Medical Assistant (Gap Year Program)

McLean & Potomac Dermatology & Skincare Center's Gap Year Program offers extensive clinical experience for candidates preparing to enter medical, physician assistant, or nursing school. This program offers hands-on clinical hours in adult and pediatric dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and skin cancer surgery.

This program is intended for individuals who have completed a bachelor's degree and are committed to pursuing a degree in medicine, physician assistant studies, or nursing. This program serves as a formative year for those seeking meaningful clinical depth prior to continuing their professional education.

Participants work closely with experienced providers and clinical teams in a sophisticated, high-volume clinical environment. As a clinical medical assistant, participants gain direct, hands-on experience in both medical and cosmetic dermatology while developing essential clinical and professional skills.

Clinical Experience & Skills Development
This highly immersive experience allows participants to build confidence in clinical skills while gaining a realistic understanding of day-to-day life in healthcare.

Participants will be trained to actively engage in patient care and clinical operations, including:

• Performing venipuncture (blood draws)
• Administering injections under supervision
• Applying wound dressings
• Assisting providers during biopsies, skin surgeries, and cosmetic procedures, such as injectables and laser treatments
• Removing sutures
• Instructing medical staff on proper patient preparation, including room setup and sterile technique
• Documenting patient encounters through EMR systems and learning accurate clinical charting
• Gaining extensive patient exposure across a wide range of dermatologic conditions and treatments
• Learning proper protocols for patient communication, intake, and clinical workflow management
• Observing and participating in the fast-paced operational flow of a high-performing medical practice
• Developing professionalism, efficiency, and teamwork in a clinical setting
• Understanding emergency protocols 
• Counseling patients on pre- and post-visit instructions 

Professional Growth
The program is designed to prepare candidates to excel in competitive medical, PA, and nursing school programs, with meaningful mentorship and exposure to real-world patient care. As a result of completing this program, participants develop much more than clinical skills; they will become adept at critical thinking and adaptability in the clinical setting. 

Graduates of this program frequently advance to top-tier medical, physician assistant, and nursing programs and ultimately pursue careers as healthcare professionals.

Mentorship & Letters of Recommendation
Participants receive close mentorship from experienced providers throughout the program. Individuals who distinguish themselves through clinical excellence, initiative, and professionalism may be considered for strong, personalized letters of recommendation to support their applications.

Eligibility

• Bachelor's degree required
• Preferred: Pre-Med, pre-PA, and pre-nursing candidates

Program Duration

• Minimum 12-month commitment (May of the current year through June of the following year) 
• Beyond this timeline, please review our career opportunities for other medical assistant positions.