Medical assistants play a vital role on a health care team at a medical facility. Medical assistants receive training in school or on the job where they learn to take patient histories, record vital signs, assist physicians, schedule appointments and manage electronic health records. To enter this rewarding field, you need to make a great impression at a job interview.

Employers look for applicants who are personable, confident and trustworthy. Even before you say a word, your interview attire speaks volumes about you. Choosing the right professional health care interview attire can help you land your dream job.

Health Care Interview Attire for Women

Meds News explains that medical assistants are supposed to look and act the part of qualified health care professionals. Understand that your appearance and mannerisms will reflect directly on your future employer. You can make a positive impression at your interview by wearing a dress suitable for a business office, a pantsuit, or a skirt and blazer.

Choose darker, solid-colored suits, dresses and tops to show you’re serious about the position. Wear comfortable low-heeled dress shoes instead of platforms or open-toed shoes, which aren’t acceptable in a medical office. Long hair should be neat and pulled back.

Health Care Interview Attire for Men

Impressions are made about trustworthiness within seven seconds of an initial meeting, reports Psychology Today. Because trustworthiness is an important quality in medical assistants, it’s essential to manage first impressions at your medical assistant job interview. A dark-colored, quality suit that fits well is an excellent choice when job hunting.

Men’s shirts and ties should be clean and pressed. Avoid loud colors and distracting patterns. Dress shoes must be polished and in good shape. Your grooming should also be impeccable when competing for jobs in a health care setting.

Avoid a Wardrobe Faux Pas

One of the biggest faux pas a job applicant can make is wearing scrubs or a medical uniform to an interview, reports the Medical Assistant Career Guide. Although you will likely wear a uniform as a medical assistant when you’re hired, always interview in a nice business outfit. Makeup, jewelry, fingernail length and polish should be conservative and neutral in color to avoid distraction. Do not wear scented hairspray, heavy aftershave or perfume that may bother patients and coworkers with chemical sensitivities.

Before stepping foot in the office for your interview, check your appearance in a pocket-size or restroom mirror. Don’t ruin a perfect smile with lipstick smudges on your teeth. Make sure a skirt hem is straight, pants are zipped, laced dress shoes are securely tied, and unruly cowlicks are slicked back. Some women avoid wearing button-down blouses for fear of a button popping open during an interview causing awkwardness for everyone, especially on the office and lab tour.

Medical Assistant Interview Questions

A great medical assistant interview outfit can bolster your self-confidence when answering interview questions. If you feel good about yourself, you’re more likely to come across as competent, which is an important attribute when assisting patients. Purdue University Global indicates that medical assistant interview questions focus on the applicant’s suitability for the job.

​Example:​

Why are you interested in a medical assistant career?

What makes you a strong candidate for this job?

Responses to medical interview questions should focus on your strengths related to the job, such as communication skills, organizational abilities, dependability and sound judgment. Wearing appropriate health care interview attire shows that you understand and value professionalism. Conversely, showing up in clothes that are faded, wrinkled, frayed or stained suggests that you didn’t care enough about the interview to look your best. Money spent on a haircut and interview clothes can result in a good return on investment.

By Mary Dowd

Updated July 13, 2021

CLASSES ARE BACK IN SESSION

JULY 6th!!!

As we continue to keep the health and safety of our team members, instructors, community, and students as our first priority, we would like to provide you with an update on Trinity's continued response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) health concerns.

Safety:

Our requirements exceed the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Wisconsin DHS suggestions by limiting class sizes, encouraging skills sessions in place of classroom classes, and additional screening and safety precautions.

We are re-opening and enrolling at 50% capacity, which means we will only be accepting six (6) students for each in-class session and six (6) for online classes to limit the possibility of virus transmission and offer quality education and training. Each program offered is fully adaptable for full online and blended learning. Masks will be required during class and both masks and faceshields will be required during close contact labs.

The majority of our administrative team members have been working from home since March 18th. Instructors who are still teaching and students will be monitored for COVID-19 symptoms or exposure. If any team member, instructor or student is ill, exposed to someone who is ill or tests positive for COVID-19, or tests positive for COVID-19 himself or herself, that person may not enter Trinity's classes or offices for 14 days.

Everyone, upon arriving at work or a class, must successfully complete a COVID-19 screening and pass a temperature check. Similar to all healthcare facilities, no one may enter the workplace or classroom without completing the screening. The COVID-19 screening includes: recent travel abroad, exposure to a person with COVID-19 symptoms or who tested positive for COVID-19, or symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, or loss of sense of smell or taste. If a student does not pass the COVID-19 screening, please contact us to reschedule your class to a later date, at no cost to you. If a student arrives at a class who does not pass the screening, they will be able to participate in online lecture and continue to complete assignments online and labs/skills session will be rescheduled after the students quarantine.

Equipment:

Health and safety of our team members, instructors, community, and students is our top priority. Our offices will re-open with reduced staff, happy to serve you. As we have for the past 3 years in business, we continue to comply with manikin manufacturer guidelines for cleaning our classroom equipment, as we add enhanced protections for our students and staff:

- All staff and students will wash their hands for at least 20 seconds before entering the classroom;

- Equipment will be spaced apart at least six (6) feet;

- All students and instructors will wear face covers/masks when inside the classroom;

- No food or drink will be consumed in the classroom;

- Each student will be provided with disposable gloves to use during the class;

- All equipment and furnishings are appropriately sanitized thoroughly with commercial germ-killing disinfectants after every class and lab session;

-Sinks have been added to our classroom to ensure proper hand hygiene during labs.

We are taking measures to sanitize our offices and equipment even more than our already high standards of cleanliness. We continue to implement best practices for disease prevention, as outlined on the CDC website.

We are committed to being a reliable partner to you and your organization. We are also committed to being a responsible organization, caring for our team members, instructors, the community and students, and operating in everyone's best interests. If there is more that we can do to help you through the difficult weeks ahead, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Thank you for your continued trust in Trinity. We look forward to serving you again soon!

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to evolve, we will do our best to keep you informed.

March 15, 2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to evolve. During this challenging time,Trinity wishes to extend our support to applicants, students, employees, and our stakeholders in any way we can.

 Have questions about a scheduled classes? Check theTrinity Coronavirus Update Page regularly for the most current information on course delivery, enrollment, and for any changes or additions to policies.

 Need other help? If COVID-19 is affecting your education activities, please contact us and we will work with you. Visit our contact page submit a help request or call us at 414-998-0958 during normal business hours..

What to Expect at Trinity

We are focused on ensuring the health and safety of our students and employees.We are following recommendations from the CDC and World Health Organization for preventing the spread of COVID-19.  We will continue to take precautionary hygienic measures, provide hand sanitizer, and have increased cleaning and disinfecting regimens. 

What students should know:

• You will be asked to acknowledge that you have not been in contact with any affected persons or traveled to affected areas and that you are not exhibiting any symptoms.
• If you are exhibiting flu-like symptoms, such as fever and/or respiratory difficulties, when you arrive, you may be asked to leave.
• Please cover your nose and mouth in case of sneezing or coughing.
• We are allowing students to wear disposable masks and/or gloves during class. 
• If you are unwell or exhibiting symptoms, such as fever and/or respiratory difficulties, please call us to let us know in advance.
• We will require students/employees to provide a temperature check upon arrival.

What students and employees can do:

• Wash hands upon arrival.
• Use hand sanitizer when entering the classroom.
• Tissues will be offered ineach class. Per the World Health Organization, cover nose and mouth in case of sneezing or coughing.
• Please contact us if feeling unwell or exhibiting symptoms such as fever and/or respiratory difficulties.
• Medical/surgical face masks are allowed. Trinity continues to monitor the situation and will act upon new guidance for their training centers in accordance with recommendations from local authorities and government.

Check the https://www.trinityedu.net/coronavirus-update" target="_blank">Trinity Coronavirus Update Page regularly for the most current information on class delivery, enrollment, and for any changes or additions to policies.

Thank you for choosing Trinity!

Last updated March 15, 2020

Fast Track Healthcareer Certificates You Can Earn In 6 Months or Less

It is no secret that if you want to earn a good living, you need to have more than just a high school diploma. However, not everyone has the desire or can afford to spend the next four years attending a traditional college. In this article, you will find a listing of several degrees that you can earn in one year or less. We gathered salary information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Physical Therapy Aide

2017 Median Salary: $25,730 ($13.40/hr)

Quickest Program Length: 1 month

Career Outlook: Expected to increase by 30% – quite a bit faster than normal

As a Physical Therapy Aide or Assistant, you will work with physical therapists to help patients recover from an illness or possible injury. You may be the person who is setting up equipment, moving patients as well as working on administrative tasks. In this position, you may be required to work a variety of shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays. This is a good career that offers quick schooling. Before choosing this career, be sure to check your local state’s licensing requirements.

We'll be adding Physical Therapy Aide to our program January 2019.

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians (Medical Billing and Coding)

2017 Median Salary: $39,180 ($18.83/hr)

Quickest Program Length: 4 months

Career Outlook: Expected to increase 13% – much quicker than average

As a Health Information Technician (HIT) you will  ensure that the information maintains its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security in both paper files and electronic systems. They use various classification systems to code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes, for databases and registries, and to maintain patients’ medical and treatment histories.

Dental Assistant

2017 Median Salary: $37,630 ($18.09/hr)

Quickest Program Length: 6 months

Career Outlook: Expected to increase 19% – much quicker than normal

As a dental assistant, your tasks may vary quite a bit. You may spend part of your day helping to check patients in, scheduling visits to taking x-rays of patients. This career is a good choice if you like to add variety to each day and you enjoy working with others. While this is one certification program that pays well, we advise you to check your state for licensing requirements.

Phlebotomist

2017 Median Salary: $33.670 ($16.19/hr)

Quickest Program Length: 1-2 months

Career Outlook: Expected to increase 25% – much quicker than normal

As a phlebotomy tech, you will spend your days drawing blood from people. You may be collecting the blood for individual testing, research or possibly for donations. You will have the opportunity to explain to the patient why and how you will be taking their blood. There are plenty of employment opportunities to consider for phlebotomists. You may work in labs, donor centers as well as doctor’s offices and hospitals. This is a quick certification that pays well.

EMT and Paramedic

2017 Median Salary: $33,380 ($16.05)

Quickest Program Length: 3 months

Career Outlook: Expected to increase 15% – quicker than normal

Choosing to become an EMT or paramedic is one of the best trades to get into if you enjoy helping people and can handle a high-stress environment. A typical day in this trade may start out slow, with you stocking the ambulance, but in an instant, you could be saving a child from drowning or rushing a heart attack victim to the hospital. In this medical certification program, you will learn to stabilize patients, deliver babies, manage fractures, insert IV lines and more. You will also learn how to provide oxygen as well as deliver CPR. This fast-paced career provides a level of excitement that you rarely find in the workforce.

Medical Assistant

2017 Median Salary: $32,480 ($15.61/hr)

Quickest Program Length: 4 months

Career Outlook: Expected to increase 29% – much quicker than normal

A career as a medical assistant allows you to help people stay well. In this medical certificate program, you will learn how to take a proper patient history, take an accurate temperature and perform administrative tasks as well. You may also be the person who teaches the patient how to dress their own wounds, take certain medications or find a specialist. You will be face to face with a variety of patients, who will also bring in a variety of germs. Keeping up to date on vaccinations is important, as well as eating healthy, taking care of yourself and having excellent hand washing hygiene.

Pharmacy Technician

2017 Median Salary: $31,750 ($15.26/hr)

Quickest Program Length: 4 months

Career Outlook: Expected to increase 12% – quicker than normal

One of the top healthcare certifications in demand is for pharmacy technician. In this career, you will help people to understand their medications, as well as filling their prescriptions. You will also have the opportunity to explain medication, possible interactions and side effects with customers. In this career, you will also help clients locate over the counter remedies such as vitamins and herbal remedies. Other duties may include scheduling and supervising pharmacy staff members. You can find careers for pharmacy techs in hospitals, grocery stores, clinics, prisons and more. 

Healthcare is not just Doctors and Nurses.. It's a host of disciplines that make hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, skilled nursing facilities, residential care apartment complexes, and community-based residential facilities run effeciently.  It's never to late to get certified.

START WITH TRINITY TODAY!!!