Medical Assistant, 1-yr Certificate

The purpose of this program is to train the graduate for a successful career in the profession of medical assisting, and qualified to become a Certified Medical Assistant. The Certified Medical Assistant is a vital member of the ambulatory health care team.

48 credits (prerequisites: 17-19 credits)

Program Contacts

Cost

Estimated Cost for Program: $ 12,755

  • Resident Tuition: $ 6,960
  • Technology Fees: $ 675
  • General Student Fees: $ 450
  • Online Course Fee: $ 0
  • Books / Course Materials: $ 2,250 (Some courses use Open Educational Resources (OER), which are free or low-cost materials.)
  • Program Specific Costs: $ 1,374 (certifications/licensure/exams, health Insurance, immunizations, application fee, background check, drug/alcohol screening and ADB-Camplio tracking account)
  • Differential Fees: $ 599

Estimated Cost for Prerequisites: $ 3,321

  • Resident Tuition: $ 2,755
  • Technology Fees: $ 266
  • General Student Fees: $ 300
  • Online Course Fee:$ 0

Costs provided are estimates only, and may differ depending on course type and/or modality. Learn more and view current tuition and fee information.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this program will be able to:

PLO 1 - Prepare patients for examination or treatment; take temperatures, measure height and weight, and accurately record information in the patient chart

PLO 2 - Physically assist patients onto and off of exam table

PLO 3 - Sterilize instruments and stand by to assist as the practitioner examines or treats patients, or performs in-office surgeries

PLO 4 - Give medical care to patients, under the practitioner's supervision, such as giving injections and drawing blood; perform certain diagnostic testing in the laboratory

PLO 5 - Treat the patient with respect, maintain confidentiality, and comply with healthcare laws and ethics

PLO 6 - Perform administrative duties, which include managing an appointment schedule, organizing patients' medical records, bookkeeping procedures, and processing insurance claims

PLO 7 - Use library resources for research and written assignments for a variety of purposes

PLO 8 - Perform mathematic equations associated with medication dosages as well as basic mathematics to process medical insurance claims

PLO 9 - Apply knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology in a clinical setting

Admission Information

The application and information on the point allocation system and transferring students is available in the Advising Department and on the Medical Assistant website. The program may run a second, spring cohort.

Program Requirements

All courses must be completed with a letter grade of C or better. P/NP is not accepted.

Program Prerequisites

Must be completed with a grade of C or better. P/NP not accepted. Prerequisites are required for program admission.

WR 115Introduction to College Composition

4

MTH 052Math for Health and Physical Sciences

4

HP 100Medical Terminology 1

3

Complete ONE psychology (PSY) course

4

 

HP 150Human Body Systems 1

3

Or

BI 231Human Anatomy and Physiology 1

4

WR: See Footnote 1.

MTH: See Footnote 2. 

Prereq Note: See Footnote 3.

Program Core Courses

Must be completed with a grade of C or better. P/NP not accepted. BT 165 may be completed with a C- or Pass.

BT 165Introduction to the Accounting Cycle

4

HP 110Health Office Procedures

3

HP 153Introduction to Pharmacology

3

HP 220Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare

3

 

HP 152Human Body Systems 2

3

Or

BI 232Human Anatomy and Physiology 2

4

 

MA 112Medical Insurance Procedures

3

MA 119Introduction to Medical Coding and Scribing

3

MA 150Laboratory Orientation

3

MA 110Clinical Assistant 1

3

MA 120Clinical Assistant 2

3

MA 130Clinical Assistant 3

3

MA 206Co-op Ed: Medical Assistant Seminar

2

MA 280Co-op Ed: Medical Assistant

5-12

 

HP 105EHR for the Provider Office

3

Or

HIM 107Integrated Electronic Health Records

4

Complete one of the following:

Must be completed with a letter grade of C or better. P/NP is not accepted.

BT 120MS WORD for Business

4

CIS 101Computer Fundamentals

4

CS 120Concepts of Computing: Information Processing

4

MA 280: complete a minimum of 5 credits

HP 110: See Footnote 4.

MA 112/119: See Footnote 5.

HP 150/BI 232: See Footnote 6.

Footnotes

1 – WR 115W or higher writing is also accepted

2 – MTH 095 or higher math (MTH/STAT) is an accepted substitute for MTH 052

3 – To meet minimum application requirements (points included), additional coursework may be needed. See Academic Advisors and application packet for information.

4 – HP 110 satisfies the Human Relations requirement and cannot be substituted 

5 – MA 112, MA 119, and courses with the prefixes BT, CIS, CS, HIM, and HP may be taken prior to program acceptance

6 – Must either complete HP 150 & HP 152 or BI 231 & BI 232. Mixing sequences is not allowed.

Notes

  • To view all important info for all programs (grading, total credits, honors, etc.), visit the Programs of Study page.
  • The following requirements must meet universal standards order for internships: Proof of required immunizations; tuberculosis (TB) screen; 10-panel drug and alcohol screen; and criminal background check.
  • Cooperative Education: During the required Co-op work experience in spring term, students rotate through local medical offices and clinics in both clinical and administrative settings. Students earn college credit and gain actual work experience. Students also receive instruction in the identification and proper use of other medical equipment and valuable on-the-job training. A required weekly seminar during Winter term includes resume writing instruction, interviewing techniques, and other job-search skills.

Licensing and Certification

Certified Medical Assistant: CMA (AAMA). This is a National Certification.

Accreditation

Medical Assistant, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, a specialized accrediting board recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, on recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 25400 US Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33753; https://caahep.org/; 727-210-2350