Medical Administrative Assisting Programs in Ohio

As an asset to any medical office or facility, a medical administrative assistant has significant responsibility for keeping the office running smoothly. An assistant acts as a liaison between patients and health care professionals like nurses, physician’s assistants, and doctors. Contact the Ohio medical administrative assisting programs to learn more about your options.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were around 38,590 medical secretaries employed in Ohio in 2012. For classification purposes, the federal government labels medical administrative assistants as medical secretaries. The government also suggests that Ohio ranks third in the nation for medical admin assistant jobs.

Ohio Medical Office Assistant Programs & Scholarships

There are some interesting choices for training as a medical admin assistant in Ohio with programs designed as non-credit certificate programs, as well as associate’s degree programs. The certificate option will usually take less than a year while an associate’s program may take up to two years of study.

Some of the classes you might see in the curriculum include Medical Terminology, Essentials of Electronic Health Records, and Fundamentals of Billing Reimbursement. Some of the programs have curriculums that match the recommendations of the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) which are designed to prepare students to become certified after graduation.

In addition to state and federal loans, you may also qualify for scholarships meant to provide students in healthcare with the money to get an education. For example, the Ohio Health Care Association developed its Educational Foundation to help students pay for school.

Medical Administrative Assistant Jobs in Ohio

One of the benefits of training to become a medical admin assistant is that the school required is brief and available at many different colleges from career schools to community colleges to 4-year universities. However, getting certified is still an important part of finding a job, even if you’re only in school for one or two years.

You’ll want to explore the certifications from the National Healthcareer Association and think about becoming a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant. The reason certification may help you find a job is because employers often want applicants with a few years of experience. Since you’ll be short on experience immediately after graduation, certification increases the value of your resume to potential employers.

Once you’re certified, finding a job means knowing where medical admin assistants are routinely employed. Fortunately, there are a good number of businesses where you can work, as well as jobs with the government and various educational institutions. Many medical admin assistants work for doctors in the front office, as well as for urgent care clinics and hospitals.

With its brief training requirements and the expectation of good job availability, one of the best parts of becoming a medical administrative assistant is that you can become a working professional with a true career without needing a bachelor’s degree or professional degree.

If you’re interested in working in healthcare but are unsure what specialty to choose, working as a medical administrative assistant is a great way to get experience in the industry and see, first-hand, how different medical professionals work. Perhaps you’ll decide to become a nurse or physician’s assistant after working in a clinic.

Your work as a medical administrative assistant may also reward you with the thanks of patients you greet courteously as they arrive for appointments. Going to the doctor can be a stressful experience, and you can help patients feel confident as they head into the doctor’s office by being a friendly, polite face as they arrive. Contact the Ohio medical office assisting programs listed to learn more about how to get started in this career.