A unit clerk in scrubs at a hospital reception desk with a colleague and a doctor

Unit Clerk & Medical Office Assistant

In-person, campus in Calgary

Unit Clerks and MOAs are often the first point of contact for patients entering a medical facility.

Program length
27 weeks (about 6 months)
Next start date
Oct 19, 2026
Credential
Diploma
Tuition
$13,999
supervised practicum
6 weeks
students per cohort (avg)
12
Apply nowRequest a call back

What you'll learn

Orientation to the Role of Unit Clerk and Medical Office Assistant

What each role does: unit clerks support hospital units, while medical office assistants support clinics and private practices.

Medical Terminology - The Language of Medicine

The medical vocabulary you use to read charts, orders, and patient records.

Applied Written Communication/English Skills

Written communication for medical records and correspondence.

Applied Computer and Productivity Skills

The computer and office-productivity skills the role relies on day to day.

Health Unit Coordinator Module

Coordinating a hospital unit and supporting the physicians and nurses who work on it.

Order Processing

Processing orders for medication prescriptions and diagnostic exams.

Computerized Data Entry Systems

Data entry in the clinical information systems Alberta hospitals use, including Connect Care / Epic, trained through ABES secure access with Alberta Health Services.

ADT (Admitting, Discharge, Transfer of Patients)

Admitting, discharging, and transferring patients through the unit or clinic.

Chart Management

Building and maintaining patient charts and health records.

Medical Conflict Resolution

Handling conflict and difficult situations in a medical setting.

Office Assistant Module

The medical-office-assistant side of the dual diploma: reception, scheduling, and clinic administration.

Billing, Resumes and Interviews

Health-care billing, plus resume and interview preparation for your job search.

Supervised Practicum6 weeks

A six-week practicum with Alberta Health Services or a private medical office, working in a real clinical environment before you graduate.

Day to day tasks

  • ADT (Admitting, Discharge, Transfer of Patients)
  • Direct and manage the flow of people and information throughout the unit
  • Transcribe and process physician orders including medication, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, and treatment orders
  • Schedule patient tests and treatment, and advise on admission, discharge, or appointment dates
  • Support other clerical duties such as processing health care billing, preparing staff time sheets, or requisitioning office and patient care supplies

Alberta labour market for this occupation

Entry level
ALIS places unit clerks and medical office assistants in the same occupational group, NOC 13112. Neither occupation is regulated in Alberta. ALIS sets minimum education at a high school diploma for unit clerks, and at 1 year of post-secondary study for medical office assistants. Entry-level positions in the group averaged $23.57 an hour in the 2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey.
Getting hired
ALIS notes that full-time unit clerk openings are sometimes filled by people already working at the hospital, so a first position is typically part time or casual. Applicants undergo a police security clearance, and may be asked to sit a medical terminology exam or a keyboarding test.
Across the occupation
Pay across the group averaged $27.55 an hour, which ALIS reports as $50,562.00 a year over an average 35.1-hour week. The median hourly wage for the group was $29.76.
Top of the range
Top-paid roles in the group averaged $29.99 an hour, and the 95th percentile of top pay reached $35.00. Top pay is ALIS's term for the average offered to the best-paid employees in an occupation, so it maps what experienced people earn rather than a guaranteed rate.
Where it can lead
ALIS states that experienced unit clerks in large organizations may advance to clerical coordinator positions, or move into other clerical and administrative support occupations. For medical office assistants, ALIS says that with experience they may progress into supervisory positions within large organizations.
About these figures
These figures describe the Alberta occupational group that covers both unit clerks and medical office assistants (NOC 13112). They are published by ALIS, the Government of Alberta's career and labour market information service at alis.alberta.ca, drawing on the 2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey. They are provincial occupational data. They are not ABES College graduate outcomes.

The people

Every graduate here leaves with two credentials, unit clerk and medical office assistant, so hospital units and clinics are both open to them.

What training here actually looks like

Graduate stories

“I went to ABES College for the Unit Clerk/MOA course, and I must say that the experience I had was absolutely wonderful.”
Shayene S.Unit Clerk / Medical Office Assistant · Class of 2022
“I'm thankful for all the guidance and lessons I have gained.”
Roxanne M.Unit Clerk / Medical Office Assistant · Class of 2024
“I recently completed the Unit Clerk/Medical Office Assistant program at ABES, and I must say that my experience was truly exceptional.”
Camille P.Unit Clerk / Medical Office Assistant · Class of 2024

Excellent rating

Based on 321 Google reviews · Read them on Google

  • I recently completed my Medical Office Assistant (MOA) course at ABES College, and I had a wonderful experience. I took the course online, and everything was well organized and easy to follow. My instructor, Sue, was absolutely amazing. She was very supportive, patient, knowledgeable, and…

    Farah Khamees Sep 18, 2026

  • I am almost finished with my Unit Clerk / Medical Office Assistant Program at ABES College, and I can honestly say that choosing this school has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Starting a new career in my 30s was both…

    Jessica Pascual-Pagba Sep 16, 2026

An honest comparison

ABES vs Bow Valley College

ABES College compared with Bow Valley College, by program length, tuition (all-in), and upcoming start dates.
What you are comparingABES CollegeBow Valley College
Program length27 weeks (about 6 months)one year (two term)Source: Bow Valley College: Medical Office Assistant and Unit Clerk program page (2026)
Tuition (all-in)$13,999not published
Upcoming start datesOct 19, 2026; Nov 16, 2026; Dec 14, 2026; Jan 18, 2027; Feb 15, 2027; Mar 15, 2027; Apr 22, 2027September 2026, January 2027, May 2027Source: Bow Valley College: Medical Office Assistant and Unit Clerk program page (2026)
Tuition & funding

One clear price. Real ways to pay it.

$13,999

Ask admissions about bursaries and payment plans

Licensing & accreditation

  • Alberta Advanced EducationLicensed private vocational school under the Private Vocational Training Act (Alberta)
  • Years operating35 years of career training in Calgary — established 1991

Talk it through before you apply

Apply to reserve your seat, or book your 15-minute discovery call with admissions.

Apply nowRequest a call back

Frequently asked questions

  • How long is the Unit Clerk and Medical Office Assistant program?

    The diploma runs 27 weeks full-time at our Calgary campus and includes a 6-week practicum. You graduate in about six months.

  • What credential do I graduate with?

    You graduate with a dual diploma, certified as both a Unit Clerk and a Medical Office Assistant. That lets you apply for jobs in hospitals and in clinics, which widens your options after graduation.

  • Will I learn Connect Care?

    ABES maintains secure access with Alberta Health Services to support training on the Epic and Connect Care system that Alberta hospitals use. You practise the charting and order-entry tasks you will do on the job.

  • Where do Unit Clerks and Medical Office Assistants work?

    Unit clerks and medical office assistants work on hospital units, in outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, specialist medical clinics, and private medical offices.

  • What does the practicum involve?

    You complete a 6-week practicum with Alberta Health Services or in a private medical office. It gives you real experience with charting, scheduling, and patient flow before you finish.

  • How often does the program start?

    This program starts almost every month, so you rarely wait long to begin. The next start date is shown at the top of this page, and an admissions advisor can confirm the upcoming intakes and which one still has seats.

Planning your studies

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Next start Oct 19, 2026$13,999

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