Participants
English language learners at an Intermediate to Advanced Level



ESOL Supported Medical Office Front Desk Certificate Program
This 18-week online program for English Language Learners with intermediate to advanced English skills is a series of courses taught by live instructors with much interaction.
The first course in this series, Digital Literacy, will teach students how to use Outlook to create and manage calendars, Video Conferencing applications such as Zoom and GoToMeeting, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Throughout the entire Certificate Program students will participate in supported ESOL studies to improve their English reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
The skills portion of the program will include the following: Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Healthcare: Recognizing communication barriers, discussion diversity, respect, empathy, patient rights, teamwork, and professionalism through written and verbal communication. Students will learn to adapt their communication for patients with special needs. Office procedures such as phone etiquette, filing, scheduling, and mail management will also be practiced.
Medical Ethics: Students will learn key terms such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), Advance Directives, and Release of Information as they relate to a medical office. This course emphasizes ethical considerations within the healthcare field.
Computer Keyboarding Practice: Typing skills are vital in an office environment, and ongoing keyboarding practice at home is required to improve students' typing proficiency.
Medical Terminology and Abbreviations: An introduction to medical terminology and the use of computers in healthcare. Students will learn about medical data entry, registration, scheduling, appointments, charts, and the significance of Electronic Health Records (EHR).
Basic Introduction to Medical Billing and Coding: Medical Billing and Medical Coding are two distinct but important interconnected parts of the healthcare system.
Career Development: This course helps students prepare for employment in a medical office. It covers different front office medial job types, further education requirements, and gaining practical experience.
Students must purchase textbook for course (approximate cost $22)
Skills covered:
Potential Jobs:
Please contact us elsp@necc.mass.edu to get instructions on how to register.
English language learners at an Intermediate to Advanced Level
English
11
Skills Instruction will be two evenings per week (3-hour sessions), and ESOL Instruction will be one evening per week (3-hour session). Students will be assigned 2 hours of homework per week.
18 weeks
No
10/15/2025 - 02/26/2026
| Hours | Activity Type | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00pm-8:00pm | Skills Content | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| 6:00pm-9:00pm | English Language Learning Instruction | ✓ | ||||||
| 2 hours per week | Homework | ✓ | ✓ |
Intermediate or higher level (SPL 4/5) –English required | Reside in the state of MA | Access to a computer with internet access | Students must purchase textbook for course
Yes
Northern Essex Community College Certificate of Completion | Employment/Promotion | Basic skills gain | Industry skills gain
Potential jobs: Patient Services Representative, Medical Receptionist Front Desk, Entry Level Administrative Assistant, Medical Support Staff Front Desk
| Participant Support Category | All participants | As needed |
|---|---|---|
| DTA SNAP Child Care Referral | ✓ |
Yes
Cost of textbook(s) - approximately $23
Not applicable
Lawrence, MA, USA
Haverhill, MA, USA
Fully remote with live instructors
978-556-3000
Randall Correa
Find out more about SNAP Path to Work at Northern Essex Community College here: SNAP PATH to Work at NECC