MAA EXTERNSHIP
Medical Administrative Assistant Externship in South Dakota
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on front-office healthcare experience across The Mount Rushmore State. Build administrative skills, professional connections, and a pathway to employment.
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Flexible
Hours
40-80
Hours Recommended
900+
SD Medical Offices
$0
Externship Cost
450+
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 South Dakota
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, rural health, critical access hospitals, telehealth
- ✓ 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 South Dakota
South Dakota has thousands of medical offices, clinics, and healthcare facilities with front-office positions. Here are potential externship sites by region.
Sioux Falls Metro (Minnehaha, Lincoln Counties)
South Dakota's largest city with Sanford Health and Avera Health headquarters.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Sanford Health physicians, Avera Medical Group, Sioux Falls Family Medicine, Falls Community Health
Specialty Clinics:
Sanford Heart, Avera Heart, Sanford Orthopedics, Sanford Cancer Center, Avera Cancer Institute
Hospital Systems:
Sanford USD Medical Center, Avera McKennan, Sanford Children's, Avera Heart Hospital
💡 Sioux Falls has 50% of SD healthcare jobs. Sanford and Avera are massive regional systems both headquartered here. Most opportunities.
Rapid City/Black Hills (Pennington County)
Western SD hub with Monument Health serving Black Hills region.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Monument Health physicians, Rapid City Medical Center, Black Hills Surgical, Community Health Center of the Black Hills
Specialty Clinics:
Black Hills Cardiology, Black Hills Orthopedic, Rapid City Dermatology, Monument Cancer Center
Hospital Systems:
Monument Health Rapid City, Monument Health Spearfish, Lead-Deadwood Regional, Sturgis Regional
💡 Rapid City serves Black Hills, western SD, and tourists visiting Mount Rushmore. Monument Health is regional system. Growing market.
Aberdeen/Northeast SD (Brown, Codington Counties)
Agricultural region with Avera and Sanford facilities.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Avera St. Luke's physicians, Sanford Aberdeen physicians, Watertown Family Medicine, Prairie Community Health
Specialty Clinics:
Aberdeen Cardiology, Aberdeen Orthopedics, regional specialists via telehealth
Hospital Systems:
Avera St. Luke's Hospital, Prairie Lakes Healthcare (Watertown), Sanford Aberdeen
💡 Northeast SD serves agricultural communities. Significant shortages with recruitment incentives. Hub cities serve vast rural areas.
Pierre/Central SD (Hughes, Beadle Counties)
State capital and central SD with Avera facilities.
Medical Groups & Health Systems:
Avera St. Mary's physicians, Huron Regional physicians, Pierre Family Medicine, Capital Area Counseling
Specialty Clinics:
Limited specialty-most patients travel to Sioux Falls or Rapid City for specialty care
Hospital Systems:
Avera St. Mary's (Pierre), Huron Regional Medical Center, Avera Weskota (Wessington Springs)
💡 Central SD has extreme shortages. State capital in Pierre has government healthcare. Employers offer significant incentives.
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 South Dakota?
Free to enroll. Free to learn. Pay $850 only when you're ready to certify.
No credit card required • No FAFSA • No obligation