DAYS:
9 Months - 700 Instructional Hours & 200 Externship Hours
8:30AM - 1:30PM Monday through Friday

AFTERNOON:
9 Months - 700 Instructional Hours & 200 Externship Hours
1:30PM - 6:30PM Monday through Friday

EVENINGS:
14 Months - 700 Instructional Hours & 200 Externship Hours
6:00PM - 10:00PM Monday through Thursday

The Medical Assistant certificate program provides training in clinical and administrative procedures used by entry-level medical assistants working in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices and other healthcare settings. The clinical curriculum covers patient intake, vital signs, laboratory procedures, clinical procedures, including phlebotomy, and diagnostic testing, including electrocardiography (EKG). The administrative curriculum covers computer applications, insurance procedures, medical coding and billing and medical office management. Throughout the program, students learn the basics of anatomy, physiology and pathology along with the medical terminology most frequently encountered in the career setting.

In preparation for employment, students learn the important communication and human relation skills needed in medical settings and the professional, legal and ethical standards expected of today’s healthcare worker. A 200-hour externship in a working health care facility provides the hands-on practice and experience needed for permanent employment readiness.

FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT
The medical assistant program has a medical laboratory with equipment that would be found in standard medical offices including EKG machines, autoclaves, exam tables, phlebotomy chairs, official scales and optical microscopes. The administrative component of the curriculum is conducted in a computer laboratory with 20 internet-accessible workstations running Microsoft Office software as well as the industry-standard Medi-soft medical office management system.

CURRICULUM
Introduction to Clinical Procedures (40 Instructional Hours)
This course introduces students to the clinical setting and to standard procedures they will perform independently or with the physician. Students will learn how to obtain a medical history and other clinical documentation. Principles of aseptic techniques are taught and students learn to assist physicians with physical examinations.

Specialty Exams and Procedures
(40 Instructional Hours)
Students become skilled in assisting physicians in examinations and common procedures associated with obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, male reproduction and gerontology. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Clinical Procedures)

Medical Techniques and Procedures
(40 Instructional Hours)
Students learn advanced medical techniques including diagnostic imaging, assisting with rehabilitation therapy and minor surgery. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Clinical Procedures)

Laboratory Procedures (40 Instructional Hours)
Students gain knowledge in safety and regulatory guidelines associated with the laboratory along with training in phlebotomy, hematology, and urinalysis. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Clinical Procedures)

Specialty Laboratory Procedures (40 Instructional Hours)
This course provides the study and proper procedures of obtaining specimen from a patient. Patient blood typing, pregnancy testing, and blood glucose and cholesterol testing will be studied. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Clinical Procedures)

Fundamentals of Electrocardiography (40 Instructional Hours)
This course provides the study of and proper procedures for obtaining an electrocardiogram from patients. Students study the anatomy and physiology of the heart, proper usage and demonstration of the EKG machine with appropriate 12-lead placement and identification of irregularities in the heart’s activity. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Clinical Procedures)

Introduction to Medical Assisting (40 Instructional Hours)
This course provides the student with an overview of a career as a medical assistant in different practice settings. Topics include the study of interpersonal communication, customer service, telephone techniques, mail processing, and appointment scheduling. 

Computers in the Medical Office (40 Instructional Hours)
The course continues the study of computer applications with an emphasis on applications directly used in a medical practice. The students will be able to generate electronic reports and correspondence. (Prerequisite: Computer Applications)

Health Insurance Systems (40 Instructional Hours)
This course introduces students to the various types of medical insurance including managed care and traditional insurance plans. Students develop skills in medical record keeping and insurance verification procedures.

Medical Coding (40 Instructional Hours)
This course teaches students to effectively utilize current CPT and ICD codes in medical billing and in completing CMS/HCFA-1500 medical claim forms. (Prerequisite: Medical Terminology I)

Billing and Office Management (40 Instructional Hours)
This course includes a study of fees and collection procedures, banking, bookkeeping and office accounting systems. Students use Medi-soft software to become proficient in electronic claims processing, appointment scheduling and patient record keeping. (Prerequisite: Medical Coding)

Medical Terminology I (20 Instructional Hours)
This course covers the meaning and use of word components encountered in dealing with the body and its various systems. Learning is reinforced through extensive practice.

Medical Terminology II (20 Instructional Hours)
This course expands medical vocabulary by introducing more complex terms related to diseases, operative procedures, and medical descriptions. Medical reports will also be studied to identify the practical use of medical terminology. (Prerequisite: Medical Terminology I)

Chemical and Cellular Organization (20 Instructional Hours)
This course studies the human body and its functions. Students are introduced to the basic structure and function of the body including cell structure, histology, and chemistry.

Body Systems: Movement and Protection (20 Instructional Hours)
This course studies the human body and its functions. Emphasis is placed on normal function of the integumentary, skeletal and muscular systems so students will be able to recognize abnormal function. (Prerequisite: Chemical and Cellular Organization)

Body Systems: Absorption and Stimuli Response
(20 Instructional Hours)
This course studies the human body and its functions. Emphasis is placed on normal function of the nervous, lymphatic and digestive systems so students will be able to recognize abnormal function. (Prerequisite: Chemical and Cellular Organization)

Body Systems: Cardiopulmonary (20 Instructional Hours)
This course studies the human body and its functions. Emphasis is placed on normal function of the blood and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems so students will be able to recognize abnormal function. (Prerequisite: Chemical and Cellular Organization)

Body Systems: Excretory, Regulatory and Reproductive
(30 Instructional Hours)
This course studies the human body and its functions. Emphasis is placed on normal function of endocrine, urinary, and female and male reproductive systems so students will be able to recognize abnormal function. (Prerequisite: Chemical and Cellular Organization)

Medical Law and Ethics (30 Instructional Hours)
This course covers medical law and ethical obligations in the health care environment. It provides an understanding of the legal system, patient/physician relationships, professional liability and medical malpractice, public duties of physicians and other allied health professionals, ethical issues involved in medical records and the emerging field of bioethics.

Computer Applications (40 Instructional Hours)
Students learn the elements of a working office computer including basic hardware, the Windows operating system, and key individual applications available through this system.

Professional Development (20 Instructional Hours)
This course focuses on health care career preparation including resume writing, job hunting, interviewing, employer expectations, effective communication skills, and human relations skills for the workplace.

First Aid and CPR (20 Instructional Hours)
This course enables students to successfully pass First Aid and CPR Exams and readily perform the techniques.

Internship (200 Hours)
An important aspect of training in the medical assisting field is actual experience enabling the application of textbook and lab principles to an actual professional setting. Internships meet the need for practical experience and serve as a capstone. Students are placed in supervised positions during this module. These positions will rotate students through a range of practical applications and give students a chance to observe doctors, nurses, medical assistants and other health professionals engaged in routine healthcare practices. Supervisors report weekly on student attendance, skill competencies, comportment and professionalism. (Prerequisite: Successful completion of 700 hours of course work)