Program Overview
Medical Office Assistants are a vital part of medical practice. They are the single touchpoint between patients, physicians, and other members of their team. Successful MOAs are often multi-taskers, have excellent communication and organization skills, and have a thorough knowledge of all medical office procedures. The Medical Office Assistant Diploma is an intensive program that trains students to become skilled and conscientious professionals in various medical and healthcare environments. Students will study a range of subjects, including medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, administrative and clinical procedure, communication skills, billing procedure, and transcription, among others.
Students will also take part in a practicum, working as a medical administrative assistant in a physician’s office or an equivalent setting and gain valuable, real-world experience. Students will graduate with the job-ready skills, knowledge and confidence as a medical office assistant and be able to perform a range of administrative duties and support physicians and other health care professionals in both public and private settings.
This program is designed for individuals who are looking to broaden their knowledge and qualifications and start or expand their careers in a medical office setting.
Career Opportunities
Ashton College’s Medical Office Assistant Diploma course graduates have multiple opportunities for career advancement and growth, including:
- Physician’s office, clinic, public or private hospital, nursing home, or community health centres.
- Medical clerk.
- Electronic transcriptionist.
- Medical billing specialist.
Course Descriptions
MOAD 01: Medical Terminology (60 hours)
This course serves as an introduction to medical terminology, intended to serve as a foundation for all subsequent courses, studies and practice. Students will become familiar with various medical words, word parts and their spelling, and will develop fluent pronunciation. They will also become skilled at examining the structure of medical terms to decipher their meaning effectively.
MOAD 02: Anatomy and Physiology (60 hours)
This course focuses on the study of body systems and sense organs. Instruction on each system and organ will include learning about both general and specific bodily functions, parts, location, and relationships between systems. There will also be an exploration of common pathologies. This will involve developing familiarity with some lab diagnostic tests, as well as basic signs, symptoms and prognosis of various pathologies. At the discretion of the instructor, a discussion of pharmacology may be included.
MOAD 03: Business Communication (60 hours)
The course includes the study of formal and informal business communication formats, including letters, memos and business presentations. Students will study formal and informal documents, methods of communications and technological tools, as well as their proper, effective and ethical use. They will also learn about selecting the best communication method depending on the communication purposes and the audiences.
MOAD 04: Medical Keyboarding Skill Development (42 hours)
The students will develop familiarity with medical keyboarding, advanced keyboarding, medical language, grammatical and office skills. This will involve the study of documents, such as forms and medical reports. Students will focus on further developing their overall keyboarding skills, progressing to a speed of least 65 words per minute with 90% accuracy while using medical terminology.
MOAD 05: Administrative and Clinical Procedures (72 hours)
This course is the introduction to various administrative skills that a clerical healthcare worker will require. It includes reception skills and processes, focusing mainly on record management procedure. Subjects such as scheduling, inventory control and communication techniques (over the phone, e-mail and interpersonal) will also be dealt with.
MOAD 06: Medical Billing Procedures (60 hours)
The course serves as an introduction to terminology and procedures unique to pharmaceutical and medical billing. This, among other topics, will involve exploring the communication of information between pharmacists and physicians regarding medications. The importance of classifications, spelling and pronunciation of the most commonly ordered prescription medications will be emphasized, as will the study of appreciations, symbols and systems of measurements surrounding prescriptions.
Students will become familiar with the procedures, forms and processes related to different types of billing. This will include familiarity with the Preamble and Fee Schedule from the Medical Services Plan of British Columbia. Students will also learn the procedures, forms and processes related to alternative forms of billing. The study includes, but is not limited to, learning about the WCB (Workers’ Compensation Board), ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia), Department of Veterans’ Affairs, out-of-province billing, and medical-legal billing.
MOAD 07: Medical Office Transcription (60 hours)
Students will learn the skill of preparing medical documents through the use of transcription. They will be exposed to various reports, forms and formats used in preparing medical-related documents. This will involve developing familiarity and skills with transcription equipment and software. At the end of the course, students will demonstrate comfort with the application of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology. Legality and accuracy will serve as overarching themes throughout the course.
MOAD 08: Practicum Experience (80 hours)
Students will spend 80 hours in a clinical environment under the supervision of a practising professional, demonstrating their aptitude in the various skills developed throughout the program.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Age of 19 years or older at the start of the applicant’s program or course;
- English Language Proficiency Requirements; and
- Proof of First Aid Certification (including CPR and AED).
For more details, please see our Admissions Policy.
Upcoming Dates
Abbotsford
Full Time:
- February 18, 2020 – July 24, 2020
- Classes will be held Monday to Friday from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm PST
Fees
Tuition fees for this program are due and payable at least 30 days prior to the cohort start date. Students with guaranteed funding arrangements will be exempt from this requirement provided that they produce documentary proof at least 30 days prior to the cohort start date.
All formats of the program are eligible for Canada Student Loans, other forms of government funding, and bank financing. However, students are responsible for making their own funding arrangements and are advised to contact the relevant funder well in advance of the start date to make an application.
Application and tuition fees for this program are as follows:
- Application fee: $200 (Domestic Students) or $300 (International Students)
- Tuition fee (Domestic): $5,928
- Tuition fee (International): $7,706
Note: Tuition fees do not include the cost of the required textbooks.
