MAA EXTERNSHIP
Medical Administrative Assistant Externship in Kansas
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on front-office healthcare experience across The Sunflower State. Build administrative skills, professional connections, and a pathway to employment.
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Flexible
Hours
40-80
Hours Recommended
2,900+
KS Medical Offices
$0
Externship Cost
1,300+
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 Kansas
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 — Primary care, family medicine, cardiology, orthopedics, rural health
- ✓ 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 Kansas
Kansas has thousands of medical offices, clinics, and healthcare facilities with front-office positions. Here are potential externship sites by region.
Kansas City Metro (Johnson, Wyandotte Counties)
KC suburbs with University of Kansas Health, AdventHealth, and Olathe Health.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
University of Kansas Physicians, AdventHealth Medical Group, Olathe Health physicians, HCA Midwest physicians, Saint Luke's South physicians
Specialty Clinics:
Kansas City Heart, Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance, Dermatology Associates of Kansas City, KU Cancer Center
Hospital Systems:
University of Kansas Hospital, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, Olathe Medical Center, Saint Luke's South, Menorah Medical Center
💡 KC metro spans Kansas/Missouri. Access both states' healthcare markets. Johnson County is Kansas's wealthiest.
Wichita Metro (Sedgwick County)
Kansas's largest city with Ascension Via Christi and Wesley Medical Center.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Ascension Medical Group Via Christi, Wesley Medical Center physicians, Kansas Medical Clinic, HealthCore Clinic
Specialty Clinics:
Heartland Cardiology, Kansas Orthopaedic Center, Dermatology Center of Wichita, Cancer Center of Kansas
Hospital Systems:
Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, Wesley Medical Center, Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph, Robert J. Dole VA
💡 Wichita is aviation industry hub with solid healthcare. Lower cost of living than KC metro.
Topeka/Northeast Kansas (Shawnee County)
State capital with Stormont Vail and St. Francis.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Cotton O'Neil Clinic (Stormont Vail), St. Francis Health physicians, Topeka Family Medicine, Marian Clinic
Specialty Clinics:
Topeka Cardiology, Kansas Joint & Spine Specialists, Dermatology Associates of Topeka, Cotton O'Neil Cancer Center
Hospital Systems:
Stormont Vail Health, St. Francis Health, VA Eastern Kansas
💡 Topeka has government healthcare jobs. Stormont Vail is major regional system. Smaller market than KC or Wichita.
Western Kansas (Finney, Ford, Ellis Counties)
Rural agricultural region with Hays Medical Center and community hospitals.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Hays Medical Center physicians, Western Plains Medical Complex clinics, Southwest Medical Center physicians, family practice clinics
Specialty Clinics:
High Plains Heart, Western Kansas Orthopedics, Garden City Dermatology, Hays Medical Cancer Center
Hospital Systems:
Hays Medical Center, Western Plains Medical Complex (Dodge City), Southwest Medical Center (Liberal), Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital
💡 Western Kansas has significant shortages. Employers offer housing assistance and loan repayment. Spanish bilingual very valuable.
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 Kansas?
Free to enroll. Free to learn. Pay $850 only when you're ready to certify.
No credit card required • No FAFSA • No obligation