How to get a medical receptionist job without experience

By Zippia Expert - Dec. 17, 2021

No, you cannot be a medical receptionist with no experience. It typically takes two to four years to become a medical receptionist. Generally, this is the time it takes to gain the minimal education and necessary experience to fulfill the duties of this role.

Though some employers prefer candidates who have more qualifications, most roles only require a high school diploma or equivalent as the minimum education requirement for a role as a medical receptionist.

However, many aspiring medical receptionists decide to pursue certification from a technical school or community college in addition to a high school diploma.

Though these can be taken at any pace, these certificate programs typically take about one year to finish and cover topics like:

• Understanding physician orders

• Records management

• Office procedures

• Medical Billing/Coding

• Medical terminology

• Transcription

• Hospital procedures

• Anatomy and physiology

Because hands-on experience is so important for this role, most certification programs include a clinical experience requirement.

Because the qualifications for this profession are so varied and flexible, experience is often just as valuable as education. Though there are entry-level medical receptionist positions, some begin their career as certified nursing assistants before pursuing this role.

Get a job in one of the fastest-growing industries—without having to go to college.

Work in health care—even without a degree.

Looking to find a job and also help out your community? You might think you need a college degree to work in a field like health care. Although many employers do look for prior experience or certificates to fill health care jobs, some entry-level hospital jobs and health care positions require none at all beyond a high school diploma or GED. In fact, they can be learned through on-the-job training.

Better yet, the health sector is one of the best places to get your foot in the door with one job before moving up a very diverse career ladder that offers the promise of long-term job security.

That's especially true with allied-health support positions. The workers in these 50 or so professions support doctors and nurses in many ways, including taking X-rays, drawing blood, assisting with physical therapy, and analyzing lab specimens.

Using Monster data, here are eight entry-level hospital jobs and health care jobs that often require no training to get hired and that are projected to be in high demand.

1. Caregiver

What you'd do: Caregivers, or home health aides, assist elderly or disabled adults with daily activities at home or in daytime care facilities. Duties may include making beds, doing laundry, preparing meals, as well as advising families, the elderly and disabled on nutrition, cleanliness, and household utilities.
What you'd need: A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required, though it's not mandatory for some positions. View a sample resume for a caregiver.
What you'd make: The median salary for a caregiver is $12.60 per hour.

Find caregiver jobs on Monster.

2. Medical Assistant

What you'd do: Medical assistants perform office tasks (answering phones, greeting patients, updating medical records, filling out forms, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and bookkeeping) as well as medical care duties (taking patients' blood pressure, preparing them for exams or assisting physicians during minor procedures).
What you'd need: A high school diploma or postsecondary education such as a certificate are typical. View a sample resume for a medical assistant.
What you'd make: The median salary for a medical assistant is $15.60 per hour.

Find medical assistant jobs on Monster.

3. Medical Biller

What you'd do: Medical billers, or health information technicians, collect payments from patients, submits reimbursement claims to insurers and maintains billing records.
What you'd need: A high school diploma or an associate's degree is typical, and certification is often required too.
What you'd make: The median salary for a medical biller is around $17 per hour.

Find medical biller jobs on Monster.

4. Medical Secretary

What you'd do: Assists with day-to-day management of medical offices. Duties can include scheduling appointments, training staff, operating new office technologies, ordering supplies, preparing letters, arranging for lab procedures and helping physicians with reports.
What you'd need: An associate's degree and certification are often required. View a sample resume for a medical receptionist.
What you'd make: The median salary for a medical secretary is $15 per hour.

Find medical secretary jobs on Monster.

5. Nursing Assistant

What you'd do: Nursing assistants provide indirect care and perform routine tasks under the supervision of nursing and medical staff. They may escort patients to operating and examining rooms, keep patients' rooms neat, set up equipment, store and move supplies, assist with some procedures, as well as report on any changes to a patient's physical, mental and emotional condition.
What you'd need: You must complete a state-approved education program and pass your state's competency exam to become certified. View a sample resume for a certified nursing assistant.
What you'd make: The median salary for a nursing assistant is $15.50 per hour.

Find nursing assistant jobs on Monster.

6. Occupational Therapy Aide

What you'd do: OT aides work with occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to people with mental, physical, or emotional impairments. Aides also prepare materials and assemble equipment for treatment and perform various clerical tasks (e.g., scheduling appointments, answering phones, restocking supplies, filling out insurance forms).
What you'd need: Typically, a high school diploma or equivalent is required.
What you'd make: The median salary for an occupational therapy aide is around $14 per hour.

Find occupational therapist aide jobs on Monster.

7. Patient Sitter

What you'd do: Patient sitters work under the supervision of a nurse to provide care for patients care services. You'd work in a wide variety of settings—including hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities—to maintain and support the residents'/patients' daily activities.
What you'd need: A high school diploma or equivalent is usually required; completion of a CPR course is desirable.
What you'd make: $10.84 per hour, according to PayScale

Find patient sitter jobs and other nursing home jobs on Monster.

8. Psychiatric Aide

What you'd do: Helps care for physically or mentally ill individuals confined to hospitals or mental-health settings. Work includes helping patients dress, bathe and eat, or leading educational and recreational activities. Aides also observe patients and report any physical or behavioral changes.
What you'd need: A high school diploma or equivalent is the minimum.
What you'd make: The median salary for a psychiatric technician is around $15 per hour.

Find psychiatric aide jobs on Monster.

Find all health care jobs on Monster.

Find all no-experience jobs on Monster.

Find Work in Entry-Level Hospital Jobs and Health Care Jobs

As health care continues to grow as an industry, so will the need for workers in a variety of roles—many of which won't even require you to have gone to med school. Are you trying to get your foot in the door, but aren't sure where to start? Upload your resume to Monster for free so that recruiters can contact you with job offers. You can also get job alerts sent directly to your inbox so you can spend less time hunting for good jobs and more time applying and interviewing.

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