Medical administrative assistants carry out a variety of administrative duties to help doctors’ offices, dentists’ offices, hospitals and medical clinics run smoothly. Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a medical office assistant is like.
Source: Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Source: 2021 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 1,890
Medical administrative assistants:
Medical administrative assistants work in the offices of health care professionals. Hours usually match clinic hours, which may include evenings and weekends. Administrative assistants in hospital wards may work shifts. Medical administrative assistants sometimes deal with difficult patients. Tact and strong people skills are important, as is the ability to work well under pressure. The work of a medical administrative assistant mostly takes place on a computer. Individuals may get back or neck pain from sitting at desks for long periods, or eye strain from viewing computer monitors. In addition, because they are in contact with patients, they must take steps to protect themselves from illness.
Source: 2016 Census
Medical administrative assistants need a high school diploma. Most positions also require a related certificate or diploma, for example medical office assistants (MOA) or dental office assistants. In addition, some jobs require training in medical terms, medications (“pharmacology”), management software, basic medical office procedures or electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Other useful qualifications include:
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 35 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. You’ll also find the skill strength needed, letting you know how capable you must be in that skill.
Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
As the population expands and ages, more health-care workers are needed in B.C. The majority of job openings in this field, though, come from retirements. Workers with related experience and post-secondary education are in the highest demand. Technology has become more central to this work. Electronic medical records are replacing paper, and workers must stay up to date with these advances. This shift has also brought more jobs in scheduling and medical billing. It has also led to a high demand for workers with strong skills in computer software and information management technology.
Career paths
Medical administrative assistants often start as receptionists for general practice clinics or as records clerks for hospitals. With experience, they may find jobs in specialist practices or move into supervisory positions, such as office manager or clinic manager.
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