunity to learn by shadowing a professional. Conversely, if you’re looking for a job, you should openly say so in the first sentence of your cover letter.
Check that out in the following example:
Introduction Example
I am writing to express my enthusiasm for the medical assistant position at BetterHealth Medical Center, as advertised on your website. With more than seven years of experience in the field, I have helped process upward of 3,000 patients annually, ensuring a 97% satisfaction rate. I can use my expertise to replicate these results at your clinic.
#4. Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences
The middle part of your medical assistant cover letter should be all about your medical assistant skills, qualifications, and experiences relevant to the job you’re applying for. In these 1–3 paragraphs, you want to demonstrate what makes you the right person for the role.
If you’re writing a medical assistant cover letter with experience, your focus should be on work-related results and accomplishments. However, if you have no experience, your medical assistant cover letter can emphasize your skills, academic achievements, and willingness to learn.
Here’s a good example:
Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences Example
During my tenure at Well-Being Clinic, I spearheaded the implementation of a state-of-the-art EHR system to improve data accuracy and reduce input errors by up to 45%. I am also adept at educating patients, which allowed me to increase the patient compliance rate by 21%.
Furthermore, I have personally onboarded and mentored three new medical assistants, helping them integrate into the organization and become part of a cohesive and proficient team.
#5. Reasons for Applying
Emphasizing specific reasons for applying can set you apart from other candidates who are merely looking for a job. You want to mention something specific about the organization that you want to join to show that you’ve been following their work.
This tells hiring managers that you’re already invested in their efforts and that you’re likely to integrate into the team easily and be a good cultural fit.
Here’s an example:
Reasons for Applying Example
I am drawn to BetterHealth Medical Center because of its mission to deliver personalized care. Your commitment to every patient resonates with me, and I believe my skills and background would make me a valuable asset to your team.
#6. Call to Action
A call to action in the last paragraph of your cover letter can increase your chances of getting a response. You can use it to ask the hiring manager to check your resume or to invite you for an interview.
Let’s see an example of a call to action:
Call to Action Example
Thank you for considering my application. I would love to discuss further how my qualifications align with your needs, so feel free to contact me via phone or email.
#7. Conclusion & Sign Off
A conclusion with your sign-off politely closes the letter in the same manner that you opened it with a greeting.
Here’s an example:
Conclusion & Sign Off Example
Warm regards, Doris Torres
Here’s a complete example of a medical assistant cover letter:
Let’s finish with a couple of expert tips and strategies you should use when writing a cover letter for a medical assistant position:
3 Tips for Crafting an Outstanding Medical Assistant Cover Letter
Quantify your achievements. By including numbers and statistics next to the results and accomplishments you obtained, you add measurable value to them, making them more concrete.
Don’t forget your soft skills. While job-specific, hard skills are a must-have for health assistants, many employers choose candidates based on their soft skills, as well. That’s why you should mention some of the most prominent ones, such as leadership, organization, and communication, to name a few.
Your cover letter should match your resume. These two documents should follow the same format and layout to create a cohesive application package and demonstrate your professionalism. Moreover, they should supplement each other with information instead of merely repeating the same skills and achievements.
Final Thoughts
At 14% expected growth between 2022 and 2032, medical assistants have a much higher job outlook than average. Still, the competition is fierce, and you want to use every tool in the box to get ahead.
A medical assistant cover letter is the perfect instrument for highlighting not just your expertise but also your drive, passion for the craft, and motivation to advance your career. Remember to tailor your letter to the specific role that you’re applying for and to show hiring managers those qualities of yours they want to see.
Do that, and your interview invite will be just around the corner. Then, you might want to check the most common interview questions and answers. Best of luck!
