Working as a medical administrative assistant can be like doing a number of different jobs at once. Sometimes you’ll need to be an office manager, a bookkeeper, and a personal assistant. Other times you’ll be greeting incoming patients, helping them feel at ease, and acting as a kind of “brand ambassador” for the clinic where you work. As the first person patients typically encounter, medical admin assistants are the “face” of the clinic, and set the tone for patients’ overall experience.
The best medical admin assistant programs prepare students for the full range of responsibilities they’ll take on as professionals in this challenging career.
Read on to discover some of the key skills Academy of Learning College (AOLC) teaches future medical administrative assistants to ensure they’re ready to hit the ground running, right after graduation.
1. Medical Admin Programs Teach Specialized Medical Office Procedures
Different from an ordinary office environment, clinic staff use specialized procedures designed to protect patient safety, and promote the smooth delivery of effective healthcare services.
AOLC’s medical administrative assistant school offers extensive training in the medical office procedures used most often in today’s clinics. Students learn all about medical laws and ethics, the roles of specialized healthcare personnel, and how to handle medical records, plans and billing.
Not only that, but AOLC offers a Medical Receptionist Practical Simulation module, which allows students to apply what they’ve learned in real-time, through a computerized program. This kind of hands-on learning really cements new knowledge and skills, helping students build confidence in their abilities.
2. Medical Admin Assistants Learn How to Use Medical Terminology
Medical administrative assistants find themselves serving patients with a range of healthcare conditions, handling laboratory tests, and doing inventory of medical supplies in any number of specialized areas of medicine – each with its own complex set of terminologies.
That’s why AOLC’s program offers a 150-hour, intensive module on medical language. Students learn correct medical terms in all areas of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, as well as common abbreviations used by medical professionals and the names and functions of prescription medications.
3. Medical Admin Certification Includes Bookkeeping Skills
Students pursuing Medical Administrative Assistant Certification learn that keeping track of clinic finances is a crucial part of the job. Organizing employee payrolls, processing bills, and arranging payments to vendors for medical supplies are all important tasks required to keep the medical office running smoothly.
Students in AOLC’s Medical Administrative Assistant program learn proper double-entry bookkeeping, how to manage payroll deductions and other key aspects of workplace financial management.
4. Medical Administrative Programs Teach Excellent Communication Skills
Serving patients and coordinating with medical personnel can be a delicate process. It requires discretion, compassion and courtesy. AOLC’s program includes modules on customer service and communication skills, to help prepare students with the tools they’ll need to provide exceptional care when dealing with people at their most vulnerable.
5. Medical Administrative Assistant Courses Teach Valuable IT Skills
A medical office is just as dependant on computer technology as any other workplace, and students who obtain a Medical Administrative Assistant diploma find that, in addition to their specialized medical office training, they also develop valuable computer skills.
AOLC’s Medical Admin Assistant program offers modules that help students master keyboarding, PC skills, and common office programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. In addition, students are also taught job search and resume-writing skills, to help ensure they can easily find employment once they graduate.
Ready to start your Medical Administrative Assistant training? Visit AOLC to find a program at a campus near you!