The Complete Guide
Medical Administrative Assistant
How To Become A Medical Administrative Assistant and save time and money on your certification
Why We Love MAA
What if you could have a rewarding career in healthcare, helping patients receive the absolute best care available, but you never had to touch blood or go to expensive medical school?
Medical administrative assistants are in high demand because they are the ones who keep healthcare organizations running smoothly.
And, once you’ve gotten you’ve entered the medical field and this booming industry, you have a wide-open career path before you with high earnings potential.
If you think you have what it takes, keep reading to see what a career as a medical administrative assistant offers!
Contents
What Do Medical Administrative Assistants Do?
Medical administrative assistants perform a variety of duties to assist medical personnel to establish and maintain efficient workflows and operations.
Their tasks are mainly secretarial or administrative in nature but crucial for doctors and other health care professionals.
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On any given day, these professionals may:
- Schedule patient appointments
- Greet patients and sign them in
- Order supplies
- Sort mail
- Bookkeep
- Take insurance information and payments from patients
- Create and send out invoices
- Prepare reports and maintain correspondence
So let’s say you are working in an OBGYN’s private office. When Becky comes in for her 13-week checkup, you would be the one to greet her and get her to sign in.
After her exam, you would schedule Becky’s next appointment and take her insurance and payment information every passing day!
In other words, you are the first face a patient sees when they arrive and the last face they see before they leave. This makes you a very important part of the entire patient care process and this social element of the job makes it fun too. It’s no wonder why the demand for healthcare personnel is booming!
Button Text5 Reasons to Become a Medical Administrative Assistant
Here are the Top 5 reasons you should consider a career as a Medical Administrative Assistant:
1. No Prior Experience is Needed
You could begin a career as a medical administrative assistant in less than a year and without any prior degree or experience with an online MAA certificate program through an accredited university. The path to becoming a medical administrative assistant is easier than most other career options in the healthcare industry.
2. High Demand and Job Security
Medical administrative assistants are the backbone of any healthcare facility. The daily tasks they perform are what keep hospitals, clinics, and private practices running smoothly.
It’s for this reason that there is constantly high demand and job security for these professionals. With Covid-19 still impacting many lives, even in 2023, the role of Medical administrative assistants has been becoming even more important in supporting the front line workers hence keeping the demand for such professionals up.
3. Work Flexible Hours
Since medical administrative assistants are needed in all varieties of healthcare facilities, you can pick the work environment that best suits your lifestyle needs.
For instance, if you are raising a young family and need predictable hours, most doctor’s offices have normal business hours. Then again, if shift work suits your lifestyle better, then you may want to work in a 24/7 hospital setting. This added flexibility for professionals can make the career choice very attractive.
4. Great Career Prospects
Becoming a medical administrative assistant can be a great way to start in the healthcare industry. While the career in and of itself can be rewarding, you may find someday your career aspirations change. You might want to not only progress in the industry but also look for work in a slightly different institution.
Your role as an administrative assistant allows you to gauge your next move and tap into the networking and connections you’ve already made should you decide to go into nursing or become an office manager.
5. Personal Fulfillment
As a medical administrative assistant, you play an important role in a primary healthcare team. If you enjoy being vital support for your colleagues who believe in providing the best care for their patients, then this is a great place to begin.
Not only will you feel good about helping the doctors and nurses, but you can feel good about also helping patients, directly, in your own way. It’s definitely one of those jobs that makes you feel proud at the end of each day.
How to Get a Medical Administrative Assistant Certification
Whether you work in a hospital, urgent care clinic or private physician’s office, employers typically require candidates to hold certification and demonstrate their abilities.
So a medical administrative assistant certification may be the best way to get started in this exciting new career.
5 Things to Look for In An MAA Certification Program
1. Find an online Medical Administrative Assistant program from an authorized school
There’s no question that the right training is essential to launching your new career. Not only will you expand your job prospects with an education, but you’ll also have a certificate to proudly display on your wall.
Sometimes certification is also encouraged to find employers who value certification for employment! Thus, enrolling in an accredited university or a recognized institution is important.
2. Look for a discount and a low monthly payment plan
Yes, that does sound too good to be true. Admittedly, there are not a lot of schools that offer these financing options. But, we can help 🙂
That’s why OnlineDegree.com has made it our mission to connect adult learners with vetted schools to get huge discounts toward their certification!
3. Make sure an externship placement is included
Beyond the right training, hands-on experience is something else that will help you set yourself apart from the pack. Having practical experience upon program completion ensures that you stand out from other candidates when starting out and that your journey as a fresh MAA in the industry is a smooth one.
4. Look for an online, mentor-supported course you can take at your own pace
Online education offers adult students the chance to learn at their own pace and schedule. Whether they want to rush through it to quickly start their career or whether they want to slow down due to professional and personal commitments, self-paced programs bring in that flexibility. Moreover, students also get all the mentorship they need to succeed.
5. Find out if textbooks are included in the cost of the program
Have you seen the price of textbooks lately? MAA books can cost a fortune! Make sure to find a program that doesn’t charge extra for books.
Don’t worry if you can’t find one, we can help! We’re on a mission to help students learn without stressing about these different costs. We will help you find the best programs that suit your needs.
6. (Bonus!) We have found an online training program that meets all of these criteria!
We’ve done the research for you!
We have found an online program for you that checks all the boxes, and then some!
Let us introduce you to:
Preppy’s Online Medical Assistant Training Program!
Medical Administrative Assistant Salary Data
How much do Medical Administrative Assistants make? Here is the salary and growth data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
According to the BLS, the median annual wage for medical administrative assistants in May of 2020 was $39,000 or $18.75 per hour. There are a variety of factors that may influence your yearly earnings including locations and education level.
Another factor is the industry in which you may work. For instance, the median annual salary for these professionals was $41,620 in dentists’ offices, $41,100 in outpatient care centers, and $43,710 in scientific research labs.
Medical Administrative Assistant Job Growth Projections and Forecast
How fast is the Medical Administrative Assistant field growing?
According to the latest report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers, including MAAs, is projected to grow 18% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.
If you are looking for a rewarding career in an industry that is only going to grow, this could be a great fit for you.
How to Find a Job as a Medical Administrative Assistant
Your first step toward your career as a medical administrative assistant is to complete the certification training program through an accredited university. This will ensure you are prepared to enter the job market and start strong.
Next, you’ll want to determine what environment you’d like to work in. These professionals are needed in hospitals, outpatient centers, private doctor’s offices, and dentists’ offices.
Pretty much wherever there are patients seeking treatment from medical professionals, there is a need for medical administrative assistants to keep things running smoothly. These many opportunities make decision making easier and the journey more enjoyable.
Once you’ve determined your preferred work environment, your next step is to gain some critical hands-on experience before starting your job search. The good news is a quality certification program will include an externship so you can gain some hands-on experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional questions and answers you may have about Medical Administrative Assistant.
Q: What Does a Medical Administrative Assistant Do Every Day?
A: Your tasks may vary depending on where you work. For example, if you work in a dentist’s office, your duties may differ from someone working in a hospital. That being said, there are some basic duties that will apply regardless of the facility you choose to work.
You will man the front desk station helping to check patients in and out. You will also answer phone calls, schedule patient appointments and place orders for office supplies and equipment.
Q: What is a Medical Administrative Assistant Certification?
A: This certification is a valuable asset to have as it shows prospective employers that you have received proper training. By obtaining your certification, you will stand out from other candidates, giving yourself the best chance at landing your dream job.
Q: What Skills Will I Learn in Medical Administrative Assistant Training?
A: You will learn a variety of skills including some medical terminology, appointment setting protocols and common software used, data entry, customer billing and more!
Q: What Are the Prerequisites for Enrollment in a Certificate Program?
A: The only requirement for enrollment in these programs is a high school diploma or equivalent.
How to Start Towards a Medical Administrative Assistant Career In 2-4 Months
Even if you don’t have any prior experience or degree – you could start towards a career as a medical administrative assistant in just 4 months!
That’s one of the greatest advantages of this profession.
A medical administrative assistant certification is required or preferred by most employers. Plus, taking a certification program could be the best way to get your foot in the door, build your network, get training, and work experience.
Preppy’s Online Medical Assistant Training Program could be your one-step solution for everything you need to become a Medical Assistant.
How? Well, Preppy’s program offers:
- Fully Online, Self-Paced Learning
- Comprehensive CMAA Certification Exam Preparation
- An Externship Opportunity For Real Work Experience
- Affordable Programs and Low Monthly Payments
- University Certificate of Completion, from an accredited and not-for-profit university
If you are ready to get started on an exciting and rewarding career in healthcare, then click here to learn more about Preppy’s program! Your career as a Medical Assistant is just a good online program away!