MAA EXTERNSHIP
Medical Administrative Assistant Externship in Alaska
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on front-office healthcare experience across The Last Frontier. Build administrative skills, professional connections, and a pathway to employment.
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Flexible
Hours
40-80
Hours Recommended
650+
AK Medical Offices
$0
Externship Cost
350+
Annual Openings
Why Get an MAA Externship?
A Medical Administrative Assistant externship gives you real-world front-office healthcare experience that employers value. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical secretaries and administrative assistants earn a median salary of $40,000+ with strong job growth. Hands-on experience sets you apart from other candidates.
An externship helps you:
- ✓ Practice scheduling, patient check-in, and EHR systems in a real medical environment
- ✓ Build professional references from healthcare supervisors
- ✓ Discover which medical office setting fits you best (primary care, specialty, hospital)
- ✓ Convert your externship into a job offer — many sites hire their externs
New to healthcare? EHired offers free training to prepare you for AMCA MAAC certification. An externship is optional but highly recommended for building confidence and connections.
⚠️ Important: EHired does NOT place, arrange, or supervise externships. You contact facilities directly to arrange your own placement. This self-managed approach gives you flexibility to choose sites near your home and build direct relationships with potential employers.
How to Find an Externship in Alaska
Follow this step-by-step process to secure a front-office healthcare externship.
Identify Potential Sites
Look for healthcare facilities with front-office administrative staff:
- ✓ Physician practices — Primary care, family medicine, internal medicine
- ✓ Specialty clinics — Family medicine, internal medicine, urgent care, telehealth, rural health clinics
- ✓ Hospital admissions/registration — Front desk, patient access
- ✓ Urgent care centers — FastMed, Concentra, CityMD
- ✓ Medical billing companies — Revenue cycle management
- ✓ Health insurance offices — Claims processing, member services
Prepare Your Approach
Get ready before contacting sites:
- ✓ Update your resume — Include EHired training, any office/admin experience
- ✓ Prepare a pitch — "I'm completing MAA training and seeking hands-on front-office experience"
- ✓ Highlight your skills — Computer proficiency, customer service, attention to detail
- ✓ Be flexible — Offer to work their schedule, start immediately
- ✓ Dress professionally — Business casual for in-person visits
Make Contact
Reach out to facilities directly:
- ✓ Call first — Ask for the office manager or practice administrator
- ✓ Visit in person — Drop off resume, ask to speak with manager
- ✓ Email if provided — Brief, professional, attach resume
- ✓ Explain the arrangement — Unpaid, flexible hours, eager to learn
- ✓ Follow up — If no response in 1 week, call again politely
Complete Your Externship
Make the most of your experience:
- ✓ Track your hours — Log date, hours, and tasks performed
- ✓ Learn actively — Ask questions, volunteer for tasks
- ✓ Be reliable — Show up on time, every time
- ✓ Build relationships — Get to know staff, show appreciation
- ✓ Ask about openings — Express interest in future employment
Sample Script: Calling a Medical Office
"Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I'm completing a Medical Administrative Assistant training program and I'm looking to gain hands-on front-office experience through an externship. I'm wondering if your practice might have room for an extern? I'm flexible with scheduling, I'm proficient with computers and EHR systems, and I'd be happy to help with patient check-in, scheduling, phones, and whatever the front desk needs. Would it be possible to speak with the office manager about this opportunity?"
Key points to emphasize: You're trained, you're free help, you're flexible, and you can handle phones and computers. Many medical offices are understaffed at the front desk and welcome extra help.
Where to Find Externships in Alaska
Alaska has thousands of medical offices, clinics, and healthcare facilities with front-office positions. Here are potential externship sites by region.
Anchorage/Southcentral (Anchorage, Mat-Su Borough)
Alaska's largest city with majority of state's healthcare infrastructure.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Providence Medical Group Alaska, Alaska Regional Medical Associates, Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, Southcentral Foundation
Specialty Clinics:
Alaska Heart & Vascular, Anchorage Orthopedic Specialists, Anchorage Dermatology, Mat-Su OB/GYN
Hospital Systems:
Providence Alaska Medical Center, Alaska Regional Hospital, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center
💡 Anchorage has 40% of Alaska's population. Most healthcare jobs are here. Remote positions growing.
Fairbanks/Interior (Fairbanks North Star Borough)
Interior Alaska's hub with Fairbanks Memorial and military presence (Eielson, Fort Wainwright).
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Fairbanks Clinic, Tanana Valley Clinic, Interior Community Health Center, Foundation Health Partners
Specialty Clinics:
Fairbanks Orthopedics, Interior Cardiology, Fairbanks Urology, Northern Prior Dermatology
Hospital Systems:
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Bassett Army Community Hospital
💡 Fairbanks offers steady demand. Military healthcare accessible with proper clearance.
Juneau/Southeast (Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan)
State capital and Inside Passage communities with Bartlett Regional and SEARHC.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Juneau Urgent & Family Care, SEARHC clinics, Bartlett Regional Medical Group, Sitka Community Hospital clinics
Specialty Clinics:
Limited specialty-many patients travel to Anchorage or Seattle for specialty care
Hospital Systems:
Bartlett Regional Hospital, SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe, Sitka Community Hospital, Ketchikan Medical Center
💡 Southeast Alaska is isolated-ferry or plane access only. Tight-knit healthcare community.
Rural Alaska (Bush communities, Tribal Health)
Remote communities served by tribal health organizations and community health aides.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation, Norton Sound Health, Bristol Bay Area Health, Maniilaq Health Center
Specialty Clinics:
Very limited-telehealth is primary specialty access for rural communities
Hospital Systems:
Kanakanak Hospital (Dillingham), Norton Sound Regional (Nome), Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional
💡 Rural Alaska has extreme shortages. Housing and travel stipends often provided. Adventure opportunity.
What You'll Learn During Your Externship
A front-office healthcare externship exposes you to real administrative workflows. Here are skills you'll develop:
Appointment Scheduling
Booking, rescheduling, and managing patient appointments. Learning scheduling software and optimizing provider calendars.
Patient Check-In/Out
Greeting patients, verifying demographics, collecting copays, updating contact information, and discharge procedures.
EHR/EMR Systems
Navigating electronic health records like Epic, Cerner, or Athena. Entering data, scanning documents, managing patient charts.
Insurance Verification
Verifying patient coverage, understanding copays/deductibles, prior authorizations, and eligibility checks.
Billing Basics
Understanding CPT and ICD codes, charge entry, payment posting, and patient billing inquiries.
Phone & Communication
Professional phone etiquette, message taking, patient callbacks, and coordinating with clinical staff.
Ready to Start Your MAA Career in Alaska?
Free to enroll. Free to learn. Pay $850 only when you're ready to certify.
No credit card required • No FAFSA • No obligation