MAA EXTERNSHIP
Medical Administrative Assistant Externship in Massachusetts
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on front-office healthcare experience across The Bay State. Build administrative skills, professional connections, and a pathway to employment.
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Flexible
Hours
40-80
Hours Recommended
8,500+
MA Medical Offices
$0
Externship Cost
3,800+
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 Massachusetts
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 — All specialties-world-class academic medicine, biotech, research, community 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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts has thousands of medical offices, clinics, and healthcare facilities with front-office positions. Here are potential externship sites by region.
Boston Metro (Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk Counties)
World's healthcare capital with Mass General, Brigham, Beth Israel, Boston Children's, and more.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Mass General Brigham physicians, Beth Israel Lahey Health physicians, Tufts Medical Center physicians, Boston Children's physicians, Steward Health physicians
Specialty Clinics:
Mass General Cardiology, Brigham Orthopedics, Beth Israel Dermatology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mass Eye and Ear
Hospital Systems:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's, Beth Israel Deaconess, Boston Children's, Tufts Medical Center
💡 Boston is world healthcare capital. Academic medical centers are highly competitive but offer unmatched experience and training.
Cambridge/Biotech Corridor (Middlesex County)
Harvard, MIT, and world's largest biotech cluster. Unique research-adjacent healthcare.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Cambridge Health Alliance, MIT Medical, Atrius Health, CHA physicians
Specialty Clinics:
Cambridge Cardiology, New England Baptist Orthopedics, Cambridge Dermatology, Mass General Cancer Center Cambridge
Hospital Systems:
Cambridge Health Alliance, Mount Auburn Hospital, CHA Everett Hospital, CHA Somerville Hospital
💡 Cambridge/Kendall Square has biotech giants (Moderna, Biogen, Vertex). Healthcare intersects with cutting-edge research.
Worcester/Central Mass (Worcester County)
UMass Memorial and Saint Vincent Hospital serve central Massachusetts.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
UMass Memorial Medical Group, Saint Vincent Medical Group, Reliant Medical Group, Edward M. Kennedy Community Health
Specialty Clinics:
UMass Cardiology, UMass Orthopedics, Worcester Dermatology, UMass Cancer Center
Hospital Systems:
UMass Memorial Medical Center, Saint Vincent Hospital, Harrington Hospital, Milford Regional
💡 Worcester is Massachusetts' 2nd largest city. Lower cost of living than Boston. UMass is academic center.
Western Mass (Hampden, Hampshire Counties)
Springfield and Northampton with Baystate Health and Cooley Dickinson.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Baystate Medical Practices, Cooley Dickinson Medical Group, Holyoke Health Center, Community Health Center of Franklin County
Specialty Clinics:
Baystate Cardiology, New England Orthopedic Surgeons, Baystate Dermatology, Baystate Cancer Program
Hospital Systems:
Baystate Medical Center, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, Holyoke Medical Center
💡 Western Mass has lower cost of living than eastern Massachusetts. Baystate is region's academic medical center.
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 Massachusetts?
Free to enroll. Free to learn. Pay $850 only when you're ready to certify.
No credit card required • No FAFSA • No obligation