When Wanda Barr first decided to pursue medical receptionist training, she says she felt like “a duck out of water.” As a mature student, it had been years since she had taken on college coursework and professional training. Her advice to those taking their own cautious first steps toward certification?
“Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.”
From the first moment she reached out to Academy of Learning College (AOLC) to her graduation day (when she received honours on her Medical Reception Diploma), Wanda got the support she needed to succeed.
“After writing my last exam, I suddenly realized how much I would miss Academy of Learning College and all the people who take that extra step to make your learning experience worthwhile and the school curriculum work,” she explains. “All my hard work was worth it in the end and it taught me a lot about myself as well as the medical field.”
Canada’s fast-paced medical field is a great place for motivated, caring people like Wanda to secure the rewarding careers they deserve. This is especially true in the Maritimes—according to the Canadian Occupation Projection System (COPS), ambulatory health care services, medical clinics, and hospitals in New Brunswick will need over 4,000 qualified applicants to fill their front desk placements in the next seven years.
Do you want to secure one of these roles for yourself? Read on to learn how you can earn your own medical receptionist career in New Brunswick.
1. Fine-Tune Your Keyboarding and Computer Skills
The front desk of a medical facility is a busy intersection where health care workers and patients interact. Much of a medical receptionist’s main duties involve greeting patients and keeping detailed digital records of their information.
A patient’s statistical information may change between visits. It’s up to the front desk staff to verify and file each patient’s billing, electronic medical records, allergy information, and even up-to-the-minute laboratory results.
If you’re not yet comfortable with quick and effective keyboarding, you could find it difficult to conduct the billing, coding, and digital filing expected of a modern medical receptionist. AOLC has an entire healthcare course dedicated to the computer and keyboarding skills today’s employers are looking for.
2. Master Medical Terminology in Healthcare College
To effectively handle sensitive medical documents, it’s important for medical receptionists to understand the meaning, pronunciation, and spelling of basic anatomical, pathological, and clinical terms.
Ensure that the training you pursue includes lessons in diagnostic and surgical terminology you’re likely to encounter throughout your healthcare career. In the hands of a medical reception professional, a poorly spelled term could result in a patient getting the wrong treatment. Look for opportunities to practice writing, spelling, and labeling different anatomical diagrams to maximize your retention of this meaningful material.
3. Advance Your Own Front-End Administrative Skills
The hustle and bustle of a busy medical office is no match for a well-prepared front-desk administrator. Processing insurance claims, recording payments, and scheduling appointments all require a knack for organization and planning.
Are you generally able to go with the flow, tackle challenges as they arise, and maintain a neatly ordered workspace? If so, medical administrative skills might come easily to you. In any case, the right training program will provide you will the practical savvy it takes to keep even Bathurst’s busiest offices running.
4. Connect with New Brunswick’s Best Healthcare Career Opportunities
Perhaps most important to landing that great job is conducting an effective job search. At AOLC, we can help you make the most out of your certification, by training you on resume development, job market research, interview preparation, and job search management.
We also offer ongoing support for every one of our medical reception alumni. Their success is our highest priority.
“I have been invited back to Academy of Learning College even after I graduate, should I ever need assistance,” explains Wanda. “You are never too old to take on new challenges. Tell them Wanda sent you and good luck!”
Are you interested in pursuing our healthcare college?
Visit Academy of Learning College to speak with one of our friendly advisors about getting started!