Did you know that only about 11% of all those in the receptionist field are medical receptionists? That means there is a small pool of qualified individuals to fill a good number of open positions. Medical receptionist training can help bridge that gap, providing ambitious, coachable team players with the knowledge and skills they need to excel in managing a medical office front desk. That being said, there are a number of different medical receptionist training options available from which to choose. Let’s take a look at a few of them below.

The most common form of medical receptionist training is provided through local educational programs, such as those offered at community colleges or other technical school programs. Medical receptionist certificate programs typically run for several months and cover such important coursework as reception techniques, medical terminology, patient record management, medical filing, health care ethics and compliance, computer software and applications and more. This type of medical receptionist training is widely considered to be the most effective way to prepare entry-level candidates for front desk positions in the medical field.

In addition to formal medical receptionist certificate programs, many successful medical receptionists receive their training on-the-job. In other words, they are typically hired by an employer based on their background, skills and experience in administration or front desk management and then trained for the specifics of the medical industry. With this type of medical receptionist training, the employee will build on his or her existing skills by learning about the various procedures, software, systems and documentation requirements of the medical office. He or she will also need to be educated on privacy rules and how they relate to patient information to ensure compliance.

A medical receptionist is not required to hold a license or even a certification; however, pursuing an optional Medical Administrative Assistant Certification (MAAC) from the National Health Career Association can improve marketability and performance. This type of medical receptionist certificate is awarded upon successfully passing the associated exam. As such, students can essentially self-study and prepare for the exam on their own, without having to attend formal medical receptionist training classes. Requirements to sit for the exam include at least one year of work experience in a medical office or a certificate from either a college or technical school.

Last, but certainly not least, hands-on experience in other related fields, such as a dentist office or even a veterinary clinic, can provide valuable medical receptionist training opportunities. Other related occupations may include such fields as medical billing, medical transcription and medical coding. Those who work in these professions are exposed to medical terminology and become familiar with tasks like managing records, insurance billing and other activities that are commonly performed by medical receptionists. As such, transitioning from these roles may be smoother because it requires less of a learning curve than hiring someone with little to no similar experience.

As you can see, there are a number of viable ways to arm your medical receptionist with the education, knowledge and hands-on experience he or she needs to succeed. Any of these medical receptionist training options can help you develop your front desk staff into the superstar reps they’re capable of becoming.