Medical Assistants have administrative competencies to schedule appointments, prepare and maintain patient records, process insurance claims, collect payments, and perform other medical office duties. In addition, Medical Assistants also have clinical competencies to perform sterilization techniques, practice standard precautions, perform venipuncture, perform capillary puncture, and obtain specimens for microbiological testing.
Medical Assistants obtain vital signs, prepare and maintain treatment areas, prepare patients for and assist with procedures, treatments, and minor office surgeries. They also apply pharmacology principles to prepare and administer medications, maintain medication records, and assist in processing test results.
Students who are accepted into the Medical Assistant program will:The college must ensure that clients, patients, or medical information are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in office or clinical experiences must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties, and changing circumstances that characterize client/patient/medical information responsibilities or be removed from placement. Furthermore, the student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member, and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships with employers, clients/patients and their families.
Students must also be aware that site placement might require criminal background checks, proof of insurances, general health statements from personal providers, as well as additional titers or vaccinations beyond what the college requires.
*Please note in the profile below that courses marked with a single asterisk are recommended as substitutions for students considering transfer to 2 or 4-year programs.Consult the Program Director prior to registration for academic counseling.
**Please note that courses marked with double asterisks are required only if a student is unable to document keyboarding proficiency.
**Please note that courses marked with triple asterisks are required only if a student is unsuccessful on the college-administered math test.
| Medical Assistant Certificate |
||||
| Fall First Year | Lec | Lab | Cr | |
| BIO120 | Human Biology | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| OR | ||||
| (BIO114) | *Anatomy & Physiology I | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| ENG120 | College Composition | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| OFT117 | Medical Terminology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| PSY111 | Psychology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| (PRE011) | **Intro to Keyboarding & Word Processing | (1) | (0) | (1) |
| (PRE012) | ***Introductory Mathematics | (3) | (0) | (3) |
| Semester Total | 12 | 2 | 13 | |
| Spring First Year | Lec | Lab | Cr | |
| (BIO115) | *Anatomy & Physiology II | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| MED101 | Clinical Procedures I | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| MED211 | Pharmacology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| OFT113 | Formatting in Word | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| OFT120 | Medical Office Systems & Procedures | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Semester Total | 11 | 6 | 13 | |
| Total credits for the year | 26 | |||
| Fall Second Year | Lec | Lab | Cr | |
| MED105 | Legal & Ethical Issues in Healthcare | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MED201 | Clinical Procedures II | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| MED202 | Phlebotomy | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| OFT225 | Intro to Medical Coding | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| OFT220 | Medical Billing | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Semester Total | 13 | 9 | 16 | |
| Spring Second Year | Lec | Lab | Cr | |
| MED203 | Affiliation I (5 wks) | 0 | 18 | 6 |
| Semester Total | 0 | 18 | 6 | |
| Total credits for the year | 22 | |||
| Total for Certificate | 48 | |||
