Medical assistants perform a wide range of duties in physicians" offices, clinics and emergency medical centers. Duties include screening and receiving patients, maintaining medical records, typing and transcribing medical reports, handling telephone calls and correspondence, entering data, filing insurance claims, and maintaining patient accounts. Clinical duties include preparing patients for examinations, obtaining vital signs, taking medical histories, assisting with examinations and treatments, performing routine office laboratory procedures (urinalysis, phlebotomy, CBC, specimen collection and shipment), performing electrocardiograms, and instructing patients for advanced procedures.
Required clinical experience (externship) is provided in a variety of outpatient settings including physician offices, clinics and emergency medical centers during the third semester of the program.
The Medical Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), on recommendation of the Curriculum Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (AAMAE).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
35 East Wacker Drive, Suite 1970
Chicago, IL 60601-2208
(312) 553-9355
Graduates are eligible to take the American Association of Medical Assistants' Certification examination. Upon successfully completion of the examination, graduates receive the CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) credential.
Students who are admitted to the Medical Assisting program are required to purchase and maintain standard white laboratory coats at an approximate cost of $25. Students must maintain at least a "C" in all Medical Assisting courses. Students may repeat no more than two technology courses. All classes are at Airport Campus, admitted only during Fall Semester.
In addition to the college's placement test and the admissions requirements of the Health Sciences department, specific admission criteria to the Medical Assisting program are:
High school diploma or equivalent
Acceptable admission criteria:
HOBET 46 composite percent (minimum reading 46 percent) and MTC writing sample score of 30; or
SAT 840 (minimum verbal 400) and MTC writing sample score of 30; or
ACT 18 (minimum verbal 17) and MTC writing sample score of 30; or
Successful completion of the Pre-Health Care certificate with a 2.5 GPA and "C" or higher in each course.
High school or college credits in science (recommended)
Typing skills
Current First Aid and CPR certifications at time of program entry
Program interview
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Certificate: Medical Assisting (40 credit hours) |
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Credit Hours |
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Medical Terminology |
3.0 |
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Basic Anatomy and Physiology |
4.0 |
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English Composition I |
3.0 |
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Medical Assisting Introduction |
3.0 |
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Medical Assisting Administrative Procedures |
4.0 |
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Medical Assisting Office Skills II |
3.0 |
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Medical Business Records |
3.0 |
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Medical Assisting Pharmacology |
2.0 |
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Basic Medical Laboratory Techniques |
3.0 |
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Medical Assisting Clinical Procedures |
4.0 |
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Clinical Practice |
5.0 |
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Keyboarding |
3.0 |
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Total Credit Hours: |
40.0 |
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