Updated December 2022

Eager to play an essential part in helping hospitals and clinics run smoothly? Medical office administration might be the field for you.

Medical office administrators (MOAs) are the friendly faces at the front desk. They do everything from greeting patients, updating files, and scheduling appointments to processing billing, preparing exam rooms, and collecting lab results. It’s vital work that really has an impact.

But every job has both advantages and drawbacks. And it’s important to understand the full picture before committing to a career path.

In this post, we take you through the major pros and cons of becoming a medical office administrator.

Learn what to expect and see if this role is a good fit for you.

Photo: Priscilla Grant on graduation day from the Medical Office Administration program at Herzing College Ottawa

Wondering what it's like to become a medical office administrator (MOA)? Want to know more about training, careers, and getting started in this field?

Who better to talk to than Priscilla Grant? Priscilla recently completed the Medical Office Administrator program at Herzing College Ottawa.

She went straight into a full-time medical office position after graduation, and has transitioned very smoothly into her new career.

And she did it all while working part-time and caring for two children under the age of 6!

We interviewed Priscilla earlier this month to learn more about her story, and see how things are going at work.

Find out what Priscilla thought of Herzing's MOA program, her most and least favourite parts of training, and how she landed such a great job at Carefor Health and Community Services.

Here are the highlights from our conversation.

Updated January 2023

Landing your first job after medical office training is a major accomplishment. But next comes the real challenge: settling into your new role, learning how the medical team likes things done, and of course, getting to know the patients you'll be working with.

It's a time of transition and learning, but also an opportunity to put into practice everything you've learned during MOA training. So what kinds of challenges can you expect to face as a freshly graduated, newly employed medical office administrator?

Take a look at five of the most common hurdles.