MEDICAL ASSISTANT EXTERNSHIP
Your complete guide to arranging a self-managed 100-hour externship across the Keystone State. Build clinical skills, employer connections, and a pathway to employment.
100
Hours Required
4-8
Weeks Typical
12400+
PA Practices
$0
Externship Cost
Self
Managed
Ideal for candidates with prior MA clinical experience who need certification to validate their skills for Pennsylvania employers.
New to the field? If you have no prior experience, you must complete a Self-Managed 100-Hour Externship to build hands-on confidence needed to complete the program and prepare to challenge the AMCA CMAC.
⚠️ Important: EHired does not arrange, manage, or monitor externships. Students have full freedom to set up their own externship experience.
Traditional programs assign you to random sites. Self-managed externships put you in control of your career from day one.
Extern where you want to work. Interested in pediatrics? Find a pediatric office. Want urgent care? Approach Patient First or MedExpress. You control your specialty exposure.
You initiate the connection. The practice knows you're motivated and proactive. Many externships convert directly to job offers because employers already know your work ethic.
Find sites near your home, along your commute, or in your target job market. No random assignments to inconvenient locations across Pennsylvania.
Real experiences from students who completed self-managed externships in the Keystone State.
“I walked into a dermatology office in Center City and asked about externship opportunities. They said yes! I learned so much about specialized MA work. They offered me a job before I finished my hours.”
Tanya W.
Philadelphia • Hired after externship
“UPMC's outpatient network has a formal extern program. I applied online and got placed at a primary care clinic in Shadyside. The training was excellent and led directly to a full-time position.”
James H.
Pittsburgh • UPMC Extern
“A family medicine practice in the Lehigh Valley took me on for my 100 hours. The pace was manageable and I got to see a real variety of patients. They hired me at $18/hour to start.”
Amanda L.
Allentown • Family Practice Extern
"I did my externship at a practice in Lewes during the summer. Patient volume was high which meant lots of hands-on experience. They hired me part-time for the off-season with full-time summer hours."
Follow this step-by-step process to secure your 100-hour externship placement.
Look for healthcare facilities that employ Medical Assistants:
Get ready before contacting sites:
Reach out to practices directly:
Make the most of your externship:
"Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I'm completing a Medical Assistant training program and I'm looking to gain hands-on clinical experience through a 100-hour externship. I'm wondering if your practice might have room for an extern? I'm flexible with scheduling, eager to learn, and I'd be happy to help with patient intake, vital signs, and whatever the team needs. Would it be possible to speak with the office manager about this opportunity?"
Key points to emphasize: You're trained, you're free labor, you're flexible, and you're eager to help. Many practices are short-staffed and welcome the extra hands.
Pennsylvania has 12400+ physician practices and hundreds of urgent care and community health centers. Here are site types by region.
Major academic medical center hub with diverse urban and suburban healthcare settings.
Tip: Philadelphia has strong demand for bilingual Spanish and diverse cultural competency.
Major healthcare hub with nationally ranked health systems and growing tech sector.
Tip: UPMC is one of the largest employers in Pennsylvania with extensive externship-to-hire pipelines.
Mix of suburban and rural healthcare with regional hospital networks.
Tip: State capital and university communities provide diverse patient populations.
Growing suburban region with major health networks and industrial heritage.
Tip: Lehigh Valley is one of PA's fastest-growing healthcare markets.
Remember: These are examples of site types—not guaranteed placements. You are responsible for contacting and arranging your own externship.
Your 100 hours will build practical skills that classroom training can't replicate.
Vital signs, injections, EKGs, specimen collection, wound care under supervision
Hands-on experience with Epic, eClinicalWorks, Athena, or other practice management systems
Intake interviews, patient education, phone triage, appointment scheduling
Real clinic pacing, team dynamics, professional expectations, workplace etiquette
Many Pennsylvania practices hire their externs. Here's how to maximize your chances.
Every shift is an audition. Arrive early, dress professionally, stay off your phone, and show genuine interest in learning.
Volunteer for tasks, anticipate needs, help without being asked. Make them wonder how they functioned without you.
Learn everyone's name. Ask about their career path. Show appreciation. People hire people they like working with.
Around hour 80, ask the office manager: "I've really enjoyed working here. If a position opens up, I'd love to be considered."
It depends on your background. If you have prior healthcare experience (CNA, phlebotomist, EMT, etc.), you may not need an externship. If you're new to healthcare with no clinical background, you must complete a 100-hour self-managed externship to build hands-on competency before pursuing AMCA CMAC certification.
No. EHired does NOT arrange, manage, or monitor externships. All externships are self-managed by students. This approach gives you full freedom to find opportunities that fit your location, schedule, and career goals. You choose where you want to gain experience.
Expect some rejections—it's normal. Some practices don't have bandwidth to train externs. Keep a list, contact 10-15 sites, and follow up. Urgent care centers and FQHCs often have more structured extern programs than small private practices. Persistence pays off.
Timeline depends on your schedule and the site's availability. At 20 hours per week (4 days × 5 hours), you can complete in 5 weeks. At 10-15 hours per week, expect 7-10 weeks. Some students complete weekends only over 3-4 months. Discuss scheduling options with your site.
Most externships are unpaid—you're gaining experience, not working as an employee. Some sites may offer a small stipend, but don't expect it. The real compensation is skills, experience, professional references, and often a direct pathway to employment.
Yes—this is one of the biggest advantages of self-managed externships. Many practices hire externs who perform well. You're essentially doing a 100-hour working interview. Employers prefer hiring someone they've already trained and observed.
Externships are typically shorter (100-200 hours), observation and learning-focused, and unpaid. Internships are often longer (months), may be paid, and involve more independent work. For Medical Assistant training, the 100-hour externship is designed to build foundational clinical competency.
Some sites require proof of liability insurance. Student professional liability policies are affordable ($20-50/year) and available through organizations like HPSO or NSO. Check with your externship site about their requirements before starting.
Free training • Self-paced online • Self-managed externship • AMCA certification pathway
$0
Training Cost
100
Externship Hours
8900+
PA Job Openings
No credit card required. No FAFSA. No cosigners. No loans.
Important: EHired provides free online training aligned with the AMCA CMAC certification exam. EHired does NOT arrange, manage, or monitor externships—all externships are self-managed by students. EHired does not guarantee job placement or certification outcomes. Externship sites listed are examples only; students must contact and arrange their own placements. For official certification requirements, visit AMCA.