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How to Become a Medical Office Assistant in Just 10 Months

Smiling MaKami College medical office assistant student in scrubs assisting a doctor with a patient chart in a clinical setting

Start Your Healthcare Career Fast With a 10-Month MOA Program

Are you ready to start your career in the medical field but don’t want to spend years in school for medical administrative assistant training? Good news! You can gain the skills and knowledge you need to become a medical office assistant in just 10 months.

 

How Can You Become a Medical Office Assistant In 10 Months?

When considering training options for a career in the medical field, many students want to learn what they need quickly so they can get a job as soon as possible. Medical administration is one career path that allows students to develop the skills needed to perform the job in a very short period of time. Many MOA programs are a year or less, allowing students to learn about the healthcare system and a medical office assistant’s role in scheduling, billing, office administration, patient communication and more so they can begin their career quickly.

An MOA program like at MaKami College is designed to be completed in just 10 months as a full-time student. Through a combination of online and in-person medical administrative assistant classes and a hands-on practicum, students prepare so they can excel in a career as a medical office assistant in less than a year.

Medical Administrative Assistant Training Options

There are many MOA program options to consider. For students looking to study in Alberta, there are various programs that offer medical administrative assistant classes.

Options are available ranging from short and fast-paced certificates to two-year diplomas. The duration and curriculum vary per program and each prepares students in different ways. Shorter, more intense programs can require a full-time commitment and focus solely on teaching medical terminology and technical skills for medical office work. While programs longer than a year may include general classes unrelated to healthcare extend beyond medical administrative assistant training.

A 10-month medical office assistant program falls in the middle of the options and offers a distinctive advantage. Instead of focusing only on medical terminology, billing and software, it also allows students to get hands-on experience that will help them land their first job. In a simulated work environment, students get the opportunity to work in a real-world setting doing the same work they would do in a medical office assistant position. That practical experience combined with training on additional office programs and communication skills provide a well-rounded education in a short period of time. 

MOA Courses & Hands-On Experience

MaKami College’s MOA program prepares students through classes in three key areas — software training, healthcare fundamentals and soft skills. 

Students master the specific technology used in medical offices, including Microsoft Office programs, keyboarding, medical billing and records management. Developing proficiency in these programs provides transferable skills that apply to any medical office or administrative role.

The curriculum also covers healthcare fundamentals, medical terminology and vital safety measures for infection and disease control. Because medical offices have unique requirements, students learn specific office procedures and how to assist doctors and nurses in a clinical setting.

Technical and healthcare-related classes prepare students for the practical skills of the job, but since medical administrative assistants interact with patients every day, the program also focuses heavily on interpersonal training. The 10-month program includes communication skills training to help students manage conflicts that may arise in the workplace and classes on maintaining positive client relations. 

Additionally, the program includes 160 hours of practicum training. This allows students to gain actual work experience where they can apply their classroom knowledge in a real-world medical office environment. This hands-on experience helps students build a strong resume and gives them a competitive edge when applying for their first job after graduation.

Career Support For MOA Graduates

Medical office assistant students at MaKami are supported throughout their journey to give them the best chance to succeed. Those who need ESL support, study tools, tutoring or disability assistance can take advantage of the strategic academic support services offered. Learning assistance programs and strategic learning plans can help students who need additional support throughout their medical administration courses. There are also services available to help students with stress management, mental health counseling or who have accessibility needs.

Students also have access to a variety of student advisory services that support them all the way from the application process to graduation. Whether a student needs financial assistance, housing or transportation services, healthcare, childcare support, help with finding employment or other community support, there is help along the way.

What Makes MaKami’s 10-Month MOA Program Stand Out

MaKami’s 10-month medical office assistant program stands apart from other programs as it provides career readiness, soft skills and direct experience in a medical office setting. While shorter programs tend to focus solely on the medical and technology training and longer programs can take years while taking unrelated general classes, MaKami’s program provides the essential skills and training to put students on the fast track to their new career.

 

An MOA Program To Jump Start Your Career in Less Than A Year

If you’re looking to start your medical administration career quickly, MaKami’s Medical Office Assistant certificate program may be the perfect fit for you. In under a year, you can gain the technical skills, medical knowledge and practical training you need to jump start your career as a medical office assistant. Get pre-approved today to see if you qualify!

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