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Medical Office/Administrative Assisting Programs in Colorado

A medical administrative assistant is an integral part of a smoothly running medical clinic or office. Such an individual is often the first person a patient will encounter upon arrival, so the image and attitude that is projected is often very important. In general, a medical administrative assistant will fulfill a number of administrative and secretarial duties.

The medical administrative assistant will help a patient as he or she checks in for an appointment by processing insurance information and gathering some patient data. You may also spend time reviewing computerized records and filing patient information in this role. A capable and friendly medical administrative assistant can improve the quality of a patient’s visit. If you enjoy interacting with people and want to enter the healthcare field, this profession may be a great idea for you. Contact the schools offering administrative medical assistant programs in Colorado to learn more.

Educational Requirements for Administrative Med Assistant in Colorado

The educational requirements for medical administrative assistant jobs can vary from a high school diploma to an Associate’s Degree. However, the acquisition of a certificate is most common. O*Net reports that 65 percent of medical administrative assistants responding to a survey had received a post-secondary certificate.

Admissions requirements to medical administrative assistant certificate and degree programs in CO will vary. Admission to some certificate programs will require a high school diploma, while others will require passing grades on English proficiency and keyboarding exams. Admission to associate degree programs will often be more stringent. Some academic institutions may have certain minimum GPA requirements and course prerequisites.

A Colorado medical assistant certificate program can be completed in as little as 12 months when a full-time schedule is maintained for four consecutive quarters. General classes will often focus on professional communication skills and computer systems and software. Specific classes in customer service in a healthcare setting, medical office procedures, patient coding and billing, medical terminology and public health topics will often be included as well. There may also be other classes in keyboarding, medical transcription, document production and spreadsheet applications.

An associate’s degree in Medical Assisting that will prepare you for certification in the field will usually take two years to complete. This type of degree program will combine a specialized medical administrative assistant education with exposure to broader and more general classes in areas like English, math and the sciences. This more comprehensive coursework may lead to better-paying positions and enhanced job security.

Some medical administrative assistant positions may require certification through the National Health Careers Association. The Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam that the NHCA offers tests your administrative and other relevant skills. This type of certification is good for two years, and each two-year renewal requires the completion of 10 additional hours of continuing education. Even when certification is not required by a healthcare facility, it is often linked to increased pay over time.

Career Outlook for Administrative Medical Assistants in Colorado

O*Net reports a national median wage for Medical Assistants of $29,610 in 2013. In Colorado, the median wage, at $32,200, is considerably higher. O*Net projects a 22 percent increase in medical administrative assistants jobs for the decade from 2012 to 2022.

A career as a medical administrative assistant can be very rewarding as you interact with and assist patients. There may be moments when your caring and helpful approach can comfort patients that might be anxious at times. Also, you’ll work in a professional environment alongside physicians, nurses and physicians’ assistants. Medical administrative assistants often enjoy a high degree of job security as well. Reach out to the schools on our site to get more information about how to enroll in an Administrative Medical Assistant program in Colorado.