Medical Office/Administrative Assisting Programs in Utah
Nationwide, healthcare jobs have been on the rise for years, and Utah is no exception. If you’re thinking about training to become a medical admin assistant, you’ll be entering an industry that has seen an increase of available jobs of 3.9 percent, according to recent figures published by Workforce Services in Utah.
If you’re excited about working in healthcare and want to get started on a career as soon as possible, becoming a medical office assistant could be one of the fastest options you have for getting your foot in the door in a doctor’s office, hospital, clinic, or almost any other medical business or organization.
Contact the schools listed below to learn more about the medical assistant programs offered in Utah and how to apply.
As a medical office assistant, you’ll be responsible for all the standard administrative duties required of a modern business office, as well as specialized responsibilities common in health care like medical billing, taking appointments, and communicating with health professionals using various medical terminology.
Medical Office Assistant Programs in Utah
Your training to become a medical admin assistant can take anywhere from several months to a few years, depending on the level of education you receive. Getting a medical assistant certificate in Utah is the fastest way to finish your studies and enter the workforce. An associate’s degree in Medical Assisting will usually take a little longer with 20 to 24 months of study.
Topics you’ll cover in a med assisting program in Utah will usually include medical terminology, clerical tasks, and general duties expected of medical secretaries. You’ll learn how to manage your workday when you have a variety of responsibilities to complete each day, how to handle confidential medical records, how to work with insurance billing codes, and the basics of the government’s HIPAA regulations.
Some medical office assistant programs also feature classes on performing basic medical duties like taking vital signs and helping with pre-examinations. For example, you might be responsible for checking patients into their appointments, which may include escorting the patient to their examination room after getting their name and insurance information.
One of the first steps you’ll need to take after getting your degree is becoming certified through the National Healthcareer Association’s Medical Administrative Assistant Certification (CMAA) test. Certification helps let employers know that you’re competent to perform the necessary functions of a medical secretary including operating computer systems, reviewing correspondence, answering calls, and coordinating collection and insurance submissions.
After you get your med assisting certificate or degree and become certified, you’ll want to think about continuing education with the NHA, as well as membership with various Utah-based healthcare organizations. For example, if you’d like to rise through the ranks and become a manager or hospital administrator one day, you might think about connecting with Utah Healthcare Executives, which is a branch of the national group of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Careers and Job Outlook for Medical Secretaries in Utah
You’ll find a wide array of potential jobs when you begin your search for work as a medical secretary. The state government’s jobs data on medical secretaries reveals statewide growth for employment in the industry. Increases in annual jobs have been seen in the metro areas of Bear River, Provo-Orem, and Salt Lake Metro, as well as other regions of the state.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that current annual mean wages for medical secretaries in Utah are at $30,360, as of numbers compiled in May 2013. The government counted 5,570 jobs for medical office assistants in the state with the highest concentration of jobs around the Salt Lake City area.
As you begin your job search, you’ll want to branch out from the title of Medical Admin Assistant and consider jobs like Medical Office Specialist, Business Office Coordinator Hospital, Unit Secretary, and Surgical Scheduler/Biller. Employees with skills in the medical field, as well as in clerical and administrative duties are in high demand in Utah.
The first step to entering this career field is to get the right education. Contact the Utah schools with medical assisting programs listed on our website to learn more about your options.