Medical Office Specialist Diploma

The Medical Office Specialist program is designed to prepare the student to work in a variety of medical settings, including hospitals/medical centers, clinics, health insurance companies and other health-related businesses. The office specialist works with administrative areas in the practice-including front office, transcription, insurance and billing-and is often the first contact with the patient. This program, however, is not designed to prepare the student for direct patient care.

The Medical Office Specialist AAS degree includes an internship. Students are required to find their internship and have it approved by their instructor prior to the start of the semester in which they will be taking the internship class. Most internships require passing a background check. Felonies or other serious charges may keep the student from finding an internship site. Students unable to complete the internship will be unable to complete the Medical Office Specialist AAS degree. The Medical Office Specialist diploma does not require an internship; however, a felony or other serious charge may prevent the student from being employed.

To successfully complete this program, a student must complete all coursework as prescribed and maintain a 2.0 grade point average. A grade of “C-” or better is required in the first course of a sequential course offering before enrolling in the second-level course of the sequence or in the prerequisite course. This includes ADM 157 , ADM 215 , BCA 113 , BCA 212  or CSC 110 , HSC 120 , HSC 121 , MAP 141 , MAP 532 , MTR 120  and MTR 121 .

Upon successful completion of all four semesters, the student is eligible to receive an AAS degree. A student completing only the first three semesters is eligible to receive a diploma.

For more information about the Medical Office Specialist program, please visit our website at www.dmacc.edu/programs/btec/medofficespecialist.asp.

Location: Ankeny

Selected courses in this program are offered at other campuses.

Program Entry Requirements

1. Complete an application for admission.
2. Attend any required information/registration session. 
3. Satisfy the required assessment by taking the reading and math COMPASS test or equivalent.
4. Complete the required COMPASS testing, obtaining a satisfactory score in Writing (70 or higher), ACT writing score of 19 or higher, completion of ENG 060  with a grade of “B” or higher or program chairperson approval.
5. Keyboarding speed of 40 nwpm or above as demonstrated by a five-minute test.

Students start Fall semester.

Graduation Requirements

To earn a Medical Office Specialist diploma or AAS degree, a student must complete all coursework as prescribed and maintain a 2.0 grade point average.