Course Details

The Introduction to Medical Assisting course provides an overview of healthcare professions and their roles in the healthcare environment. Students will be guided through legal concepts and ethical issues in the healthcare setting which will compare and contrast moral issues, professional, and personal ethics. The foundational principles of professional and effective interpersonal communication techniques will be discussed.

Medical Terminology provides instruction on how to interpret and understand the technical language of medicine. Students learn the basic structure of medical terms including prefixes, suffixes, word roots, special endings, plural forms, abbreviations, and symbols. Emphasis is placed on the correct spelling, definition, application, and pronunciation of each term.

The Anatomy and Physiology course is designed to familiarize the student with the plan and structure of the human body, its function under normal, healthy conditions, and an introduction to the body’s response to illness and disease. Instruction covers an overview of all organ systems, including diagnostic treatment modalities. Medical terms as they relate to the body and correct spelling and pronunciation are taught.

The Medical Office I course introduces administrative and general duties in a medical office. These duties include appointment scheduling, records management, electronic health records use and management, written communications, health insurance, office equipment and management, as well as telephone procedures. This course will provide hands-on practice of administrative skills and competency-based examinations.

The Medical Office II course introduces students to the management of all aspects of medical office finances. Instruction includes diagnostic and procedural coding for insurance billing. Students will track claims reimbursement, process patient statements, and review fee collection processes.

The Clinical Procedures course is an introduction to working in an ambulatory outpatient clinic setting, understanding the role of a medical assistant and patient care. The content of this course will focus on infection control, medical asepsis, taking patient histories, performing patient assessments including vital signs, and preparing for and assisting the provider with examinations.

In Laboratory Procedures and Emergencies, students will conduct the steps necessary for performing tests while in a medical office. This includes studying the different types of tests that can be performed in a physician's office laboratory, the different supplies and procedures associated with each type of test, and the steps for specimen collection. Students will learn how to respond in an emergency situation, including studying CPR and First Aid. Students will update a resume and prepare a cover letter for future practicum and job.

Specialty Procedures is an introduction to specialty outpatient clinic settings. Throughout this course, students will be introduced to the equipment and supplies needed for different types of specialty examinations, as well as how to prepare patients for them. In this course, students will conduct the steps necessary for performing tests while in a medical office. This includes studying the different types of tests that can be performed in a physician's office laboratory, the different supplies and procedures associated with each type of test, and the steps for specimen collection. Students will learn how to respond in an emergency situation, including studying CPR and First Aid.

The Pharmacology course familiarizes the student with pharmaceuticals. Instruction includes commonly prescribed medications, trade and generic names, mode of action, side effects, and usual doses. Concepts covered include the proper administration of oral, injectable, and non-injectable medications. There will be a review of the math skills required to perform medical math conversions and dosage calculations.

The Medical Assistant Externship I course allows the medical assistant student the opportunity to demonstrate their administrative and clinical skills in a healthcare setting. This externship takes place in a working medical office or clinic under the supervision of a licensed provider.

The Medical Assistant Externship II course allows the medical assistant student the opportunity to demonstrate their administrative and clinical skills in a healthcare setting. This externship takes place in a working medical office or clinic under the supervision of a licensed provider.

Medical assistants are multi-skilled, allied health care professionals responsible for various clinical and/or administrative duties and are an essential part of a healthcare team. This program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions that will allow them to learn and move into higher-level job opportunities by working with physicians and providers in office settings. Students in this program learn cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains by focusing on administrative and back office clinical skills. Upon successful completion of all required courses, students participate in an externship in a medical office. Graduates of the program are eligible to take a national certification exam.