KEY POINTS:
Medical administration opens up opportunities for people with administration skills and an interest in health and customer service.
Manukau Institute of Technology offers a medical administration course for people interested in administration roles in areas such as A & E clinics, general practices, hospitals, veterinary clinics, laboratories, hospital wards and specialists rooms.
The course includes reception training, medico-legal considerations, medical text processing and clinical support services.
Students learn to use MedTech 32 software, which is widely used in medical practices to make appointments, process invoices and generate receipts for patients. Work experience is organised over the mid-semester break. Although not compulsory, it is an integral part of the course, and can lead to job offers.
The students also practice reception and administration skills through the MIT Business Training Centre, a simulated business environment.
Applications need a minimum of 44 NCEA level 2 credits, including eight credits in English, or the equivalent. There are alternative entry pathways through other business administration qualifications.
Applicants also need word processing and spreadsheet skills. There are English language requirements for non-native English speakers. Eleven of the 16 2006 graduates are working in medical administration and five have undertaken further study.
THE GRADUATE
Kelsi Moore (18)
Drury Surgery Limited
Practice manager assistant and receptionist
Graduated November 2006
I assist the practice manager and the reception team. Assisting the practice manager involves working on the medical business side of the surgery.
I thoroughly enjoy it. My long-term goal is to become a practice manager.
I started seventh form last year but didn't enjoy it so began researching other options, including MIT.
When I found this course specialising in medical administration, I jumped at the chance to enter the July intake.
I left school and worked at McDonalds until the course started. I think that also helped me get this job because it gave me customer service experience.
There were 20 students doing the medical specialisation in my semester.
A topic I really liked was medical text processing, which is about medical terminology and letter layout. Learning about MedTech 32 was particularly valuable because it is the software programme used here [Drury Surgery].
We also learned about the way hospitals, general practice and specialist practices are run.
I started the course thinking of becoming an assistant or secretary in a specialist medical area, but as I continued I realised I was most interested in general practice.
This was confirmed during my work experience. I worked two days at Auckland Eye and three days at the Mt Eden Medical Centre.
When this job came up, it was like a dream come true because it involves medical administration and reception and was based in Drury, where I live.
I wouldn't have been confident about applying for this job without the experience I got from the course.
THE EMPLOYER
Sue Neems
Practice Manager at Drury Surgery Ltd
When I employed Kelsi, it was the first time I went directly to MIT's medical administration course rather than advertising generally.
I was losing a receptionist after 12 years and wanted someone who could do reception but also start learning the practice management role.
I needed someone task-centred as well as people-centred. It is quite hard to find someone who can do both. I was wanted someone with ambition and get up and go. Kelsi had very good references, is mature for her age and recognises the responsibility of the role. She wants to eventually be a practice manager so she appreciates the opportunity to learn the key administrative tasks involved.
A practice manager doesn't need a clinical background because it is an administration and management role.
We are responsible for coordinating the majority of non-medical tasks in the practice, including human resources, IT, PHO [primary health organisation] monitoring and administration, communication and business management.
This includes maintaining accurate and current patient registrations to ensure correct funding is received.
It is a difficult role because you have to know a little about a lot and you need to be accurate.
The value of the course is that people who do it are showing a commitment to a medical administration career. During the course they practice working in medical environments, which is helpful. They also learn to use MedTech 32 software, which is very useful. If you have a basic understanding of MedTech 32, it makes it much easier to learn other tasks involved.
I've since employed another graduate from the course.
