Medical Records Technician (A.S.T.)

Associate in Specialized Technology (A.S.T.) Degree Online, In Erie or Pittsburgh, PA

You thrive on being organized and keeping accurate records. You also want to work in a medical environment, understand the importance of confidentiality, and are comfortable working with technology. If this sounds good to you, keep reading to learn more about our medical records technician training program available on-campus or online.

Program Length: 1.5 Years¹
Format: On-Campus (with an optional online component)^2</sup
Course Length: 6 Weeks
Average Class Size: 25 or Less
Job Outlook: 23,100 New Jobs by 2028³
Job Placement: 100% for Pittsburgh Campus⁴, 100% for Erie Campus⁵, 82% for Online⁴

IMBC Student Stories

The reason I chose the Institute of Medical and Business Careers is that I liked the fact that I would be able to do schoolwork from home.

My experience at IMBC has been very rewarding and a great learning experience.

I know I’ll be prepared for the job market when I graduate because I have been given many assignments that deal with daily life in the workforce for the degree I am working towards.
"

Danielle Collins, Medical Records Technician, A.S.T.

Medical records technicians, or MRTs, manage medical records for lab tests, x-rays, and more. They assign ICD-10-CM, CPT, HCPCS, and PCS codes to each diagnosis and procedure that indicate costs and facilitate collecting payments for hospitals, clinics, physicians, and nursing homes.

Medical records are computer-based, so you will learn how to use software for record-keeping and how to help offices run efficiently.

You’ll learn about the preparation, maintenance, and security of patient records. You will develop core medical knowledge such as medical terms, anatomy, and physiology. Students will explore electronic healthcare records or EHRs and the systems used to store and manage them.

Since this is a specialized associate degree A.S.T. program, you will also take general education courses, such as psychology, public speaking, and more.

Students attending either the Erie or Pittsburgh campuses may be eligible to take some of their courses online for additional scheduling flexibility.

Toward the completion of your medical records program, all students will participate in an internship (campus students) or practicum (online students) that lets you practice in a real healthcare setting with professional supervision. Some medical internship sites and employers may require a criminal background check. Please speak with your admissions representative prior to enrolling in this program if a background check presents an obstacle for you.

Finally, upon the successful completion of your program, you will be prepared to seek a medical records certification to demonstrate your mastery of the course material. There are three optional certifications for campus students and two for online students:

The Nationally Registered Certified Coding Specialist (NRCCS), administered by the National Association for Health Professionals (NAHP)
The Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS), administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
CPR certification (campus students only)

Medical records certification exams are not required for employment. For Pittsburgh and Erie students, the costs are included in your program; for online students, the cost of the certification exams is paid for by IMBC when the student qualifies and meets the IMBC guidelines. Students who pass voluntary third-party certification exams validate their competencies, skills, and abilities in the specialized field of study. IMBC believes students passing certification exams have a more competitive employment advantage for being hired over students with no certification.

Does this sound like a great program for you? Contact IMBC using the form on this page to learn more about enrolling today!

Top questions about the Medical Records Technician A.S.T. training, medical technician online schools, and career outcomes:

What does a Medical Records Technician do?
Medical Records Technicians (MRTs or Medical Records Techs), manage medical records for lab tests, x-rays, and more. They assign ICD-10 codes to each diagnosis and procedure that determine costs and payments for hospitals, clinics, physicians, and nursing homes.
What types of places does a Medical Record Tech work at?
Medical Records Technicians (MRTs) might work at one of the following organizations: hospitals, doctors’ offices, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, home health services, insurance firms that deal with health matters, or public health departments.
What is EHR?
EHR stands for Electronic Healthcare Record. It’s a term that is used to describe how patient records are stored, organized, secured and retrieved using computers. It is believed that digitizing healthcare records can improve patient outcomes by making the records more accessible to care providers and practitioners who can better coordinate care and also reduce errors by eliminating issues, such as poor handwriting, lost or incomplete records, and more.
How long is the Medical Records Technician Specialized Associate Degree (A.S.T.) program?
Most students will typically complete the on-campus online medical records technician training in about a year and a half. However, your actual time will vary depending on your academic progress, success, the number of courses you take, and other factors. This does not include taking the medical records technician certification exams.
What should I look for in a top school for Medical Records Technician training?
Consider your options carefully by ensuring your school is accredited to make sure the program meets generally accepted academic standards. Look for a school that fits your schedule and work-life balance and can provide you the support you need, such as tutoring and career services. And finally, find out if your school will prepare you for taking any necessary certifications as well as cover those exam costs.
What is the practicum or internship for the Medical Records Technician training?
Toward the completion of your program, all students will participate in an internship (campus students) or practicum (online students) that lets you practice and observe in a real healthcare setting with professional supervision.
What is the certification exam in the Medical Records Technician program?
Upon the successful completion of your program, you will be prepared to seek a certification to demonstrate your mastery of the course material. There are three optional certifications for campus students and two for online students:
- The Nationally Registered Certified Coding Specialist (NRCCS), administered by the National Association for Health Professionals (NAHP)
- The Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS), administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- CPR certification (campus students only)

Costs of the certifications are included in your program for students at Pittsburgh and Erie. For online students, the cost of the certification exams is paid for by IMBC when the student qualifies and meets the IMBC guidelines.

Graduates of this program are prepared to seek entry-level employment as a medical records technician in the following types of organizations:

Hospitals
Doctors’ offices
Nursing care facilities
Outpatient care centers
Home health services
Insurance firms that deal with health matters
Public health departments

Some medical internship and employment sites may require a criminal background check prior to attending the practicum site. Please speak with your admissions representative prior to enrolling in this program if a background check presents an obstacle for you. Students may need to relocate to obtain gainful employment.

Students are encouraged to take nationally recognized certification exams upon the successful completion of their program. The cost of the certifications is included in your program. Certification exams are not required for employment; however, students who pass voluntary third-party certification exams validate their competencies, skills, and abilities in the specialized field of study. IMBC believes students passing certification exams have a more competitive employment advantage for being hired over students with no certification.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Education, it is expected that 23,100 new jobs in this field will be created between 2018 and 2028. As of 2018, there were approximately 215,500 people employed in this field.⁴

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This figure represents the typical length a program takes to complete. However, your actual program completion time may vary based upon your academic progress, course progression, and any breaks.
Eligible students enrolled in the Erie or Pittsburgh campus diploma program may be able to take some courses in their program online for additional scheduling flexibility
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018-2028 Estimated Job Growth: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm
Reported ABHES placement rates for the 2023-2024 reporting year.
NA denotes no graduates during the July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022 year.