Overview
About the Program
Two-year (four semesters) full-time degree schedule; mixture of business, communications, health applications, and information technology courses; includes field experience practicum.
The demand for Medical Assistants is expanding rapidly. MA’s are the only allied health professionals specifically trained to work in ambulatory settings, such as physicians’ offices, clinics, and group practices. As multi-skilled personnel, they can perform administrative and clinical procedures. Physicians value this unique versatility more and more, as managed care compels them to contain costs and manage human resources efficiently.
Medical Assisting continues to be one of the fastest growing occupations in healthcare. According to the latest Occupational Outlook Handbook the Medical Assisting field has a 23% growth, which is faster than average for all occupations. Physicians are hiring more MAs to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians to see more patients.
Medical Assistants have a great amount of variety in their jobs and are cross trained to perform many administrative and clinical duties.
Learning Outcomes
- Communicate effectively with patients, Providers, and co-workers.
- Demonstrate competent written and medical terminology skills.
- Perform administrative duties such as:
- Scheduling appointments, maintaining paper and electronic patient records, utilization of computer software/electronic medical records, educate patients in general office policies, and instruct individuals according to their needs.
- Perform clinical duties such as:
- Setting up sterile fields, suture removal, taking vitals and patient histories, collecting and processing specimens, performing CLIA-waived testing, performing patient screening, instructing and preparing a patient, assisting with procedures and exams, administering medications orally and through injections, performing electrocardiograms and pulmonary function testing, and basic first aid/CPR
- Apply knowledge of local, federal, and state health care legislation such as proper documentation, compliance reporting, and applying HIPAA rules in regard to privacy and release of information.
- Maintain practice finances through the use of a Total Practice Management System (TPMS)
- Perform dosage and mathematical calculations for administration of medications.
- Perform ICD-10-CM and CPT-4 diagnostic and procedural coding.
- Perform in a safe manner that minimizes risk to patients, self, and others.
- Demonstrate professional interpersonal, oral, and written communications skills, including an awareness of how diversity may affect the communication process and patient care.
- Demonstrate professional conduct and apply legal, social, and ethical responsibilities within the health care environment.
Certification
Students who complete MTC’s Medical Assisting certificate program are eligible to sit for the certification exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA, 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1575, Chicago, IL 60606, phone: 1-800-228-2262 and fax: 312-899-1259, www.aama-ntl.org). The credential awarded upon successful completion of the exam is the CMA (Certified Medical Assistant). Students are also eligible to sit for the certification exam offered by American Medical Technologists (www.americanmedtech.org). The credential awarded upon successful completion of the exam is RMA (Registered Medical Assistant). Students are also eligible for RPT (Registered Phlebotomy Technician) certification exam through AMT with additional phlebotomy hours as part of the practicum experience.
Convicted felons or individuals pleading guilty to a felony are not eligible to sit for the Medical Assisting certification exam unless the Certifying Board (CB) grants a waiver based on accepted mitigating circumstances.
Application Requirements – Limited Enrollment
- MTC Application for Admission (nonrefundable application fee).
- Final high school transcript (or GED results) and college transcripts (if applicable).
- A minimum 2.0 accumulative grade point average (GPA) in high school or college-level courses (whichever is most recent).
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Demonstrate college-readiness by achieving the required minimum score on a placement test, successfully completing any required college foundation courses, or satisfying other measures including but not limited to high school coursework, previous college coursework, samples of work, etc.
- Completion of Medical Assisting program application.
- Completion of successful criminal background check.
Career Opportunities
- Medical Assistants
- Personal Care Aides
- Home Health Aides
Curriculum
The following is a typical course sequence for completing this program. The actual time needed to complete the program will vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
| ALH1110 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| ALH1140 | Healthcare Issues:Medical Law and Ethics | 1 |
| MED1010 | Medical Assisting Clinical Procedures I | 4 |
| MED1021 | Medical Office Procedures | 4 |
| OIS1240 | Computer Applications | 3 |
| ENG1000 | English Composition I | 3 |
Second Semester
| ALH1160 | Pharmacology for Allied Health | 2 |
| MED1040 | Medical Assisting Clinical Procedures II | 4 |
| MED1050 | MA Lab Procedures | 2 |
| MED1061 | Medical Asst. Insurance and Billing | 3 |
| MED1070 | Medical Assisting Capstone | 1 |
| MED1091 | Medical Assisting Practicum | 2 |
| MED1080 | Medical Assisting Issues and Review | 1 |
Third Semester
Fourth Semester
| HIT1400 | Healthcare Reimbursement | 2 |
| SOC2020 | Ethnic and Cultural Diversity | 3 |
| HIT1301 | Clinical Classifications ICD10-CM/PCS | 4 |
| HIT1302 | Current Procedural Terminology | 3 |
| COM1400 | Oral Communication | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 60