Becoming a medical assistant (MA) is a popular path for students looking to quickly enter the healthcare field, build meaningful relationships with patients, and tap into a wealth of job opportunities. As you move through your education, you’ll face an important decision: should you pursue an internship or an externship?
Both options provide valuable hands-on experience and a closer look at the daily responsibilities of a medical assistant. But while they share similarities, internships and externships differ in structure, compensation, and long-term benefits.
If you’re unsure which path aligns best with your current needs or future goals, EduMed is here to break down the differences and help you make an informed choice.
Purpose and Outcomes
Internships and externships both serve as gateways into the medical assisting field, but they offer different types of experiences and outcomes.
Understanding the purpose behind each option, and what you can expect to gain, can help you choose the path that best supports your growth, skill development, and career goals.
Internships
Internships provide immersive, hands-on experience where you’ll practice patient care, complete administrative tasks, and receive direct feedback. These roles often simulate a full-time work week, giving you a good feel for what daily life is like as a medical assistant.
You’ll walk away with sharper clinical skills and potentially even a job offer from an employer that you are familiar with.
Externships
Externships often emphasize clinical observation and learning rather than hands-on work.
During an externship, you’ll follow seasoned MAs and gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of healthcare operations. You’ll also have opportunities to apply the knowledge you’ve learned in class.
Externships are a lower-pressure way to ease into the profession while still building important skills for your future career.
Bottom Line:
Medical assistant internships offer more hands-on experiences, while externships are designed for observation and learning. Both offer valuable clinical exposure.
Eligibility and Program Requirements
There are several educational routes you can take to transition from medical assisting to nursing. Each has different time and financial commitments, as well as varying career outcomes. The path you choose depends on your goals, timeline, and how quickly you want to start working as a nurse.
Internships
You’ll typically need to complete most of your medical assisting program’s core courses before qualifying for an internship. These experiences are often reserved for students who are nearing graduation and serve as a bridge between school and the real world.
Some internships will also require a background check, immunization records, a resume, and letters of recommendation. If the internship you’re pursuing is competitive, you may even need to complete a formal interview process.
Externships
Externships are typically part of your MA program’s curriculum. This means you may not need to do anything other than complete the required courses and progress through the program to take part.
Externships are generally easier to land than internships since your school will likely arrange placements and other requirements are minimal. You may need to submit proof of enrollment and your up-to-date vaccination records.
Bottom Line:
Internships are often more competitive and can require extra preparation, while externships are typically integrated into your program.
Duration and Scheduling
Choosing between an MA internship or externship often comes down to what experience best fits your lifestyle. The right option should complement your class schedule, work, and family responsibilities.
Internships
Most MA internship programs last between 8-12 weeks and require a steady time commitment. Students often spend between 20 and 40 hours per week at their clinical site, usually following a fixed schedule that aligns with the location’s standard hours.
Though your supervisor may be able to accommodate your schedule, internships often have limited flexibility due to their high hour requirements.
Externships
Externships are often shorter than internships. You can expect to participate for between 4-6 weeks and spend five to 15 hours per week at the clinical site.
Since externships are usually part of your school’s program, clinical hours are often scheduled around your existing course load. This makes MA externships a flexible option for students with busy lives.
Bottom Line:
Internships are more time-intensive and often have structured schedules, while externships are usually shorter and more flexible for students with other responsibilities.
Work Settings and Supervision Styles
The type of facility and level of guidance you receive has a significant impact on your learning experience. While internships and externships vary based on your MA program and the location you’re working at, choosing the right option for your skills and confidence level is important.
Internships
During a medical assistant internship, you may spend all your time at one location or rotating through hospitals, private practices, and urgent care clinics.
You’ll work closely under the supervision of practicing MAs, nurses, and doctors. During this time, you’ll receive supervision and mentorship from these professionals, while also having enough space to practice applying your skills and grow in your role.
As you progress through your internship and demonstrate your competence, your supervisor may give you more freedom to work independently.
Externships
Externships typically take place in outpatient clinics or physicians’ offices. You’ll primarily shadow experienced professionals, including MAs, nurses, and doctors.
Unlike an internship, you’ll have less direct participation in patient care and administrative tasks. During an externship, supervision is constant, and tasks are closely guided to facilitate learning in a safe environment.
Bottom Line:
Internships offer more varied environments and opportunities to practice your skills with progressive levels of responsibility, while externships emphasize close oversight and observation.
Duties and Hands-On Experience Level
Gaining hands-on experience helps you build confidence and competence for real-world MA duties. However, internships and externships handle this differently, and each offers unique opportunities for learning and practice.
Internships
In an MA internship, expect to engage in real-world clinical work, such as taking vital signs, drawing blood, entering data into electronic health records (EHRs), assisting with procedures, and managing front desk tasks.
You’ll operate within the MA scope of practice with supervision from a professional at all times.
Externships
Externships lean heavily on observation. You may have fewer opportunities for hands-on experience than you would during an internship—and most won’t involve patient care.
Depending on the facility’s policies and your training level, you may be able to help prepare patient exam rooms and procedures, but your role will mainly be limited to observation of patient interactions and administrative duties.
Bottom Line:
Internships offer direct patient care experience and a chance to grow your skills through hands-on learning, while externships prioritize guided observation.
Compensation, Credit, and Costs
Financial considerations can play a big role in choosing an MA internship or externship. While many programs are unpaid, some offer students an opportunity to earn money through hourly pay or a stipend. Others will only offer academic credit or the certification hours needed to graduate from your MA program.
Internships
Some internships offer stipends or hourly pay for your time. However, these programs are highly competitive, and you’ll need to be a top candidate to land one.
Most paid MA internships are arranged outside a school program, so you may also need to coordinate the experience independently.
The majority of MA internships are unpaid but can still count toward academic credit or certification hours.
Externships
Nearly all MA externships are unpaid. However, they are considered a mandatory part of many medical assisting programs. As a result, you usually won’t pay any additional fees beyond your tuition.
Bottom Line:
Internships may offer monetary compensation or count toward academic credit, while externships are usually unpaid and are embedded in your MA program.
Career Impact and Job Prospects
Clinical experience can be a valuable line item on your resume when you complete your MA program and are ready to start looking for a job. Although both internships and externships offer valuable opportunities to learn, employers may view them differently. Either way, the right program can support your job hunt and open doors after graduation.
Internships
MA internships are often a direct pipeline to employment after completing your academic program. Many employers view your internship as a trial period and will extend a job offer at the end if you perform well.
Even if you don’t receive an offer, internships are a valuable networking opportunity that can lead to letters of recommendation for positions at another location.
Externships
Externships are less likely to lead to an immediate job, but they still give you a foot in the door. Completing an MA externship also gives you a better sense of how different facilities operate and what type of full-time position you may want to pursue.
Even if most externships don’t come with a job offer at the end, they are still a great way to build professional relationships and look good on your resume.
Bottom Line:
Many MA internships lead directly to job offers at the same facility, while externships are often stepping stones that help you explore the field.
Which is Right for You?
Both internships and externships offer substantial benefits for students in a medical assisting program, but one may better suit your schedule or career goals. The lists below can help you find the experience that matches your priorities.
Whether you’re focused on flexibility, immersion, hands-on skill building, or fast-tracking your job search, picking the right internship or externship can set you up for a successful start to your career.
Choose an Internship if You . . .
- Want hands-on clinical and administrative experience with progressive responsibility as you complete the program.
- Can commit to a longer time frame and have plenty of availability during normal working hours.
- Are seeking a paid opportunity or academic credit for your time.
- Hope to turn your placement into a full-time job immediately after completing the experience.
- Meet advanced eligibility requirements and are prepared to spend more time on the application process.
Choose an Externship if You . . .
- Are just starting your clinical training and aren’t sure what specialty or clinical environment you want to work in.
- Want a low-pressure, observation-first environment with plenty of opportunities to learn from experienced professionals.
- Need a shorter program with more flexible scheduling to fit around other responsibilities.
- Are fulfilling a required component of your academic MA program.
- Don’t yet have the experience or meet the requirements to apply for a more competitive internship.
