Overview
The part-time Medical Office Assistant Associate Certificate provides practical, relevant knowledge in healthcare and office settings, preparing you for a career in the field. With a practicum for hands-on experience, the program covers essential areas such as anatomy, medical documentation, billing, clinical procedures, transcription, and more.
Medical Office Assistants work as administrators in the health care sector, helping to make the entire office run smoothly. They possess strong client-service skills, as well as excellent organization and communication skills. This program is designed to give you applied, relevant knowledge about health care and the office setting to prepare you for work in the field. The Medical Office Assistant Associate Certificate includes a practicum to gain real-work experience and is one of BCIT’s more popular programs, with classes filling up quickly.
About the program
Employers value BCIT’s applied, job-ready approach to education and training. It’s the BCIT advantage that sets our graduates apart from the pack. Our courses are taught by knowledgeable and experienced instructors who are industry professionals.
- Build a solid foundation in medical office administration
- All courses are offered online
- Hands-on industry practicum provides you with valuable experience and contacts
- Graduate 100% ready to start your career
Learn more about how this program prepares you for a new career as a Medical Office Assistant on the Program Details page.
Who should complete the Medical Office Assistant Associate Certificate?
This program might be for you if:
- You enjoy working with people
- You have excellent organizational and communication skills
- You’re interested in health care and the medical field
Classes fill quickly for this popular program, so be aware of the key registration dates. (updated each term). Then visit the Entrance Requirements page to declare your program.
What grads can do
With the job-focused training you receive at BCIT, you will be completely prepared for work in medical offices from the day you graduate. You will have many options as employers are always seeking qualified applicants in several workplace settings, including walk-in clinics, family practices, specialist offices, hospitals, and more.
Find out more about the new job opportunities awaiting you on the Graduating and Jobs page.
If you are looking for a program that is more focussed on administrative duties in hospitals and healthcare facilities, as part of a healthcare team, consider the Healthcare Unit Clerk Associate Certificate.
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Entrance Requirements
About Flexible Learning
Take a single course or work towards a credential at your own pace.
Part-time courses are offered in various scheduling formats, including at night or on weekends, flexible daytime delivery, or you can opt for distance or online learning. If you meet the prerequisites and there’s space available, you can register for a course immediately. Courses are offered in each of three terms: Fall (September), Winter (January), and Spring/Summer (April).
To earn the credential, you must complete a Part-time Program Declaration Request. Applications are processed throughout the year.
Application processing
This program is open to declarations beginning:
- February 1st* for the January intake
- May 1st* for the April intake
- October 1st* for the September intake
Entrance requirements
Declarations submitted for program intakes beginning April 1, 2025 or later will be evaluated using the English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirement below.
- English language proficiency: Category 2 – English Studies 12 (67%) or equivalent
Recommended for success
- Minimum starting keyboard speed of 35 words per minute. Please note that some practicum and employment positions require keyboarding speeds of up to 55 words per minute.
- English as an additional language students are recommended to take COMM 1106 – Introduction to Business and Technical Communication (With Language Development Component)
International applicants
This program is available to international applicants who will complete the program from outside Canada or who currently have a valid status in Canada other than study permit. International applicants accepted into this program are not eligible for a study permit.
Program declaration
Declaring your Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) program ensures that BCIT is aware of your intent to complete a program as it is currently outlined and provides you the opportunity to apply for transfer credit.
To submit your declaration:
- Answer all questions completely.
- If required, convert transcripts and documents to PDF files.
- Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.
Declare Now
Upon approval, a program plan letter will be sent to you confirming your program of study. Please allow approximately eight weeks for processing.
Scheduled Intakes
Ongoing Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) intakes: January, April, and September.
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Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) tuition is charged on a course-by-course basis. Please see the Flexible Learning Tuition & Fees page for more information on domestic and international tuitions.
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Courses
Important updates to Flexible Learning
English Requirement: Find out more.
Prepare for a rewarding career as a Medical Office Assistant. The courses in this program provide you with the essential skills to take on the everyday challenges and administrative responsibilities of medical offices. Your studies include medical billing practices, electronic medical records, anatomy and terminology, and transcription skills, among other topics. The program culminates with a practicum that provides you with hands-on training and real-world exposure to the day-to-day work environment of a Medical Office Assistant.
Please check the Program Details page for important information for students approaching the end of the program, and preparing for the MOA practicum.
Please note: part-time programs and courses are open enrolment and although we make every effort to accommodate demand, course registration cannot be guaranteed in every semester. High demand courses fill quickly and may result in students unable to register for a course that semester. Courses may also be cancelled due to low enrolment.
Program matrix
Check current availability of courses for this program.
1. Required Courses | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
BSYS 1001 | Business Information Systems 1-Microsoft 365 for Windows | 3.0 | |
OFFC 1001 | Anatomy and Terminology 1 | 3.0 | |
OFFC 1007 | Medical Billing Practices | 3.0 | |
OFFC 1008 | Medical Documentation | 1.5 | |
OFFC 1015 | Medical Office Practices | 3.0 | |
OFFC 1045 | Clinical Procedures | 3.0 | |
OFFC 1048 | Medical Transcription Skills | 2.0 | |
OFFC 1055 | Electronic Medical Records | 3.0 | |
OFFC 2001 | Anatomy and Terminology 2 | 3.0 | |
and | |||
BUSA 3105 | Leadership 1 - People Skills | 3.0 | |
or | |||
ORGB 2505 | Interpersonal Skills | 3.0 | |
2. Practicum | Credits | ||
OFFC 2018 | MOA Practicum | 3.5 | |
Total Credits: | 31.0 |
Check current availability of courses for this program.
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
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Program Details
In the Medical Office Assistant Associate Certificate program, you will take courses carefully designed to provide you with the skills and resources necessary to be successfully employed in a variety of roles in health care. This popular program works around your schedule by offering classes on weekday evenings and occasionally on weekends.
Courses in the program cover:
- anatomy and terminology,
- medical documentation,
- medical billing,
- clinical procedures,
- transcription, and more.
By developing the key skills for a range of tasks, you’ll be prepared for responsibilities that can arise in any medical office, and therefore broadening your appeal to potential employers.
You’ll also participate in an 80-hour practicum to gain practical, hands-on work experience in a medical office setting.
Important practicum information!
Register for the practicum as early as possible to allow time for you to meet the following requirements before you begin your practicum:
- Up-to-date immunizations are required
- A criminal record check must be obtained
- The St. John’s Ambulance two-day Standard First Aid for Industry course OFA level 1 must be completed.
Failure to provide all the required documents before the course start date will result in you being dropped from the practicum.
If you are currently employed as a Medical Office Assistant, with permission of the Instructor, you may be able to complete the practicum at your workplace.
Program goals
Upon successful completion of the Medical Office Assistant Associate Certificate, you will be able to:
- Perform medical office tasks, including scheduling appointments, and documenting and maintaining medical records, while maintaining confidentiality, managing time effectively, showing professionalism and being ethical.
- Assist physicians and prepare patients for examinations, clinical procedures, and tests.
- Manage the input and retrieval of data using electronic medical record software.
- Prepare bills for visits, supplementary items, and diagnostic procedures carried out in a medical office, a hospital, or home as dictated by the Medical Services Plan (MSP) of British Columbia.
- Create professional medical documents, letters, and emails that are respectful to the recipients and contain proper paragraphs, proper sentence structure, correctly spelled words and abbreviations, and correct grammar.
- Transcribe medical dictation in the correct format for medical letters, chart notes, history and physical reports, discharge summaries, operative and pathology reports, and miscellaneous medical reports.
- Apply critical thinking and problem solving techniques to resolve issues that can be found in a medical office.
- Demonstrate effective communication, interpersonal, and team skills in all work duties, where communication skills require clear spoken and written English, correct medical terminology, accurate spelling, and correct grammar.
- Demonstrate fluid computer literacy in Microsoft Office software.
- Name the organs, define the medical terminology, and describe the functions, the common disease processes, and symptoms that are associated with major body systems.
Grading
Courses are graded on a percentage scale. The minimum passing grade for all OFFC courses is 65%.
Program delivery
Online: This program is delivered fully online.
This program is offered on a course-by-course basis, allowing you the flexibility to choose the number of courses taken each term.
Program location
Courses are offered through online learning.- Go back Courses
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Graduating & Jobs
By developing the essential skills needed for a variety of jobs in medical offices, you will prepare for a successful, rewarding career. The courses, training, and hands-on practicum in the Medical Office Assistant Associate Certificate program all combine to give you the real-world, relevant skills and confidence you need to begin your future.
Some job opportunities include:
- Medical Office Assistant
- Medical Clerk
- Medical Receptionist
- Medical Record Specialist (EMR)
- Medical Billing Specialist
Additional Business Programs
Graduates of the Medical Office Assistant program that want to go on to further develop their business skills and knowledge may consider the following part-time programs:
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2021-2023 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2020-2022 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
Apply for graduation
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, complete an Application for BCIT Credential [PDF] and submit it to Student Information and Enrolment Services.
Allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.
All financial obligations to the Institute must be met prior to issuance of any credential.
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Faculty, Advisors & Staff
Our instructors are active industry professionals who provide current and first-hand knowledge in their areas of expertise. The material covered in the classroom directly relates to work that you will be performing in your future careers. This hands-on training with industry level tools and resources, as well as industry practicum, prepares you for a rewarding position as a Medical Office Assistant.
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Contact Us
Thomas Turniawan
Program Head
604-432-8609 | tturniawan@bcit.ca
Contact a Flexible Learning Program Advisor with the BCIT program name in the subject line if you have a question about:
- Course selection and program planning
- Declaring your program
- Making changes to your approved program plan
- Applying for transfer credit and advanced placement
- Laddering options
- Job placement and graduate outcomes
- Student life
Questions or comments?
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Programs and courses are subject to change without notice.