Medical Office Assistant Schools and Programs

Overview of a Career as a Medical Office Assistant

Medical office assistants perform many tasks depending on the size of the office and the services it provides. Usually the duties are clerical and/or administrative and entail making sure the office runs efficiently. Duties include:

Filing and updating medical records
Completing insurance forms
Setting up lab services and hospital admissions
Answering phones and welcoming patients
Scheduling appointments
Dealing with mail, bookkeeping, and billing

Medical office assisting requires you to multi-task, engage politely with people all day, and be detailed-oriented. While most office medical assistants work in doctor's offices, you may also work in hospitals and facilities for inpatients, outpatients, and residential care.

The Education You'll Need for Medical Office Assisting

Although you may only need a high school diploma to become a medical office assistant, formal training can give you a leg up when it comes to employment. Many medical office assistants complete one or two years at vocational-technical high schools, or vocational, community, and junior colleges. The one-year programs provide certifications or diplomas, while the two-year programs result in associate's degrees. Traditional or online courses may include:

Transcription
Keyboarding
Accounting
Record-keeping
Insurance processing

Some office medical assistants go on to acquire more education in the field of nursing to expand their responsibilities and pay.

Salaries and Job Outlook for Medical Office Assistants

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job outlook is excellent for medical office assistants, particularly those with a certificate or degree. It will be one of the fastest growing occupations through 2018 due to medical technology advances, people living longer, and higher rates of chronic ailments like obesity and diabetes. Medical assistants enable physicians to see more patients. The median annual salary for medical office assistants in 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was $28,650 compared to $30,190 earned by medical secretaries. If you get the right training, you'll make a great impression that could help land you a top notch health care job.

Nursing and Health Care Schools

1 2 3 4 5 > Last ›

Virginia College - Online

Set your career in motion at Virginia College.

Programs Offered:

AS - Medical Office Administration

Brown Mackie College - Hopkinsville

Improve your career skills with a quality education from a Brown Mackie College. Choose from many different career-track programs in today's most in-demand fields.

Programs Offered:

Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Management

Brown Mackie College - Merrillville

Improve your career skills with a quality education from a Brown Mackie College. Choose from many different career-track programs in today's most in-demand fields.

Programs Offered:

Associate of Science in Medical Office Management

Brown Mackie College - Michigan City

Improve your career skills with a quality education from a Brown Mackie College. Choose from many different career-track programs in today's most in-demand fields.

Programs Offered:

Associate of Science in Medical Office Management

Vatterott College - Oklahoma City

Build the life you want with training from Vatterott.

Programs Offered:

Medical Office Assistant

Vatterott College - Tulsa

Build the life you want with training from Vatterott.

Programs Offered:

Medical Office Assistant

Sanford-Brown Institute

Turn your love of medicine into a rewarding career at Sanford-Brown Institute. Learn more today.

Programs Offered:

Anesthesia Technology

Fortis Institute - Dothan

Get the skills and training you need for a great career at Fortis College. * Programs vary by location * Please contact each individual campus for accreditation information * Fortis College - Indianapolis advertising code is AC-0163.

Programs Offered:

Medical Office Specialist

Fortis Institute - Mobile

Programs Offered:

Medical Office Specialist

Fortis Institute - Montgomery

Programs Offered:

Medical Office Specialist

1 2 3 4 5 > Last ›

Narrow Your Search By State/Province

Nursing Programs

Featured Programs

Online RN to BSN Obtaining your bachelor's in nursing (BSN) has been made much more possible with the Internet. Online RN to BSN programs allow you to work at home, when you have time.

Other College Sites

Search for Nursing Schools

Select Subject:

Enter Zip Code:

Everest College

3460 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010

More Info

Samra University of Oriental Medicine

1730. W. Olympic Blvd. 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90015

More Info

WCU

4021 Rosewood Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90004

More Info

Featured Nursing Schools

University of Phoenix

With convenient class locations as well as online learning, University of Phoenix makes quality higher education highly accessible. Whether you're seeking an associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, we can help you reach your goal while you work-and much sooner than you might expect.

Kaplan University

Don't wait another day to take the next step forward in your career. Kaplan University can give you the real-world knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your chosen field.

Walden University

Balance your personal and professional commitments while earning a respected Ph.D., master's degree, or bachelor's degree online at Walden University. Programs offered in management, education, psychology and health and human services.