Medical Assisting

Administrative Medical Office Assistant Training

Lakeland's Administrative Medical Office Assistant (AMOA) training program prepares students to work in health care as front office patient service specialists and serve in an active role in the medical office performing administrative tasks.

Contact the counseling and advising center for details about applying for admission to the program. Students must be formally accepted into the program and are required to meet with the program director prior to starting the program. 

Medical office assistants are allied health professionals who are responsible for various medical office administrative tasks beginning with initial patient contact through final payment

They perform front office functions such as scheduling, communicating (with health care professionals, patients and third-party payers), handling medical records, and financial management while maintaining compliance with state and federal regulations.

This certificate can be earned in as little as two semesters with 24 credit hours.

View our college catalog for program requirements.

As a AMOA student you will learn to effectively perform a variety of task in a medical office setting. These tasks include and are not limited to: 

• Scheduling 
• Communication with health care professionals, patients and third-party payers to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders and address complaints. 
• Handling medical records 
• Financial management 
• Compose correspondence such as reports, forms and presentation materials 
• Operate office machines such as photocopiers, scanners, voicemail systems and personal computers 
• Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages

Although certification is not a requirement to work in the health care field as a medical office assistant, employers value educational training through an accredited institution, and encourage those who completed a program to become certified.

Certification shows employers that you have met defined standards for a career entry position.  Students who earn a certification are equipped to bring something more than just a resume or an application to the job search.

Based on local information from a Cleveland Clinic recruitment job posting, hourly wages for AMOAs range from $16.47 - $23.61.

A successful candidate's actual compensation will be dertimined by taking into account work history, experience, skill set and education. This hourly wage range does not take into account other benefits such as retirement or health care coverage.

AMOAs are responsible for managing and prioritizing multiple assignments pertaining to the medical office.

Medical assistants are multi-skilled health care professionals who perform a variety of both administrative and clinical duties.

Earning your certificate as an AMOA is a great way to enter the health care field. Students who earn their AMOA certificate from Lakeland can continue their educations to becoming a medical assistant by "stacking" their certificate and taking more courses to become a medical assistant.

Contact us to learn more.