How to Start a Career in a Medical Office?

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Florida Career College’s Front Office and Billing Program provides students with all the skills and understanding to work at the front office of a health care facility.

 

There’s more to working in an office than answering phones and relaying messages. In a fast-paced healthcare facility, the person at the front desk is responsible for greeting patients, completing the check-in process, scheduling appointments, and even ensuring services are paid for or covered by an insurance policy.

 

It takes great organization, great people skills, and also great knowledge of how a medical facility runs to be successful in this field. Training from Florida Career College can give you the edge and prepare you to jump into an entry-level position with confidence. The skills gained through this program provide a foundation that can be built on for years to come and may lead to a successful career as a Patient Coordinator, Physician Office Specialist, Medical Office Specialist, Billing Coordinator, and more.

 

If you're interested in training to work in a medical office, consider enrolling in FCC's Medical Office Training Program. The program can be completed in as little as 10 months, allowing you to pursue a career in the healthcare field in a fairly short amount of time.

What Careers Does the Medical Front Office and Billing Program Prepare You For?

Training through Florida Career College’s Medical Front Office and Billing Program will prepare you for a career as a Patient Coordinator, Physician Office Specialist, Medical Office Specialist, Billing Coordinator or Admissions coordinator.

 

These positions are a good fit for anyone who loves to keep things organized and thrives in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment. The training provides a valuable steppingstone for anyone interested in a long-term career in medical billing and insurance coding.

 

You may be surprised where a career as a Medical Office Specialist can take you. With proper training you’ll be prepared to work in a small doctor’s office or a large hospital. You may find opportunities to work a set 9-5 schedule or work mornings or evenings, full- or part time. OBGYNs, pediatricians, physical therapists, chiropractors and more require the assistance of a competent professional to run their front office. The possibilities are endless!

How to Start a Career in a Medical Office?

As healthcare needs grow, so does the need for experienced office specialists who can help the office run efficiently. A medical office career is unlike other businesses, where basic computer and phone skills are enough to get by. Working in a medical office requires knowledge of medical terms, medical coding practices, and privacy laws, as well as comfort with computer software and professional verbal and written communication.

 

While there is no college degree requirement for working in a medical office, employers will look to see what kind of training or experience you have during the hiring process. The more skills and knowledge you can point to, the better. A higher level of training may earn you a higher starting pay rate with some employers.

 

Here is how to get started in a career in a medical office:

 

Step 1: Obtain your high school diploma.

You do not need a specific college degree to work at the front office of a medical facility, but a high school diploma will help you stand out. This is the minimum educational requirement for some employers, but not all. Once you have earned a high school diploma, you should look into career training.

If you have not earned your high school diploma yet, Florida Career College can help. Give us a call today to learn more about how you can earn your high school diploma while you train for a new career. Our dual-enrollment program is designed for anyone to earn their high school diploma and jump into a new career after graduation.

 

Step 2: Determine the training you need.

There are several different entry-level careers in healthcare. Some of these positions provide direct care to patients, while others help keep the physicians and staff organized and on track for the day. Other positions focus solely on ensuring services are paid for by patients or their insurance companies.

If you enjoy greeting people, keeping things organized, and working on mostly administrative tasks, then a career in a medical front office may be a good fit for you. If you are interested in learning more about medical billing and insurance coding, a career that can often be performed from home, then you should look for a program that also covers this topic. These careers may not require specific training but they are difficult to begin without it.

 

Step 3: Find the right training program.

As mentioned earlier, the minimum requirement for a job at a medical front office is usually just a high school diploma, but the more training you have, the more competitive you will be in your job search.

If you’re interested in working in the front office of a healthcare facility, you will need to find a program that covers a large range of tasks you may be faced with on any given day and that provides hands-on opportunities to practice completing these tasks.

Those tasks might include using scheduling programs to schedule patients, greeting patients and walking them through check-in paperwork, updating and filing patient records, conversing with insurance companies to address billing issues, filing insurance claims, creating invoices, and accepting payments.

Florida Career College’s Medical Front Office and Billing Training program provides training and knowledge about all these topics, equipping students with a solid foundation to build a career from. The program also ends with an externship, giving students a chance to practice their skills and deepen their training in the real world. Every office is unique, but this hands-on experience is a valuable opportunity to build connections and apply concepts to reality.

 

Step 4: Enroll in and complete a training program.

You can call or stop by today to enroll in Florida Career College’s training program. We offer ongoing enrollment so you can enroll on the same day and begin courses on the next class start date.

Florida Career College’s courses are offered in a hybrid schedule. Students complete coursework and participate in lectures online and then come onto campus twice a week for in-person instruction and hands-on experiences. You can complete your training in less than 10 months and be well on your way to a new career.

You should walk away from a training program feeling confident about your knowledge of medical terminology, billing practices, and scheduling software and with tips and tricks for communicating professionally, multitasking, and staying organized.

 

Step 5: Begin your job search.

If you attend training through Florida Career College, you’ll end your training with a real-world experience at an externship site. This critical time allows students to apply what they’ve learned and also build relationships with people currently working in the field. Students will leave with valuable contacts and experience that can be listed on a resume.

Florida Career College also offers students access to our Career Services Department. People in this department build relationships with hundreds of employers in the field and are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities for graduates. They are also an excellent resource for help updating a resume and practicing interview skills.

With training, experience, and support from Florida Career College, you’ll be ready to begin a career in a medical office in less than a year. Once you begin gaining experience on the job, you may find areas you enjoy more than others. Becoming certified in billing and insurance coding may lead to even further opportunities.

What Skills Do You Need to Succeed in a Medical Office Career?

Working in a medical office requires patience, organization, and a good working knowledge of how a medical office runs. This means an effective employee will need both technical and soft skills. The technical skills needed to work in a medical front office include:

 

  • Computer skills: Knowledge of scheduling software, electronic patient records, and email
  • Knowledge of medical terms
  • Medical coding skills
  • Knowledge of different body systems

 

The soft skills needed to work in a medical front office include:

 

  • Excellent organizational skills. Medical Office Specialists do a little bit of scheduling, filing, billing, and more. Each of these tasks requires attention to detail and good organization to get them done.
  • Customer service skills. A medical office is a business, and working in one requires professionalism in dress and communication.
  • Ability to multitask. Juggling so many different tasks at once isn’t easy. This job requires someone who can handle a little bit of everything.
  • Good listening skills. Keeping a medical front office running smoothly requires good communication skills, and the best communicators are great listeners! In order to be helpful in this position, an employee must be able to listen carefully to directions and follow those directions perfectly.
  • Not many people look forward to visiting a healthcare facility; day-to-day work can be fast-paced and tiring. A positive attitude will go a long way toward making patients and co-workers feel comfortable.
  • Getting tough news at the doctor’s office is never easy; covering medical care costs can be stressful for some people. Working at the front office, you see all these types of patients, so it’s important to be empathetic.

 

You may have some of these skills, while some could use some practice. No matter where you are at with your abilities, good training from Florida Career College can help you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job. If you dream of working in a medical office, give us a call today to see how the training can benefit you.

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Do You Need a College Degree to Begin a Career in a Medical Office?

Working in the front office of a medical office does not require any specific college degree or even a high school diploma. Only some employers ask that applicants have a high school diploma and are prepared to offer on-the-job training. However, when the job field is competitive, those with the most experience and training will rise to the top. You do not need a college degree, but having special training listed on your resume will make you more valuable. Not all employees in this position will have a certificate from a training program, but for anyone who is looking to make a change to this career quickly, a program can help you develop the necessary skills quickly. Employers like to see that you are ready to get to work, with minimal on-the-job training to get started.

 

Florida Career College offers students an extra benefit by setting up an on-the-job externship at the end of the program. This allows students to gain experience working in an office and seeing how things are run from day to day. Not every office functions similarly, but participation in this type of experience looks great on a resume and helps students see and practice the skills they have learned throughout the program. Many students are hired by their externship site!

What Are the Educational Requirements to Enroll in FCC’s Medical Front Office and Billing Program?

Florida Career College makes beginning a new career possible—even if you have not finished high school or been out of school for many years. We can help you earn your high school diploma and achieve your career training at the same time. If you have been nervous to enroll in a career training program in the past because of your educational record—do not let it stop you any longer. Give us a call today to learn more about this dual-enrollment program.

 

If you already have your high school diploma, you are ready to jump into career training. If you just finished high school or graduated years ago, you can enroll at Florida Career College and begin gaining new knowledge in a hands-on environment.

 

Our program is set up in a hybrid model, so students spend time working on schoolwork at home and come to campus twice a week for hands-on lab experiences. Tutoring and extra help are available to students who appreciate extra coaching. We will provide you with the know-how to work confidently in a medical front office.

How Long Does it Take to Complete the Medical Front Office and Billing Program?

Working in a medical front office is a fast-paced career full of growth opportunities, and the greatest benefit is that you can begin a career in this field in less than a year. Medical Office Specialists may be involved with scheduling, greeting, and preparing billing for patients. This requires training on medical terms, billing, and insurance coding practices, as well as using computer programs for scheduling appointments and updating medical records.

 

You can receive training on these topics and skills and be prepared to begin a new career in a medical front office in less than 10 months through Florida Career College.

 

Each month-long module teaches students new skills in a hybrid format. Students complete assignments and participate in live lectures online and then come to campus twice a week for in-person instruction and hands-on experiences.

 

Medical Office Specialists are responsible for several different tasks around the office. The basic training provided during the Medical Front Office and Billing program serves as a foundation to build a career in office administration, administrative assistant work, or medical billing and insurance coding.

 

In less than a year, you can begin a new, exciting career with help from Florida Career College.

What Are the Educational Requirements To Enroll in FCC’s Patient Care Technician Program?

There are no educational requirements to enroll in FCC’s Patient Care Technician Program. If you are at least 17 years old and have already achieved your high school diploma, you are permitted to enroll in FCC's Patient Care Technician Program. After enrolling in the PCT Program, you can earn your Patient Care Technician Diploma in as little as 10 months!

What Do You Learn From the Medical Front Office and Billing Program?

Florida Career College’s Medical Front Office and Billing Program provides a solid groundwork for anyone interested in working in a medical front office position. The program covers the basic administrative tasks of an office specialist in a small or large facility, medical terms and government regulations surrounding the healthcare field, and provides training that could lead to a career in the medical billing and insurance coding field. The courses in this program include:

 

  • Introduction to Allied Health for Medical Front Office and Billing Students
  • Medical Front Office Procedures in the Medical and Billing Office
  • Diagnostic Coding
  • Procedural Coding
  • Outpatient Coding
  • Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Front Office and Billing Students
  • Coding Systems
  • Medical Front Office and Billing Diploma Externship

 

Students will also be taught professionalism, etiquette, spelling and grammar, medical terminology, body systems, and written and verbal communication throughout each course. These are all skills that will make any student a valuable member of a medical office team.

 

This program focuses on medical billing and insurance coding, a valuable skill that can lead to new career opportunities. Many billing tasks are done over the phone or online and can be done from anywhere.

 

The program concludes with a 225-hour externship in a medical office in your community. This gives students the ability to learn from a real-life employer what skills they are looking for in an employee. Students will have the opportunity to make connections and put their skills into practice.

Should You Train For a Career in a Medical Office?

If you are looking for a stable, interesting job in a medical office but feel unsure about providing direct care to patients—working as an office administrator or medical office specialist may be the perfect fit. Medical office assistants are a vital part of a medical facility, ensuring patients are scheduled and seen in a timely manner, records are kept private and up to date, and that services are billed correctly each time. If you have been considering a career in this field, here are a few of the benefits you should keep in mind:

 

In-demand field. As medical technology continues to improve and the population continues to age, the need for healthcare is not going away. Every healthcare office needs qualified professionals to help keep things running smoothly. Working in a medical office is not like working in any other corporate office setting. The work is fast-paced and requires specialized training to truly add value to the business. If you are someone who has this training, your skills are needed.

 

A stable career. When you become a valuable part of an office, you can build a career that can last a lifetime. Most medical office specialists are hired to work full-time, so they can become familiar with patients and with a doctor’s methods, but there are opportunities to work part-time as well. There are many different types of medical offices that may offer work hours in the evenings or on weekends.

 

Training is quick. You do not need a two or four-year degree to work in a medical front office. You can receive enough training to hit the ground running in less than ten months with training from Florida Career College. Your training is just the first stepping stone in beginning your career. Most employers offer further on-the-job training, and you may discover skills you want to specialize in. You never know where this simple training may take you.

 

The healthcare field is varied. Training to work in a medical front office doesn’t limit you to just working for a doctor or hospital. With the right training, you could work in a physical therapist’s office, a chiropractor’s office, a pediatrician, an OBGYN, or more. The office may be small, with just one person working the front desk and a small number of regular patients, or you may be part of a team at a large facility and meet new people every day. You may find a specialized skill you really excel at and choose to become certified in that area. Training in this field also includes training on medical billing and insurance coding, which can often be done on a freelance basis or while working from home. Once you are in the field, opportunities for growth and advancement abound.

 

You can make a difference. Working in the medical field is incredibly rewarding. Patients depend on their healthcare providers to find healing and comfort, and even working at the front office, you get the opportunity to be a part of that. You are the one responsible for scheduling patients, greeting them, and making them feel welcome in the office. You may be the one to ensure their records are up to date and the physician has the best information possible. As a billing coordinator, you ensure patients are billed correctly and that their treatment is affordable. Each of these tasks has a big impact on the patient’s overall experience and their willingness to come back to be seen again.

What Should You Look For in a Medical Front Office and Billing Program?

You do not need a college degree to become a medical office specialist but the more training you have, the better prepared you will be to be successful in the field. Those working in the front office of a medical facility perform a wide variety of tasks from scheduling appointments and updating records, to filling out insurance claims and creating invoices.

 

If you are considering pursuing a career as a medical office specialist or patient or billing coordinator, you should look for a training program that offers opportunities to learn a wide variety of skills. The old saying “You don’t know, what you don’t know” is so true when it comes to working in a medical facility. If you’ve never worked in that environment before it can take some specialized training to become familiar with the terminology, rules and regulations, and the software used on a daily basis. The tasks of a medical office specialist may vary greatly from one office to another so a comprehensive training program will be necessary to prepare for the field.

Consider Enrolling in FCC’s Medical Front Office and Billing Program

If you are serious about starting a career in a medical front office, consider enrolling in Florida Career College’s Medical Front Office and Billing Program. We can help you get started quickly with a schedule that will allow you to continue working while pursuing your education.

 

Give us a call today to schedule a tour of the campus nearest you. Our hands-on labs provide opportunities to practice each concept you learn and receive instruction from experienced instructors as well as student ambassadors. At Florida Career College, we offer ongoing enrollment. You can enroll the same day and begin courses on the next start date.

 

Our hybrid schedule allows for flexibility with your education. Students complete work online and come to class twice a week for in-person lectures and labs. We offer classes during the morning or evening hours. Tutoring is available to those who need it.

 

After your program, our Career Services Department will help prepare you for your job search with resume writing, interview practice, and help to identify job opportunities in your area. Many of our students are hired by the companies they extern with.

 

 

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