How To Become A Medical Office Assistant In Halifax

Halifax is the capital and largest city of Nova Scotia. It is a central hub for the Maritimes of Canada. It serves as both a cultural and economic center with a rich history. Additionally, the city is home to a diverse population of Canadians from all over the country who have chosen to call Halifax home. It is the administrative centre of the Halifax region, and— and connects the rest of Canada with international shipping through the Halifax Harbour. As of 2021, Halifax had a Census Metropolitan Area population of over 465,703, requiring multiple health authorities to handle the administrative and clinical needs of patients in the area.

Halifax’s health authority, the Nova Scotia Health Authority, will benefit from a slice of $25 billion set aside for healthcare deals between the federal government and provincial healthcare systems. This means that Halifax and its surrounding areas will have more resources to improve the quality and accessibility of health care for its residents. 

The healthcare system also needs skilled and dedicated workers open to rewarding health care careers

. One of the key roles is the Medical Office Assistant (MOA), the administrative arm of a hospital, a clinic, or a private practice. MOAs do many tasks to keep things running smoothly, such as scheduling appointments, billing patients, filing records, answering phone calls, and assisting doctors and nurses.  

MOAs are in high demand in Halifax and across Canada, attending to the administrative side of a medical office in support of patient care. They also interact with patients and act as a public-facing member of the team — so they need to have excellent interpersonal, technical, communication, and customer service skills. 

Taking a Medical Office Administration Diploma program might be the first and best step you make on this career path. But what else do you need to know to become a successful MOA in Halifax? How do you become an MOA anywhere else in Canada? 

This article begins with the education and training required of MOAs, and includes an overview of the skills, current opportunities, as well as salary available to Medical Office Assistants in both public and private healthcare settings in greater Halifax — which includes populations in Bedford, Halifax, Dartmouth, and Halifax County.

What Education Do You Need To Become A Medical Office Assistant In Halifax?

Medical Office Assistants can work in many different places. Healthcare settings local to Halifax

 in need of medical office administration can be diverse and include: 

• The Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Sciences Centre
  • Mackenzie Building – QEII 
  • Victoria Building – QEII 
  • Abbie J. Lane Memorial Building – QEII 
  • Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building – QEII 
  • Centennial Building – QEII (inpatient) 
  • Bethune Building – QEII (administrative) 
• Acupuncture clinics
• Community health centres
• Dental clinics
• Optometry clinics
• Home care centres
• Ambulatory care clinics
• Immunization clinics
• Insurance companies
• Chiropractic clinics
• Naturopathic clinics
• And more 

In Halifax, there are many workplaces offering job opportunities for MOAs. For higher chances of getting hired as an MOA, you’ll need to demonstrate the necessary skills and knowledge required to work in a medical setting. Completing a Medical Office Administration program comes highly recommended by most hiring managers in healthcare, as it equips you with the necessary administrative skills and medical terminology needed to satisfy the administrative side of increasingly important patient care. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Diploma Over A Certificate In Medical Office Administration? 

If you’re thinking about becoming an MOA in Halifax, you might be wondering: should you go for a Certificate or a Diploma program? Both options will teach you similar courses, but they have different impacts on your job readiness.

A Diploma program is more in-depth, taking about a year to finish. It covers everything you need to know to work in different medical settings and lets you apply what you learn in a real workplace through a practicum. This hands-on experience will show potential employers that you’re ready to hit the ground running as an MOA. 

A Certificate program is shorter and less thorough, taking only a few weeks or a few months. You’ll still learn the basics of healthcare, but you might not get the opportunity to practice what you learn in a real workplace. Also, finding financial aid for Certificate programs might be harder than for Diploma programs. 

By studying at a reputable Diploma college, you can learn how to ace the administrative tasks that are part of an MOA’s daily routine. With the right skills, you can help doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers focus on giving the best possible care to their patients. Through a Diploma’s practicum, you can also learn how to communicate effectively with patients, medical staff, insurance companies, and others involved in healthcare.

Why A Diploma Program Is The Best Choice For Aspiring MOAs 

If you want to become a Medical Office Administrator in Halifax, the best way to prepare for this career is by enrolling in a comprehensive Diploma program. To ensure you have the necessary skills and knowledge for success in this field, consider an online program that covers the practical duties of an MOA — including topics such as anatomy and physiology, medical transcription, medical terminology, coding and billing procedures for public and private insurance, and specialized computer software for medical offices. 

Online students of a reputable Medical Office Administration Diploma enjoy the convenience of studying from home in Halifax, Bedford, Dartmouth, or Halifax County. Completing a local practicum as part of your training will also give you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills immediately in your MOA role.

Halifax-Based Medical Office Assistants’ Job Outlook And Salary Expectations

The job prospects for MOAs in Nova Scotia sport a Moderately Good outlook for the next few years.  

Halifax, Bedford, and Dartmouth offer many different settings and employers for MOAs to choose from, making it one of the best places to work as an MOA.

You can find employment in public or private healthcare facilities, hospitals or clinics, general or specialized practices, and more; across Canada, for the next decade, there will be thousands more openings than workers entering the field. Keep an eye on the careers pages with the following organizations, most notably the provincial health authority, where you can look for work as an MOA or a Unit Clerk with the Health authority: 

• IWK Health Centres 
• Health Canada 
• Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA)

Try Google’s Job Search feature to refine your search for open MOA positions in Halifax by location, date posted, type, company, and more. It collects different online job postings, so you don’t have to keep your eye on multiple job boards. By refining your search, you can better filter your results to find the best match for your skills and preferences. 

The Difference Between MOAs And Unit Clerks 

If you’re interested in becoming a medical office assistant (MOA) in the Halifax area you might be wondering what kind of job titles you can expect to see in your job search. MOAs are versatile and adaptable professionals who can work in various healthcare settings and perform a range of administrative and clinical tasks. Depending on the employer, location, and specialty, MOAs may have different job titles that reflect their specific roles and responsibilities. 

One of the most sought-after job titles for MOAs in Halifax is Hospital Unit Clerk. Hospital Unit Clerks are MOAs who work in inpatient medical settings, such as hospitals or long-term care facilities. They handle clerical tasks for a specific unit or department, such as admitting and discharging patients, updating medical records, ordering supplies, scheduling tests and procedures, and communicating with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff. Hospital Unit Clerks work for NSHA in one of Halifax’s hospitals — and the QEII Sciences Centre is one of the best workplaces to look for this position. 

However, not all MOAs work in hospitals or inpatient settings. Many MOAs work in outpatient healthcare facilities, such as clinics, offices, or laboratories. These MOAs may have different job titles depending on the type of facility or specialty they work in.  

Fortunately, Medical Office Administration Diploma graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge to work in various healthcare settings. They can apply for both MOA and Unit Clerk positions and adapt to different provinces or health authorities, hospitals or insurance firms, dentists’, hospital laboratories, and several private wellness settings such as dental aesthetic clinics, acupuncturists’ offices, and rehab facilities with some on-the-job orientation. 

How Much Money Can You Make As A Medical Office Assistant In Halifax? 

If you’re thinking of becoming a Medical Office Assistant in Halifax, you might be curious about how much you can earn in this rewarding and essential healthcare role. An MOA in Halifax can earn around $44,586 per year. 

This rate is significantly higher than the minimum wage in Nova Scotia, which is currently set at $15.00 per hour. If you work full-time at minimum wage in Halifax, you can expect to earn a salary of $31,200 per year based on that rate. 

As an MOA, you’ll earn more than that due to your in-demand skills and respectable Diploma. You’ll also enjoy better job security and stability than minimum wage workers. MOAs are considered essential healthcare workers and are therefore in high demand, especially during times of crisis as with the COVID-19 pandemic. To optimize your starting salary or wage, you can employ a few different tactics: 

• Earn a qualification like a Medical Office Assistant Diploma  
• Know where to apply: jobseekers might find that working for a hospital or a specialized clinic pays more than working for a family doctor or a dentist. 
• Research the different types of healthcare facilities that hire MOAs and see which ones pay better or offer more non-monetary benefits. 
• Look for a position with a Halifax health authority employing unionized workers. 
• Ask around your professional network and inquire about the best opportunities. 
• Sharpen your skills and knowledge through continuing education or certification courses. 

MOAs’ Most Valuable Skills For Success In Careers In Halifax

As an MOA in Halifax, you need to have a range of hard skills, learned through formal education, training, or certification, to perform your duties efficiently and effectively. These hard skills include:

• Transcribing medical reports and correspondence 
• Invoicing patients and processing insurance claims 
• Record-keeping and data entry 
• Using medical office software 
• Understanding medical terminology and anatomy 
• Following infection control and safety protocols 

In addition to hard skills, you also need to have a range of soft skills, usually learned through experience, observation, or feedback, to succeed as an MOA in Halifax. These soft skills include:

• Organization
• Communication 
• Customer service 
• Problem-solving 
• Professionalism and confidentiality 
• Teamwork and collaboration 
• Empathy and compassion 

To develop your skills as an MOA in Halifax, it’s best to complete a post-secondary program in medical office administration from a well-reviewed college, ie. highly rated on Google.

Career Opportunities For Medical Office Assistants In Halifax

If you’re passionate about working in the healthcare field and helping people, becoming a medical office assistant in Halifax might be the perfect career choice for you. Once you earn your Diploma in Medical Office Administration, you can start out as a:

Career Opportunities For Medical Office Assistants In Halifax

• Medical Transcriptionist 
• Patient Coordinator 
• Medical Scheduler 
• Hospital Unit Clerk 
• Medical Billing Clerk 
• And more 

In becoming an MOA in Halifax, you should think about how to advance your career. As an MOA, you can grow professionally and personally by taking on more responsibilities and challenges in your work environment.  

Look into some of the ways you can advance your career as an MOA in Halifax. As you gain more experience and skills as an MOA, you can apply for senior positions that offer more supervisory authority, autonomy, and earn the compensation that goes with that. Some of the senior positions you can pursue as an MOA are:

• Medical Office Manager 
• Clinic Manager
• Medical Office Trainer

Why Become An MOA In Halifax?

Becoming a medical office assistant in Halifax is a good career choice for anyone who wants to work in the healthcare field and make a living by helping people in the largest Atlantic city in Canada, without getting a degree. As an MOA, you can enjoy job security, career advancement, and fulfilling work in various healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, outpatient care centers, and even private wellness clinics.

An aspiring MOA in Halifax needs to stand out on job applications with the right background, skills, and qualifications that highlight your job-readiness. Complete a post-secondary program in medical office administration from a reputable career college like Sundance College. Our students also have the opportunity to get hands-on training through practical exercises, simulations, and a practicum placement at a real healthcare facility. 

Sundance College’s MOA program is streamlined and organized so it can be completed in as little as 43 weeks through our online option. Online students also benefit from flexible scheduling when online, small class sizes, responsive and personalized instruction, success-oriented career services, and student financial aid options. 

In her Google Review, one of our MOA students Deborah wrote, “I love Sundance College because it allows me to study on my own pace and I like how everything is well organized.” By choosing Sundance College for your MOA Diploma, you join a community of supportive instructors, staff, and peers who will help you succeed every step of the way. 

If you’re ready to start your journey to becoming an MOA in Halifax, don’t wait any longer. Apply online to Sundance College’s Medical Office Administration Diploma

 program and take your career in the right direction!