Medical Office Assistant Certificate
The Medical Office Assistant Certificate helped Carly Felgnar get a great career in health care with less than 2 years of study. Read more...
Medical Office Assistants (MOA) are important members of a health care team. As an MOA, you'll keep the office running smoothly and communicate accurately with medical professionals and patients. The Medical Office Assistant Program at Douglas College will give you the training you need to become a highly-skilled MOA. After one year's experience, you will also be eligible to write the Medical Office Assistant of BC registration examination. This two-semester (8-month) program can be taken full- or part-time, depending on your needs.
Courses
While in the Medical Office Assistant Program, you'll take courses such as Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Terminology, Medical Administrative Procedures and Medical Transcription. You'll develop skills in medical and pharmaceutical terminology, anatomy and physiology, patient scheduling and billing, and other medical office procedures. For detailed course information, see the College Calendar.
Work experience (practicum)
The full-time Medical Office Assistant Certificate Program has one practicum, giving you work experience before you even graduate. The practicum is three weeks in length, and many students are asked to stay on in regular positions once their practicum is completed.
Further education
Once you've successfully completed the Medical Office Assistant Certificate Program, you can choose to go on to our Office Administration Diploma Program. This is a two-year Diploma program, but by completing your certificate you'll only need to complete one more year to get your diploma.
Our Diploma transfers to Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
Some courses in the Medical Office Assistant Certificate program may be challenged for credit through the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Service. If you have knowledge or skills that relate to this field, contact the PLAR office for more information.
Start dates
Full-time students start in September (Fall semester); part-time students can start in September (Fall semester) or January (Winter semester).
Applying
Before you apply, make sure you meet the Program Admission Requirements – check the College Calendar for details.
Application deadlines are as follows:
Full-time Applicants: April 1 for the September start date; September 1 for the January start date
Part-time Applicants: August 1 for the September start date; December 1 for the January start date
Note: Part-time students are eligible to take as many courses as full-time students (up to 15 credits per semester); however, there is no guarantee that they will be able to register in all the courses that they require. Therefore, early application is important.
Ready to apply?
- See Program Planning Tips (pdf)
- Apply online or in person through the Registrar's Office
For more information
See the College Calendar
Contact Sheena Graves (Chair) at 604-527-5103 or by email