Clinical Office Assistant: Career Diploma Description

About this article
As a Clinical Office Assistant you'll be responsible for interacting with patients, maintaining case files, scheduling appointments, and other tasks related to the efficient dispensation of medical care in an office setting. This article discusses some of the skills you can expect to gain from a diploma program in clinical office assistance.
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What is a Clinical Office Assistant Career Diploma Program?

The Clinical office certificate program prepares your for a career assisting in the office of a medical doctor or in other medical settings that require personnel to handle, receive and prepare patients, maintain schedules for appointments and surgeries, record patient data, maintain medical history files, sterilize instruments, manage equipment upkeep, or perform some of the more routine laboratory tests and basic medical tasks. Interacting with patients is a large part of the Clinical Office Assistant's job. A good certificate program will prepare you to perform more office oriented duties also, such as answering telephone calls, handling mail, completing insurance forms, registering and scheduling patients, transcribing medical dictation, and other tasks native to the front office.

Skills Acquired

Among the skills you will acquire in a diploma program for Clinical Office Assistance, are the effective use of medical terminology, which includes correct spelling, pronunciation and usage. Also, you'll develop the ability to evaluate cases and situations for the purpose of applying office procedures and administrative priorities. You'll get up to speed on the latest in medical insurance billing and coding procedures, and gain proficiency with computer operations and applications necessary for effective patient care and office administration. Since everyone needs medical care, a good program should train you in cultural sensitivity and give you an understanding of all of the different ways in which multiculturalism applies in the health care field. Finally, a program in Clinical Office Assisting should teach you clear communication, critical thinking skills and a basic understanding of technologies like computers and medical and office software, all of which will be essential in gaining entry level employment in the field.

Coursework in a Clinical Office Assistant diploma program may include:

  • Clinical Procedures
  • Medical Terminology
  • Coding and Billing Career Preparation
  • Office Procedures
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Clinical Documents
  • Clinical Software
  • Laboratory Procedures
  • Word Processing
  • Introduction to Computers

Career Outlook and Salary Information

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), office assistant jobs in general are on the decline, but this should be offset by the fact that the health care field is experiencing rapid growth and all health related job opportunities are on the upswing. A scan of employment websites with job opportunities in the clinical office field shows that entry-level employment for clinical office assistants start at about $9 per hour.

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Grand Canyon University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Doctor of Health Administration: Operational Leadership (Qualitative Research)
      • Doctor of Health Administration: Operational Leadership (Quantitative Leadership)
    Master's
      • MBA: Health Systems Management
      • Master of Science in Health Administration
      • Master of Science in Health Administration with an Emphasis in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety
      • M.S. in Health Informatics
    Bachelor's
      • BS in Health Care Administration
  • Online Programs Available
    2. Bryant & Stratton College

    Program Options

    Bachelor's
      • BBA Medical Services Management
      • Health Services Administration - BS
    Associate's
      • AS - Medical Administrative Assistant
      • Medical Administrative Assistant - AAS
      • Medical Reimbursement & Coding, AAS
      • AS - Medical Reimbursement and Coding
      • Health Services Administration - AAS
    Certificate
      • Medical Office Assisting Diploma
      • Health Services Admin Diploma
      • Health Services Assistant - Diploma
      • Medical Billing and Coding Diploma
  • Online Programs Available
    3. Saint Leo University

    Program Options

    Bachelor's
      • BS: Health Care Administration
  • Online Programs Available
    4. Liberty University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences: General
      • Doctor of Health Sciences: General
  • Online Programs Available
    5. Penn Foster High School

    Program Options

    High School Diploma
      • HS Diploma
  • Online Programs Available
    6. Penn Foster

    Program Options

    Certificate
      • Career Diploma - Medical Transcriptionist
      • Career Diploma - Medical Billing and Coding
  • Western Governors University

  • Juneau, AK

    University of Alaska

  • East Hartford, CT

    Goodwin College

Featured Schools

Grand Canyon University

  • Doctor of Health Administration: Operational Leadership (Qualitative Research)
  • MBA: Health Systems Management
  • BS in Health Care Administration

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Bryant & Stratton College

  • BBA Medical Services Management
  • AS - Medical Administrative Assistant
  • Medical Office Assisting Diploma

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Saint Leo University

  • BS: Health Care Administration

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Liberty University

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences: General
  • Doctor of Health Sciences: General

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Penn Foster High School

  • HS Diploma

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Penn Foster

  • Career Diploma - Medical Transcriptionist
  • Career Diploma - Medical Billing and Coding

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