One of the most important classes you will need to take to become a certified medical receptionist is a course in medical terminology. Doctors and other medical professionals will likely use jargon and abbreviations in their notes and in verbal instructions that you will need to understand. Many terminology courses will also help form an understanding of the roots and origins of various medical terms, including body parts, diseases and conditions. Understanding the terminology you will encounter on the job is key to performing effectively as a medical receptionist.
Every procedure and treatment in a medical facility has a different code to identify it to insurance companies. As a medical receptionist, you will need to understand these codes in order to bill insurance companies correctly for work done and make sure your office is compensated for medical services it performs. In most two-year trade schools, this course is offered over at least two semesters to give students a deeper knowledge of coding practices.
Classes of this nature help students understand legal and ethical practices involved in running a medical office. Such practices include issues relating to doctor-patient confidentiality, malpractice protection and the ethics of various treatments and procedures. Law and ethics may be incorporated into more general medical office management courses or may exist as independent classes required over the course of your studies.
A large part of a medical receptionist's job involves computers, whether it be for updating and maintaining patient records, scheduling appointments, billing insurance companies or transcribing medical records and doctor's notes. The ability to type quickly and accurately is essential to keep up with the work in a medical office, so some medical receptionist programs may offer separate keyboard classes to help students increase their typing skills. Knowledge of other programs, usually those in the Microsoft Office group of programs, is also essential as you will encounter them daily on the job.
Most schools that offer medical receptionist programs require students to successfully complete a field placement in an active medical office. In this placement students will gather hands-on experience in working as a medical receptionist and put their education into practice before entering the workforce full time. These positions not only help students refine their skills in a professional setting but also provide important experience for their resumes when it comes time to apply for jobs after graduation.