In hospitals and in clinics, one of the most important roles is that of the medical office assistant. A medical assistant performs comprehensive work in the medical office that includes everything from helping prepare patients for minor and basic procedures, managing patient files and patient information, and managing the office. If you think you’ll enjoy medical secretary work, than medical office jobs may be for you. Most jobs have working hours that mimic the operating hours of the clinic. Some hospitals may have positions at night as well. The job growth of medical assistants in general, clinical and non-clinical environments will grow about 34% through the year 2018. Average earning will differ depending on the working environment, but medical office assistants have a general median salary of $28,000. You can get excellent medical assistant training by enrolling in an accredited online university—many of these schools offer two-year programs that can help you get a leg up on the competition in this expanding field. Local community and career colleges also offer in-person programs to prepare you for this exciting career.
Here’s how to become a medical office assistant.
- Learn the ropes. One of the best advantages of working as a medical office assistant is that you do not need technical education in order to get training. Although there are some community colleges, vocational schools and universities that offer courses to help you work as a medical office assistant, most of the medical assistants today have received their training on the job. The easiest way to get the basic training is by working as an intern in a medical office, where you can see how a medical assistant actually works.
- Get certification. Although there are a number of medical office assistants who have received their training on the job, you can actually further improve your chances of being hired by getting certification. One certification title is the National Certified Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA). Do this by enrolling in vocational courses in related fields, such as basic computer literacy and keyboard manipulation, medical transcription, medical terminology, accounting and even how to manage insurance papers. There are, thankfully, plenty of options for you when it comes to taking short courses. Night classes, community college courses and shortened vocational courses are available to work with your life schedule. Certificates can be granted through this means in about three to six months. Some colleges may offer financial aid to those that qualify, so contact a prospective school for more details. Certification can also be granted through one year of full-time employment as a Medical Office Assistant. This route is a good plan for those that are willing to do more on-the-job training in lieu of attending classes.
- Volunteer. Another way to learn more about the craft and prepare for a medical office assistant job is by volunteering at an office. Doing volunteer work will give you an automatic advantage, compared to other job applicants. This is because office work is all about experience, which is why several months or a year or two of volunteer work will go well with your resume and will increase your chances of being hired. Also, an office may decide to hire you after a few short months or even weeks of volunteering. Before starting to volunteer, pitch the idea to the office of hiring you a little while after starting. One advantage for this is that the office doesn’t have to spend money on training you to do the job. Check out the medical offices in the city, as well as hospitals and medical institutions where you can work as a medical office assistant. Small clinics and private practices will usually appreciate volunteer work, and recommend you highly for your work. Some clinics may not allow volunteers to do any actual work, due to privacy concerns. If this is the case, ask if you can shadow a medical office assistant instead. This will give some valuable experience, open doors of employment and secure a potential letter of recommendation.
- Work with patients. One of the most challenging aspects of working as a medical office assistant is how you interact with your patients. Because the medical office assistant is the first and last person that a patient sees in the hospital or in the clinic, it is important that you have the bedside manner needed to make a favorable impression. This skill will not only sell and promote the clinic where you work, but will also keep the patients at ease, which is important because patients in hospitals tend to be scared, sick and weak. Volunteering at a nursing home, local school, clinic or hospital helps to hone those people skills and give an opportunity to learn patience when interacting with others.
- Education. Some medical office assistants may choose to attend a school to get some training before looking for a job. Local vocational and community colleges may offer a certificate or an associate’s degree in medical assisting. While it is not needed, it is helpful when looking for a job. Since the majority of the position is modeled after that of a secretary, a basic high school education is enough to enter one of these positions. In high school, focus on courses in typing, bookkeeping, communication, math, biology and general office skills. Some vocational schools offer short courses in medical terminology, typing and other pertinent skills that can be completed in a few weeks. These are typically taken by office workers to better hone their skills.
Once you have done these, you can start formally applying for medical secretary jobs. Prepare your resume and be sure to include the short courses and degrees that you have earned, as well as the volunteer work and training that you completed. Even though taking a few courses in medical terminology, computer science or any other related courses are not required to get a job, they do give a competitive edge against other applicants. In your resume, mention any office equipment you are familiar with including phones, computers, software programs, fax machines and copiers. Send your resume to medical offices and wait for the best offer to come.