Associate of Arts Degree Program in Medical Office Management Overview
Majors Overview June 28, 2014Receive information about an associate’s degree program in medical office management and its coursework, career choices, and continuing education choices.
Associate of Arts (A.A.) Degree Programs in Medical Office Management
While no school offers an Associate of Business Science degree program in Medical Office Management, many institutions have either an Associate of Science (A.S.) or an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in the concentration area of study. Students enrolled in such programs are provided with the skills they would need when assuming office management positions in the clinic, hospital, laboratory, physician’s office, or related healthcare firm.
Medical office managers are often required to oversee the business and administrative concerns of a medical office, and they may also have to look after bookkeeping, insurance billing, supply order management, data entry or collection, supervision, and office reception. During the course of a two-year medical office management program, students become adept at performing these tasks even as they become proficient in medical language, business ethics, and business communications.
Coursework
Coursework in medical office management programs may vary according to the institution; however, general coursework is devised to train students in various tasks associated with an administrator or medical office manager job. Courses commonly focus on developing rudimentary computer and office skills, including skills of specialized medical office varieties. Coursework may include the following topic areas:
•Records management
•Business accounting
•Applied word processing
•Insurance and billing
•Business communication
•Legal issues
•Medical terminology
•Principles of management
•Office software applications
•Office systems
Career Choices
In the burgeoning medical field, there is a continual need for trained professionals for almost every kind of job. There is high potential for medical office managers to advance their careers. Those that successfully complete a medical office management program may choose from several entry-level career options:
•Medical secretary
•Medical health technician
•Bookkeeper
•Medical office manager
•Medical records clerk
Continuing Education Choices
More education than an associate degree is required to pursue many medical-related management careers. A student that aspires to become a healthcare information manager or healthcare service manager eventually would need to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher in healthcare administration or a related field. Many schools of public health, business administration, or health administration, among others, offer these degrees.
