Online Medical Office Assistant Schools: How to Choose

Medical office assistants working in physician's offices and other healthcare facilities to ensure daily operations run smoothly. Distance learning programs in medical office assisting are typically available at the certificate and associate's degree levels. Individuals interested in the medical field from an administrative perspective should consider online programs in medical office assisting and medical coding.

How to Select an Online Medical Office Assistant School

Award Level

When choosing an online medical office assistant program, prospective students should consider their desired education level. Associate's degrees in the field, which usually take about two years to complete, can provide in-depth instruction on a range of computer programs, daily office tasks, billing and insurance procedures and scheduling. While certificates also cover these areas, the curriculum is typically more condensed as these programs are designed to be completed in less than a year.
There are no formal certificate or degree requirements to become a medical office assistant, so a student's award level is completely up to them; however earning an associate's degree can prepare students for future bachelor's degree programs, if desired.

Program Type

Students should then think about what field they wish to concentrate on. General office assisting certificates and associate's degree programs generally cover an array of daily medical administrative duties and may be beneficial for those with minimal computer skills and administrative experience. Medical coding programs, meanwhile, focus more on billing coding techniques, preparing medical claims and other insurance related practices. Those with some office experience who want to become more familiar with medical billing and coding may benefit from this type of program.
Prospective students should then find out whether their chosen program is offered in a fully online or hybrid format. The majority of medical office assisting and medical coding programs can be completed entirely online. Students interested in completing at least a portion of their coursework in an on-campus classroom setting may want to look into hybrid programs which combine online classes with hands-on in-person instruction.

Common Online Medical Office Assistant Programs

Online Medical Office Assistant Certificate

Distance learning medical office assistant certificate programs are designed to give students the knowledge and skills needed to work in a medical office setting. Usually made up of 15-20 credits, this type of program includes courses on medical terminology, Internet proficiency, billing and medical transcription. Students may also take classes in keyboarding, Microsoft Word and Excel, general office operations and billing.

Online Associate of Science in Medical Office Administration

Online associate's degree programs in medical office administration train students for entry-level careers as medical office assistants or office managers. These programs can usually be completed in one to two years. Course topics include basic computer usage, medical terminology, medical laws and ethics, patient billing and scheduling, and federal regulation compliance.
Students may take additional courses in business math, patient care, medical billing and coding, business writing and human anatomy and physiology. Some hybrid programs might also require a medical office assisting internship, where students will gain experience by working alongside a mentor in a medical office setting.

Online Associate's of Applied Science in Medical Coding

Distance learning associate's degree programs in medical coding provide students with a more in-depth look at the technical aspects of medical insurance, billing practices, coding, and state and federal insurance regulations. The curriculum for this type of program might include courses in human anatomy and physiology, computerized billing, medical terminology, HCPCS concepts, CPT hospital coding, health information technology, pharmacology and ICD-9 CD medical coding. Graduates can go on to work as medical office assistants, medical claims reviewers and patient account representatives.