The Office Administration – Health Services diploma program at Lambton College is ideal for those students interested in providing support in a health and wellness care setting outside of the direct patient-care specialty. This two-year program prepares
graduates to assist in medical and health-related offices. The positions may include assisting medical practitioners and wellness professionals to keep the office operating effectively or supporting the many offices or departments of hospitals or
health care facilities. Employers need health care administrative professionals with exceptional medical office and advanced-level technological skills, including skills in transcription of a wide range of medical data, the ability to provide excellent
customer service and the organizational expertise and discretion to keep the office running smoothly. One of the key components associated with a high level of workplace productivity and efficiency is Office Administration.
The final two terms focus on health services office administration with a concentration on medical terminology and its construction as well as a detailed background in anatomy and physiology. Students will be familiar with procedures required to operate
a medical office including fundamentals of pharmacology, expert medical keyboarding, as well as OHIP billing and electronic records management. With a wide variety of hands-on practical experience built into the program, graduates of the Office Administration
- Health Services program are fully trained to meet the demands of today's health care and wellness setting. Students embrace an active-learning environment including an optional internship in the fourth term providing up to 180 hours of practical
health care office and wellness experience. Health Services students are strongly encouraged to register for the CPL-1003: Internship. Students are also provided opportunities to grow their co-curricular record.
Office administration students have consistently indicated their program provides them with the knowledge and skills that are useful for their future careers. Our students have also consistently indicated the quality of their program and the learning
experiences within it meets their expectations and prepares them for the future.
With a variety of hands-on practical experience and strong client service skills, graduates are fully trained to work as associates of a professional health care team. Ultimately, we want students to feel confident in their classes and connected to their
faculty at Lambton College.
Experiential Learning
Office Administration students are often sought after to fill internal College work study and EBAT office positions as well as a range of summer office positions all over Lambton County. These opportunities provide even more practical office experience
and are paid. Experiential learning such as participating in business meetings to learn and apply the essentials of meeting planning, preparation and minute taking takes place during the program. Second year Health Services students practice medical
transcription, do OHIP billing, work with patient files and a health records system to practice and apply their skills in a simulated setting.
See information about this program's optional internship.
See Course List
Admission Requirements
O.S.S.D. or equivalent with:
Mature Student Assessment for this program is available in the subject of English for the purpose of demonstrating proficiency in this required admission
subject. For all other admission requirements, applicants must complete the required course(s) as listed above. For more information, please contact counselling@lambtoncollege.ca. Review the Mature Student Admission process.
Academic admission requirements can be obtained through Academic Upgrading and the Pre-Programs at Lambton College.
Technology Requirements
In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, it is mandatory to own a reliable laptop to complete tests and assignments.
Course List
OAG-1025: Document Production I and Keyboarding
Document Production I and Keyboarding is a comprehensive beginner course in both keyboarding and document processing. Proper keyboarding techniques are taught, practiced, assessed and geared to both inexperienced and experienced students. Drills, skill builders and timed writings for speed and accuracy are used for developing a minimum speed of 33 net words per minute with minimal errors. Beginner to intermediate word processing concepts will be applied to the production of a variety of business correspondence including proofreading and attention to detail while applying and using the correct Microsoft Word functions. This course integrates both information input speed and accuracy required to meet multiple deadlines encountered in subsequent courses and in today's fast-paced business environment.
OAG-1023: Online Communications and Social Media
This course covers the comprehensive features of Microsoft Outlook, an industry standard for online communications. Concepts and skills are introduced in this course through lecture and demonstration, with students gaining immediate hands-on access to the complete and web-based software. Topics include comprehensive commands in all Outlook modules. Emphasis is placed on learning the Windows operating system, including organizational skills and management of electronic information. Microsoft One Note is taught and includes the fundamentals of electronic note taking. Students will be introduced to social media, and they will learn the importance of being a good digital citizen and effective Internet research.
OAG-1153: Multimedia Presentations
This hands-on course focuses on tools and techniques for creating professional business presentations. Students develop the knowledge necessary to design and develop dynamic presentations using PowerPoint. Students learn to communicate their message to an audience with effective slide presentations that incorporate design factors, text, graphics, sound and other multi-media effects. Students use team building skills to develop and facilitate a group presentation.
MTH-1002: Business Mathematics
This course is designed to introduce the learner to the skills required to solve business mathematics problems. Basic arithmetic and algebra skills are covered, as well as business applications including percentages, markup/markdown, trade discounts, simple interest, and compound interest. No prior knowledge of financial mathematics is required.
COM-1013: Critical Thinking and Writing
In this writing course, students respond to current issues and news articles via various styles of paragraphs and essays. Students strive for clarity of message and diplomatic expression of opinion based on fact. Students practice thinking critically and organize and hone their writing to ensure clarity and correctness in their messages. Critical Thinking and Writing lays the foundation for a subsequent research-writing course.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
OAG-2214: Document Production II
This course is a further study in operating microcomputers and using word processing software. Emphasis is placed on mastering word processing concepts and applying them to format a variety of business documents. Accurate and efficient production of documents is an integral part of the course. Students will also learn to proofread using the techniques that professional proofreaders have found most practical and effective. In addition, students practice keying accurately throughout the course.
OAG-2204: Professional Workplace SKills
This hybrid course examines the various duties, responsibilities, and procedures required of an administrative assistant in today's office environment, incorporating both theory and practical applications. Students will learn effective interpersonal and business communications as well as applying practical business skills, including planning business travel, meetings and conferences, taking minutes, managing records, managing time and stress, and developing strong customer-focused skills. Students will also begin the process of creating an academic/work portfolio and will work through an office simulation using all skills learned to date. Students will explore Virtual Assistant opportunities, to reinforce the job opportunities available as an entrepreneur.
OAG-2314: Spreadsheet Management
This hands-on course introduces students to the power of spreadsheets. Students create workbooks, worksheets, and chart sheets suitable for the business world. Students analyze practical business examples that develop the skills and know-how to apply them to different environments.
ACC-2503: Financial Foundations
This course provides an introduction to accounting for a small business concern with a study of the fundamental principles and methods of record-keeping. Topics covered in this course include the following: basic bookkeeping skills as well as accounting applications for cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, banking activities, and payroll.
JSS-1001: Job Search and Success
This course is designed to give the student an understanding of how to conduct a job search and how to succeed in the work place. This includes self-reflection, effectively designing a cover letter and resume, online job searches utilizing social media, behavioural based interviewing as well as marketing oneself effectively in a job interview. Job safety, successful work strategies and harassment and discrimination plan of action is also discussed.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
OXH-3003: Document Production III
This course is designed for the office administration student who has decided to major in either the executive or health services environment. This course develops advanced word processing skills and emphasis is placed on producing high-quality work from various sources. Producing AODA compliant Word documents is also explored.
OAH-3024: Medical Transcription I and Keyboarding
This course provides students with beginner and advanced medical keyboarding skills, medical language skills, and grammatical and office skills as well as emphasizes the need for concentration, accuracy, and proofreading. Students are then introduced to the challenging world of medical transcription. The medical transcription contents of this course are designed to familiarize students with basic medical reports, related medical terminology, appropriate format for transcribing the reports, and specialized rules of grammar and punctuation peculiar to medical reports derived from actual files of a large health care facility.
OAH-3204: Medical Terminology, Anatomy and Physiology I
This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of building a medical vocabulary and the use of medical vocabulary in its proper context. The study of anatomy and physiology is enhanced with medical terms, including prefixes, roots and suffixes. Abbreviations, symbols and terms of common diseases, surgical procedures, medications, laboratory tests, X-ray and other diagnostic procedures are also studied in this course.
OXH-3803: Database Management
This course is designed for the office administration student to introduce them to database management software using Microsoft Access. The student gains an understanding of relational databases including how to organize business or personal records in a table; how to increase database validity and integrity; how to perform queries to extract pertinent information; how to create forms for ease of data entry; and how to create professional reports.
COM-2013: Communications for Business
This course provides students with the skills required for professional, written, and oral communications essential to business success and subsequent courses. Students will develop database and internet research skills; prepare professional written business communication; and create, practice and deliver professional oral presentations. Students will research and document borrowed information in a business report and will demonstrate critical reading and thinking skills.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
OAH-4002: Pharmacology
This course will introduce the student to the study of pharmacology. General information concerning the therapeutic use of drugs and naturopathic substances to maintain health and treat illness will be covered. Activities will focus on the knowledge required by a medical office administrator in his/her work setting, e.g., physician's office, hospital. An understanding of the pharmacological modality of treatment and a basic ability to pronounce and accurately spell drug names will assist the office administrator who will be transcribing medication orders or processing information between patient, doctor/other health professional, and pharmacist.
OAH-4072: Medical Transcription II
This course, a continuation of OAH-3024, provides students with beginner and advanced medical keyboarding skills, medical language skills and grammatical and office skills as well as emphasizes the need for concentration, accuracy and proofreading. The medical transcription contents of this course are designed to familiarize students with basic medical reports, related medical terminology, appropriate format for transcribing the reports, and specialized rules of grammar and punctuation peculiar to medical reports derived from actual files of a large health care facility. By the end of this course, students will have covered all the terminology with regards to all body systems.
OAH-4303: Medical Terminology, Anatomy and Physiology II
This course is a continuation of OAH-3204. The student further develops his or her medical vocabulary along with the study of anatomy and physiology of the human body. Abbreviations/acronyms and terms of common diseases, operations, medications, laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging tests, and other diagnostic procedures are also studied in this course.
OAH-4402: Medical Office Billing
This course introduces the student to a computerized Medical OHIP billing system. Using electronic medical billing software will enhance the students' understanding for opportunities in health services facilities. An understanding of the Schedule of Benefits and Preambles of the Ministry of Health will also be obtained.
OAH-4104: Health Services Office Procedures
This course is designed for the office administration student who has decided to major in the health care field as an administrative health professional. The student gains an understanding of office procedures including scheduling functionality specifically utilized in the medical office, creating and maintaining electronic health records, communicating in the health environment, and being AODA compliant. The student also works with hospital documentation and procedures. The student obtains the skills required of a Canadian Administrative Health Professional to perform well in any type of health care and wellness office environment.
CPL-1003: Internship - Part-Time*
Co-operative education provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning to the workplace, undertake career sampling and gain valuable work experience that may assist students in leveraging employment after graduation. For further information regarding co-op, please refer to: https://www.lambtoncollege.ca/co-op_and_career/
-or-
OHS-1023: Occupational Health and Safety*
This course introduces participants to the broad and ever-changing field of occupational health and safety, an inherently technical subject area. The multiple dimensions of the various issues--technical, legislative, political, and personal--are a required part of the training for a professional in this field or for someone who is involved with this kind of operation. Major topic areas include the Occupational Health and Safety Act, WCB, WHMIS, transportation of dangerous goods, accident prevention and investigation, physical and biological agents, and the management of Occupational Health and Safety programs
*In addition to completing the Term 4 courses, students are highly encouraged to register for the CPL-1003 Internship. If students don't take CPL-1003, they must take OHS-1023 Occupational Health and Safety.
Program Maps
Current Students
Current students can view program maps from previous years on the mylambton website.
You will need to login with your C# and password in order to access your program map.
Employment Opportunities
Job opportunities in this field are available in virtually every city. From hospital settings to medical clinics, and health and wellness offices, or from petrochemical to manufacturing, and small business to non-profit, or from education to government our students graduate with many employment options and are able to customize their careers based on their interests.
Our graduates have the professional skills, knowledge and proficiency to pursue careers in offices of physicians, specialists, clinics, dentists, hospital departments, and health and wellness offices. Some job titles used for these types of positions
are medical receptionist, medical transcriptionist, client services, customer care agent, nursing clerical assistant, medical assistant and medical support clerk.