The Medical Administrative Support Assistant (MASA) career studies certificate is designed to provide students with the basic academic and technical skills necessary for entry-level jobs in local hospitals and physician offices, in the areas such as a medical secretary on the floor of an acute care hospital, admissions and patient registration, receptionist, customer service representative, front office staff, office assistant and more. Some working environments include physician’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and long-term care facilities. This program of study also gives students a foundation of academic course work that will allow them to continue their education in the areas of health information management - medical coding. The PVCC Medical Administrative Support Assistant (MASA) program helps prepare you to take the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, and/or the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam, and/or the Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS) exam with the National Healthcareer Association. If you meet elegibility requirements and pass this exam, you’ll become certified which can help you stand out as an applicant. Entry-level positions in hospitals and physician offices; articulation into health information management program-medical coding. Entry-level positions in an acute care hospital can be in the areas of patient registration, admissions, and floor medical secretaries. In a physician’s office setting, the medical administrative support assistant (MASA) is the person who helps keeps the office running as smoothly as possible, regarding “everything administratively” - such as recordkeeping and patient documentation, assisting with patient insurance claims, medical coding, patient scheduling, confirm patient appointments, and data entry of the non-technical or medical coding information provided.