Medical office assistants often find themselves pulled in many different directions. Picture this: The phone is ringing, frustrated patients are demanding to see the doctor immediately, a pile of voice recordings is waiting to be transcribed, and you still need to collect a blood sample from the patient in room two.

In a busy hospital or clinic, it might seem like you don’t have much say over how you organize your time. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep the chaos under control.

Read on to learn why time management is so crucial in healthcare settings and what practical tips you can follow to improve your skills in this area.

Looking for a career in healthcare and think you'd make a good medical office administrator (MOA)?

Your most important first step is to find a good MOA course. You need effective, hands-on training in the computer software, clinical, and health office skills today's employers want.

The quality of your training will determine your ability to get hired after graduation. Obviously, you want to find the best possible course and make a smart investment.

But there are so many MOA courses out there. How do you compare them? What key features should you look for? 

This post is here to help. We outline the most important traits of a top-quality MOA program.

By the end, you'll know exactly what to notice and what questions to ask admissions.

Let's get started.

Want a career in healthcare that involves working directly with patients, but doesn't require a university degree?

Looking to work in a professional setting, where you can use your excellent organization and people skills?

Medical office administration could be a good fit.

This role combines office management with front-line patient care. You can work at a hospital, private clinic, or nursing home as an important member of the health care team.

But what exactly does this position involve? What will it take to start your career?

Follow these 5 simple steps to learn more about the field. Find out out if becoming a medical office assistant is right for you and how to get started.

What kind of person is drawn to medical office administrator training? In our experience, the kind of people who choose this program (and do really well in the career) share a few specific characteristics and goals:

1) They're generally interested in the field of medicine and health care, and want to be part of a clinical team.

2) They're natural "organizers" who are fairly detail-oriented, and enjoy taking charge.

3) They're practical—these students are looking for a quick training program that will lead directly to a job in health care (rather than pursuing years of university study).

4) Most importantly, they are looking for a career that focuses on helping others—specifically, helping people protect their most valuable asset in life: their health.