Career change as a medical assistant (MFA)

Career change paths

• Clinical coder (Kodierfachkraft)

  Also: Medical documentation assistant

  With on-the-job training

  In coding, you translate doctors' letters and findings in the hospital into diagnosis and procedure codes for billing.

  What you bring:

  You know diagnoses, technical terms and billing codes and work precisely with patient data.

  How to get there:

  You can start in billing or medical controlling at a hospital with on-the-job training. A course to become a clinical coder at a training provider usually takes a few weeks to a few months, also alongside work. Besides nurses, clinics also hire MFA with billing experience for this.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,447gross per monthMedian salary

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• Case officer at a health insurance fund

  Also: Social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte/r)

  With on-the-job training

  At a health insurance fund, you process applications for benefits, check prescriptions and advise insured persons.

  What you bring:

  You know referrals, prescriptions for therapies and aids and billing with the health insurance funds from practice.

  How to get there:

  Health insurance funds sometimes hire MFA for benefit processing or customer service and train them internally, often for several months. A recognized qualification in this field comes from training to become a social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte/r), 3 years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,964gross per monthMedian salary

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• Medical device consultant

  Also: Field sales representative for medical technology

  With on-the-job training

  In field sales, you present medical devices to practices and clinics, instruct them in their use and look after customers.

  What you bring:

  You know practice procedures, technical terms and the doctors' point of view and explain devices and procedures in an understandable way.

  How to get there:

  For medical devices, § 83 MPDG accepts your completed medical training together with product training at the manufacturer, usually a few weeks. For advising on medicines as a pharmaceutical representative (Pharmareferent), however, § 75 AMG requires the exam for certified pharmaceutical representative (Geprüfter Pharmareferent) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), with a preparation course of several months. A class B driving license is almost always required.*Regulated by law (Medical Devices Law Implementation Act (MPDG) § 83).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,550gross per monthMedian salary

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• Practice manager

  Also: Certified senior specialist for outpatient medical care (Fachwirt/in für ambulante medizinische Versorgung)

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a practice manager, you organize the team, rotas and administration and are the point of contact for the doctors.

  What you bring:

  You know billing, appointment planning, hygiene and quality requirements and the procedures of a practice from everyday life.

  How to get there:

  You usually get there after a few years as a medical assistant (MFA) through the upgrading course for certified senior specialist for outpatient medical care (Fachwirt für ambulante medizinische Versorgung) at the medical association (Ärztekammer). It usually takes 1 to 2 years alongside work and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). Larger practices and medical care centers sometimes also fill such positions with experienced MFA and on-the-job training.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,533gross per monthMedian salary

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• Registered nurse (Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann)

  With vocational training

  In nursing, you look after patients throughout the day and plan the care on your own responsibility.

  What you bring:

  You know vital signs, drawing blood, injections, hygiene and dealing with sick people.

  How to get there:

  You train to become a registered nurse, 3 years full-time or up to 5 years part-time, with a training allowance. On request, the responsible authority can credit your MFA training as far as it is equivalent. How much is credited is decided case by case.*Regulated by law (Nursing Professions Act (PflBG)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,421gross per monthMedian salary

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• Paramedic (Notfallsanitäter/in)

  Also: Emergency medical technician (Rettungssanitäter/in)

  With further training

  In the ambulance service, you treat people in an emergency independently on site and on the way to the hospital.

  What you bring:

  You measure vital signs, record ECGs, apply dressings and stay calm when patients are doing badly.

  How to get there:

  Paramedic: training of 3 years with a training allowance. With an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and your MFA training, you meet the entry requirement. Emergency medical technician: course under state law, usually 520 hours, about 3 months full-time. For the ambulance, a class C1 driving license is often required.*Regulated by law (Paramedic Act (NotSanG) § 8; emergency medical technicians under the emergency service acts of the federal states).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,175gross per monthMedian salary

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• Anesthesia technical assistant (Anästhesietechnische/r Assistent/in, ATA)

  Also: Surgical technical assistant (Operationstechnische/r Assistent/in, OTA)

  With vocational training

  In the operating room or in anesthesia, you do this to a greater extent and look after patients before and after the operation.

  What you bring:

  You work sterile, prepare instruments and devices and assist with examinations and small procedures.

  How to get there:

  You complete 3 years of training at school and hospital, with a training allowance. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training, so also with your MFA training.*Regulated by law (Anesthesia Technical and Surgical Technical Assistants Act (ATA-OTA-G) § 11).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,666gross per monthMedian salary

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• Medical laboratory technologist (Medizinische/r Technologe/Technologin für Laboratoriumsanalytik)

  With vocational training

  In the lab, you carry out the analyses yourself, operate analysis devices and check the results for plausibility.

  What you bring:

  You draw blood, prepare samples and know lab values and rapid tests from practice.

  How to get there:

  You train under the MT Professions Act, 3 years full-time or up to 5 years part-time, at a state-recognized school with practice in the lab and clinic. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. Parts of an equivalent training can be credited on request.*Regulated by law (MT Professions Act (MTBG) §§ 13 to 15).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €4,064gross per monthMedian salary

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• Medical technologist for radiology (Medizinische/r Technologe/Technologin für Radiologie)

  With vocational training

  As a medical technologist for radiology, you work with X-ray, CT, MRI and in radiation therapy.

  What you bring:

  If you have taken X-rays as a medical assistant (MFA) in the practice, you already have the radiation protection knowledge and can position patients correctly.

  How to get there:

  You train under the MT Professions Act, 3 years full-time or up to 5 years part-time, at a state-recognized school with practice in clinics and radiology practices. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. Parts of an equivalent training can be credited on request.*Regulated by law (MT Professions Act (MTBG) §§ 13 to 15).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workLots of contact with people

  €4,443gross per monthMedian salary

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• Hygiene inspector at the public health office (Gesundheitsamt)

  With further training

  As a hygiene inspector, you check practices, clinics, schools and communal facilities for the public health office and investigate cases of infection.

  What you bring:

  You know hygiene plans, disinfection, sterilization and the reprocessing of medical devices from practice.

  How to get there:

  You train in the public health service under state law, with theory at an academy or technical college and practice at the public health office, usually about 2 years depending on the federal state. Public health offices usually select applicants with completed training in a health profession for this.*Regulated by law (State law: training and examination regulations of the states for hygiene inspectors).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €4,905gross per monthMedian salary

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Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.