Curriculum

Medical Administrative Assistant Training Curriculum

Penn Foster’s online Medical Administrative Assistant Training Program consists of eight courses to help you gain the knowledge and skills relevant for working in a medical office setting —including doctors' offices, hospitals, insurance companies, and public health clinics.

Medical Administrative Assistant

Career Diploma 5 months As low as $59/mo

Full Program Overview

1-800-471-3232 (9AM - 9PM EST)

Medical Admin Assistant Training Curriculum

8 courses
42 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
26 exams
1 submitted project
Work experience option available

Estimated completion time:

Fast track = 5 months
Average time = 10 months

With Penn Foster, you can learn at whatever pace works best for you. Some learners will be more comfortable moving faster, and dedicating more time, and the fast track estimate will apply to them. The average track will apply to most learners who can dedicate a few hours per week to completing their coursework.

In this course, you’ll develop the necessary skills to ensure your success in the program. You'll learn how you can improve your study skills, so you're able to use a number of tools that will help you to be successful. You'll then learn about the healthcare professions involved in the United States healthcare system. You'll learn about their common tasks, where they typically work, and how each role contributes to the patient experience. You'll then discover the hard and soft skills required across different healthcare professional roles. The course ends with an overview of the United States healthcare system. You'll examine the different levels of patient care, the differences between public and private healthcare, how facilities bill for services, and how laws and regulations govern healthcare practices.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Identify skills needed to be a confident and independent online learner
- Explain the standard knowledge and skills required in healthcare careers
This course is designed to help you develop professional relationships in the workplace and professionally administer and manage office communications and procedures. It also provides a review of basic math operations, along with a basic introduction to working with Word and Excel.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Apply knowledge of basic arithmetic skills to complete math-related tasks in an office setting
- Identify how to create professional business correspondences
- Recognize effective communication techniques in an office setting
- Describe how to use Word and Excel to complete business related tasks
This course will familiarize you with various body systems including medical terms, structure, function, diseases, disorders, and treatments. You’ll also learn drug delivery systems, drug administration routes, drug classifications, and commonly used medications for various organ system disorders.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Define medical terms and regions and structures of the body by analyzing medical terms
- Identify the anatomy, physiology, diseases, and treatments of the cardiovascular and hematologic systems
- Identify the anatomy, physiology, diseases, and treatments of the respiratory and endocrine systems
- Identify the anatomy, physiology, diseases, and treatments of the gastrointestinal, urinary, and reproductive systems
This course is a continuation of Body Systems and Medical Terminology 1. You’ll continue to learn about various body systems, drug delivery systems, drug administration routes, drug classifications, and commonly used medications for various organ system disorders. You’ll also learn basic medication calculations, storage, how to assist patients with administration, and proper documentation.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Identify the anatomy, physiology, and diseases and treatments of the integumentary and musculoskeletal systems
- Identify the anatomy, physiology, and diseases and treatments of the sensory and nervous systems
- Identify the anatomy, physiology, and diseases and treatments of the immune system
- Explain how the Six Rights of Drug Administration dictate proper drug administration and storage
This course describes healthcare professionals who can identify the four subdivisions of pharmacology and different drug classifications, including vitamins and minerals. Pathology and Pharmacology will also prepare you to explain the causes of infectious disease and techniques used to stop its spread. Finally, you’ll review the basic etiology of common diseases and conditions.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Describe four subdivisions of pharmacology: pharma codynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmaco-therapeutics, and toxicology
- Identify different drug classifications, including vitamins and minerals, which a patient may take for a variety of health conditions
- Explain causes of infection, disease, and techniques used to stop the spread of infectious disease
- Explain basic etiology of common diseases and conditions
This course is designed to help you understand the reimbursement process and the various methodologies involved. You’ll be introduced to billing cycles and how health information technology is used in medical offices, and learn about basic accounting transaction terminology and apply this information to enter patient charges and payments.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the contents of the Electronic Health Record, application of SimChart for the Medical Office, and security, privacy, and confidentiality associated with medical records
- Explain the administrative and clinical roles in the medical office and functions within the EHR that are utilized routinely in these roles
- Describe the billing and reimbursement process and the use of both patient portals and personal health records in continuity of patient care
- Complete simulated health records in SimCharts
This course introduces the reimbursement process and the various methodologies involved, such as fee-for-service and episode-of-care methodologies. The course also covers important information regarding payment systems, fee schedules, chargemasters, coding, and the internal audit process. The course also explains the fundamentals of health insurance and types of health insurance.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Discuss various reimbursement methodologies and payment systems
- Define health insurance
In this course, you’ll learn how law affects healthcare practitioners, the origin of law that affects medical professionals, the basics of the process of litigation and its alternatives, the common-law basis for the confidentiality of healthcare information, and the laws regulating healthcare information collected and maintained by government agencies.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Interpret civil and criminal laws related to healthcare
- Assess ethical issues healthcare professionals face today
- Analyze confidentiality laws and regulations

Note: We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.