Medical Office Manager Certifications
Medical office managers can complete an associate's degree program in medical office administration through an on-campus or online program. Learn more about the course topics covered in these programs, and get information on job options, as well as opportunities to advance your education to the bachelor's level.
What Degree Do I Need To Work as a Medical Office Manager?
<p>There is no certification required to work as a medical office manager. If you want to be a medical office manager, you could pursue an associate's degree in medical office administration. This is a 2-year course of study that can be found on traditional college campuses or in distance-learning formats. This degree could prepare you for entry-level administrative careers in hospitals, ambulatory care centers, doctors' offices, clinics or medical insurance companies. Alternatively, it could prepare you to continue your education at the bachelor's degree level.
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<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Job Requirements</b></td><td>Associate's degree in medical office administration, no certification</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td>Medical billing, document processing, business communication, office management techniques, business math</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Opportunities</b></td><td>Bachelor of Business Administration in healthcare administration, bachelor's in business, finance or healthcare information management</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary</b></td><td>$37,350 in 2020 for medical secretaries</td></tr>
<tr><td><b> Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 9% decline (<i>for all secretaries and administrative assistants</i>) </td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
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<h3 id="section---WhatClassesCouldITake">What Classes Could I Take?</h3>
<p>Coursework in associate's degree programs in medical office administration combine general education classes with training in business and industry-standard medical office procedures. You can expect to learn about word processing, document formatting, professional communication and bookkeeping. You could also learn about medical terminology, medical billing and coding, insurance and medical technology. The following are examples of classes you might find in the curriculum:
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<ul><li>Keyboarding
</li><li>Document processing
</li><li>Office management techniques
</li><li>Business math
</li><li>Medical transcription
</li><li>Business communications
</li><li>Financial accounting fundamentals
</li><li>Typing speed and accuracy
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhereCanIContinueMyEducation">Where Can I Continue My Education?</h3>
<p>An associate's degree in medical office management could prepare you to continue your education at the bachelor's degree level. For example, you could pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program in healthcare administration. Other possible courses of study include bachelor's degree programs in business, finance or healthcare information management. These programs usually take four years to complete, although some will let you transfer credit from your associate's degree program, allowing you to graduate sooner.
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<h3 id="section---WhatJobsCanIGet">What Jobs Can I Get?</h3>
<p>An associate's degree program in medical office administration could qualify you to work as a medical secretary in a medical institution. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), professionals in this field earned a median annual salary of $37,350 in 2020 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>).</p>