Administrative Medical Assistant Programs in Hawaii

A career as a medical administrative assistant in Hawaii can be rewarding in many ways. There’s usually ample opportunity to interact with patients in a helpful and caring manner. Working with physicians and other healthcare professionals is a part of the job as well. Such assistants are an integral part of operations at many healthcare facilities, including medical clinics, hospitals, private practices and nursing homes.

As an administrative med assistant, you are often responsible for processing patient insurance information, compiling patient data and scheduling appointments. Medical administrative assistants require good communication skills along with an excellent attention to detail. Fortunately, there are schools in Hawaii that can help you to acquire these traits. Contact the schools listed below that offer medical administrative assisting programs in Hawaii today to begin.

Educational Requirements

In many cases, prospective employers will require job applicants to have a diploma from an accredited certificate program. Others may require that you’ve successfully completed a Hawaii Associate’s Degree program in Medical Assisting. Some healthcare organizations will require that applicants be certified as well, which means you should focus on accredited schools.

A high school diploma or its equivalent is required to gain admission to certificate programs in medical administrative assisting. Occasionally, a school will also require that you pass keyboarding, math and/or English exams. The requirements for being accepted into an Associate’s Degree program may be more stringent.

To complete a certificate program in just one year, full-time study for 12 straight months is often necessary. Certificate programs will feature numerous highly focused classes that will prepare you to become a medical administrative assistant. You may take classes in areas like patient coding, customer service in a healthcare setting, medical transcription, medical terminology, patient privacy and medical office procedures.

Two-year associate’s degree programs will often include more general classes as well. Such a program may feature coursework in areas like English, psychology, anatomy, math and the sciences in addition to the medical assisting curriculum.

Once you receive a diploma from a certificate program or Associate’s Degree program, it is possible to take an exam that will lead to certification in your field. Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) certification is administered through the National Health Careers Association. It is usually advisable to review your past course materials prior to taking the exam, and practice exams may be available as a part of your schooling.

A certified medical administrative assistant is sometimes in a position to get more job opportunities and higher pay. As your career unfolds, the Hawaii State Society of Medical Assistants can provide resources to further stimulate your professional development.

Career Outlook for Administrative Med Assistants in Hawaii

Pay for medical administrative assistants in Hawaii is considerably higher than elsewhere in the country. According to O*Net, the 2013 median wage for med assistants was $32,600 in Hawaii, while the nationwide median was $29,600. The figure for Hawaii is one of the highest in the country. In general, the job prospects for medical administrative assistants remain bright. O*Net predicts that the number of positions will increase by 22 percent during the decade between 2012 and 2022.

Jobs may be somewhat more numerous around major population centers like Honolulu, but the need for this type of medical assistant is apparent in healthcare facilities across all of the islands, including Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the big island of Hawaii.

As a medical administrative assistant, you can enjoy a fulfilling, fast-paced professional environment in which you work side-by-side with nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals. As you gain experience and take continuing education classes, there may also be a long-term possibility for professional advancement into supervisory or management positions. Regardless of where you end up, your first step to entering this career is to contact the schools offering medical administrative assistant programs in Hawaii and get detailed program information.