Do you wish you knew what impetigo, arrhythmia, and dyspepsia meant? Do you think you could learn how to spell them? Do you like working with people in an office setting?

If so, and you're looking for a short-track to a new career, the University College of the Fraser Valley may have the answer.

Continuing Studies at UCFV offers a three-month Medical Office Assistant certificate program that can pole vault you into a fast-paced, educational and challenging new career. The full-time program is designed to prepare students to work as medical office assistants in the ever-changing and demanding medical field.

"One of the best things I can say about the program is that it's a short course, only three months long, that delivers lots of advancement opportunities," instructor Esther Harder says. "In a very short time you can go from being a student to getting a good job."

Harder, who worked for more than 20 years in a medical office, knows the ins and outs of the business end of running a doctor's office. She brings her background and personal experience into the classroom and passes her accumulated knowledge onto her students.

"There is lots of theory - this is not an easy program - and the theory has to be accurate," she explains.

Harder also recommends that potential participants have some office work background. While there is lots of medical jargon to learn, she notes at the end of the day, the job is all about running a busy, professional office in a proficient manner.

"The students really need some computer skills. People skills are also important, but they need to be comfortable with a computer as all medical offices are now computerized."

There's a lot to be learned in the 14-week program. Along with MSP billing, students will also learn about processing patient records, maintaining office schedules, the use of medical terminology, applying the principles of anatomy, and transcribing medical tapes.

While she notes the program is intensive, Harder says she also tries to make it entertaining. While

teaching medical terminology, she introduces a medical word bingo game and uses other fun methods to help learn the tricky words and phrases.

Along with some basic computer training, students will also participate in a 16-hour first aid program, complete a two-week practicum, and return to class for a final four-day wrap up.

"I try to train the students so that they will be very useful in any medical office," Harder says. "They need to be able to fill in for any jobs that would normally be done in a medical office."

Prospective students need to have a strong oral and written knowledge of English, typing skills, and basic computer knowledge. Harder also notes she also likes to interview each student before the program begins. UCFV's next Medical Office Assistant certificate program beings in May.

Harder, who has her professional instructor licence and has been teaching this course since 1999, says the program really is a good jump start for anybody looking for a new career.

"It will take somebody into an entry-level position in a medical office," she says. "From there, the advancement opportunities are endless."

For more information, contact Laura Larson of UCFV Continuing Studies at: 604-864-4626 or email larson@ucfv.bc.ca

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