Medical Assistant Program (Diploma)
Program Description and Objective
Medical Assistant, 41.5 quarter credits, 10 months
Delivery Method: Hybrid
The Medical Assistant diploma program is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment as medical assistants. The program offers a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on training, enabling students to learn and apply their knowledge in a real-world setting. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, patient communication, and clinical procedures. Upon completion of the program, graduates will have the necessary skills and knowledge to assist healthcare providers in delivering quality patient care
The objective of our program is to provide education that prepares students for entry-level Medical Assistant positions, fostering the skills needed to deliver effective healthcare services in various medical settings.
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Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, patient communication, and clinical procedures.
- Perform routine clinical procedures, including taking vital signs, administering medications, and conducting basic lab tests.
- Maintain patient records and assist with administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and billing.
- Communicate effectively with patients, healthcare providers, and other members of the healthcare team.
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify and resolve issues related to patient care and healthcare operations.
- Work collaboratively with healthcare providers to deliver quality patient care.
- Adapt to new technologies, practices, and techniques as the healthcare industry continues to evolve.
- Recognize and respond appropriately to emergency situations in a healthcare setting.
- Demonstrate professionalism, empathy, and cultural sensitivity in all interactions with patients and colleagues.
Admissions Requirements
All students must be 18 years of age; otherwise, a parent or legal guardian must consent and register the student with the approval. Enrolling students must show proof of high school diplomas (can be from a foreign school if it is equivalent to a high school diploma) or GED. Acceptable proof of graduation can also be an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. A copy of the diploma or transcript showing graduation date must be on the document provided.
A foreign school’s diploma will need to be translated and authenticated. All home- schooled students must show proof of his or her homeschooling self-certification that is recognized by the pertinent state.
All students must complete the Online Learning Readiness Assessment. All program’s applicants are evaluated through a formal Online Learning Readiness Assessment administered by the admissions staff during the enrollment process on whether they demonstrate readiness, sufficient competency and access to resources necessary for distance education coursework.
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Program Outline
| Courses | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|
|
MA 101 Computer Applications with Medical Record Management |
5.00 |
|
MA 102 Medical Front Office Procedures |
5.00 |
|
MA 103 Anatomy & Physiology |
5.00 |
|
MA 104 Medical Terminology |
5.00 |
|
MA 105 Pharmacology |
5.00 |
|
MA 106 Medical Assisting, Clinical and Procedures |
3.50 |
|
MA 107 Medical Assisting, Laboratory |
3.50 |
|
MA 108 Externship Review and Career Development |
3.50 |
|
A 109 Externship |
6.00 |
|
|
Total: 41.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
Course Description
MA101: Medical Assisting – Computer Applications with Medical Records Management (5.0 Quarter Credits) – Computer applications with medical records management provides students with an introduction to the field of healthcare and more specifically, being a Medical Assistant in the front office of a medical facility and using computer applications commonly used at medical offices. This course also provides students with a working knowledge of software applications used at medical offices to maintain record files of clients. Further, this course will introduce the student to essential concepts that include communication, professionalism, legal/ethical standards, patient interaction, records/documentation, and scheduling. Students will apply these concepts through a host of scenarios that will place them in the role of a Medical Assistant functioning in a medical front office.
MA102: Medical Front Office Procedures (5.0 Quarter Credits) Medical Front Office Procedures provides students with an introduction to the field of healthcare and what encompasses being a Medical Assistant in the front office of a medical facility. This course will introduce the student to essential concepts that include communication, professionalism, legal/ethical standards, patient interaction, records/documentation, scheduling, insurance, and coding. Students will apply the concepts gained in the class through a host of scenarios that will place them in the role of a Medical Assistant functioning in a medical front office.
MA103: Anatomy & Physiology (5.0 Quarter credits) This class provides students with essential principles and concepts that focus on human anatomy and physiology. The focus of this course will include basic chemistry, cell and tissue studies, and a synopsis of the several body systems that will include specific attention to structure, function, and the related conditions of each system. The student will focus on the Skeletal, Nervous, Muscular, Respiratory, Circulatory, Digestive, Endocrine, Urinary, Reproductive, Lymphatic, and Immune Systems and the Special Senses.
MA 104: Medical Terminology (5.0 Quarter credits) Medical Terminology provides students with the essential principles and concepts for medical terminology. This course establishes a foundation for students to apply these principles and concepts in order to accurately define, spell, pronounce, and transcribe medical terms used throughout the medical industry. Based on the various activities in Medical Terminology, students will have the ability to expand their medical vocabulary and gain practical hands-on experience that will benefit them in the medical industry. Finally, students will also complete/interpret various medical documents, forms, and reports that contain medical terminology.
MA105: Pharmacology (5.0 Quarter credits) Pharmacology introduces the student to the calculation, identification, and distribution of medication. Students will begin with a fundamental introduction to key mathematical concepts that they will use to perform the preparation and delivery of medication to patients. Building on the mathematical concepts, students will then apply Medical Terminology to Pharmacology concepts, routes and techniques of administration and safety of administration. In addition, students will be presented with ethical standards of administration and dosage calculations and further, students will be introduced to essential communication concepts with both the patient and their medical team.
MA106: Medical Assisting, Clinical and Procedures (3.5 Quarter credits) Medical Assisting, Clinical and Procedures focuses on the medical assisting skills that are required to prepare the patient for examination and assist the physician during the patient examination and corresponding treatment. Students will work in a competency-based environment where they will obtain hands-on instruction on procedures and techniques that include vital signs, positioning the patient for procedures, ensuring accurate and complete medical documentation, obtaining infant weight and measurement, and performing patient education in coordination with the physician’s efforts. As a compliment to each concept introduced in Medical Assisting – Clinical, students will also learn how to communicate with the physician and various types of patients, problem-solving, and utilize patient service skills. Further, students will also receive instruction on risk management, HIPAA, infection control, safety, and AIDS-related precautions as part of each procedure.
MA107: Medical Assisting – Laboratory (3.5 Quarter credits) Medical Assisting – Laboratory focuses on developing the skills necessary for students to perform selected laboratory procedures that they will be required to complete in a physician’s office. Student will work in a competency-based environment where they will obtain hands-on instruction on procedures and techniques that include phlebotomy, glucose testing, microscopic examination skills, gram staining, urinalysis testing, pregnancy testing, and other various laboratory procedures and techniques that will arise in a physician’s office. As a compliment to each procedure reviewed in Medical Assisting – Laboratory, students will also learn how to obtain results for each of the laboratory procedures introduced in this course and how to follow-up on patient results by utilizing communication, professionalism, and customer service skills. Further, students will also receive instruction on risk management, HIPAA, infection control, safety, and AIDS[1]related precautions as part of each procedure. Finally, this course will also provide students with additional training on working with various types of patients in a host of different practical scenarios.
MA108: Externship Review and Career Development (3.5 Quarter semester credits) In this course, student will review a checklist of clinic and lab procedures and receive approval from instructor to signify competency in each area. Students will also work on completion of resume, interviewing skills and employment search skills to assist them with employment opportunities upon completion of externship.
MA109: Externship (6.0 Quarter credits) Externship provides students with an opportunity to be assigned to a suitable medical facility where they will be asked to demonstrate the administrative and clinical applications that they learned during their on-campus educational experience in the Medical Assistant program. Students will be under the supervision of the campus Extern Coordinator and the Extern Site Preceptor. At the site, students will be asked to complete 180 hours of supervised activity and further, will not receive any remuneration while completing the 180 hours. During Externship, students will also be asked to complete various activities that focus on an assortment of topics related to healthcare. Further, students will also be required to conduct a weekly review session with their Extern Coordinator to discuss their overall progress and associated activities at the site. Students will also be asked to maintain and submit a weekly journal documenting their experiences and key learning outcomes while performing Externship activities at the site along with their weekly textbook activities and assignments. Finally, students will also focus on the development of their professionalism skills. Students will be assessed on their self-directed work habits that include attendance, preparedness, communication, timeliness of assignments, and (where appropriate) professional vocabulary and overall professional behavior with both the campus and the site.
Graduation Requirements
- Passed all required courses in the student’s program, and
- Earned an overall cumulative 2.0 (“C” average) or better on a 4.0 scale, and
- Completed the program within the time frame as defined by Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
