This text helps students master the skills needed in the front office of a physician practice, drawn from the administrative material covered in the comprehensive book Kinn's The Medical Assistant: An Applied Learning Approach, 9th Edition, complimenting its clinical counterpart Kinn's The Clinical Medical Assistant. Building on Kinn's unique approach of teaching skills within the medical specialty context, this volume introduces a new "applied learning" approach that focuses on the real-world context required to apply theory and skills from the text to various case studies throughout the chapters. All chapters begin with a scenario appropriate to the content, and contextual exercises are incorporated throughout the chapter. "Student Skills" chapters (Chapters 1 and 25) equip students with skills for succeeding in the MA program and for finding a job after they complete their course of study. National curriculum competencies covered in each chapter are listed in the chapter opener to help students focus on what is required for certification and familiarize them with the official language of the curricula. Charting examples in all procedures cover proper documentation in the patient record to ensure accurate charting - extremely important to communicating the proper information to a record user and legally protecting the practice. Critical Thinking Applications featured with a specific icon appear periodically throughout a chapter and relate to the chapter-opening scenario, challenging students to use specific concepts to make decisions about a "real-life" situation. Applied-learning approach features a scenario at the beginning of each chapter suited to that chapter's focus, which is summarized at the chapter's end - centering on a fictional MA who needs to make decisions and address critical issues - to help students develop sound critical thinking and decision-making skills. Many new chapter features, including an all-new interior design, tighter focus, new color palette, and fresh icons enliven this edition and make information easy to follow. Increased emphasis on medical terminology features a vocabulary spelling and terminology review in the Student Study Guide and bolded words within the chapter to reinforce medical terminology in context. Figures have been revised, replaced, and augmented to accurately reflect the current medical office environment and provide clearer graphics, more images of equipment, more disease examples, and better illustration of key procedural steps. Major websites related to the field are provided to help MA students to find more information online and stay current with business news and medical industry developments. Transdisciplinary themes are introduced in an applied context - legal/ethical, communication, professionalism, patient education, and office management - woven throughout the chapters, in scenarios, and in critical thinking applications. Two new coding chapters (Chapters 15 & 16) separate coding information into two distinct chapters for increased focus on this essential administrative skill, presenting sufficient background to get started in this area. Revised organization more closely aligns the book's progression with the AAMA and RMA curricula, grouping topics together more logically. Contextual exercises and applications are incorporated throughout the chapters. Content has been reworked and updated to provide more real-world emphasis.