Medical Assistant Degree Program (2023)

Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals educated to work in ambulatory settings performing administrative and clinical duties. The practice of medical assisting requires mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills requiring both formal education and practical experience that serve as standards for entry into the profession. Our nationally accredited Medical Assistant (MA) programs emphasize the skills and knowledge needed for employment in doctors' offices, clinics, insurance companies, and other medical facilities.

The associate degree includes advanced training in clinical procedures and the choice of electives that will enhance your education and training.

Program Goal

The program's goal is to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains, incorporating values, ethics, and professionalism. The program promotes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of medical office administration, clinical procedures, and the ethics and values associated with such a career. The program’s foundation provides a basis for analytical skills leading to national certification, life-long learning, and a successful career. Students can choose from the Medical Assistant Certificate or Medical Assistant Associate Degree.

Program Outcomes

Students who graduate from this program will be able to:

• Be eligible to sit for the national certification exam for medical assistants (CMA-AAMA)
• Demonstrate proficiency in administrative medical office procedures, such as processing insurance claims, scheduling appointments, and completing referrals
• Demonstrate proficiency in clinical procedures such as patient intake, taking vital signs, giving injections, administering EKGs, drawing blood, and assisting with patient exams, clinical procedures and office surgeries
• Demonstrate proficiency in electronic medical records management

Admission Requirements

• Attend Medical Assistant Information Session.
• Placement into ENGL110XM or ENGL110M - College Composition I with Corequisite or College Composition I as a result of placement testing. Sufficient speech and language ability to express, comprehend and exchange information and ideas in English verbally, non-verbally and to interact clearly and logically with patients, family members, physicians, peers and other ancillary medical personnel. Those not meeting program standards may be referred to classes to improve their diction, vocabulary, and/or writing skills.

Program Policies

Students must abide by the following policies in order to be accepted and stay in the Medical Assistant Program.

• Students must place into College Composition I with Corequisite or College Composition I based on placement scores before registering for any AHLT or MEDA courses.
• A grade of “C” or better is required in all AHLT, MEDA and BIOL106M/107M courses to continue in the program. Students may retake a course once if the minimum grade is not earned.
• All MEDA courses must be taken within three years of practicum.
• Students will be required to repeat a course if they do not demonstrate sufficient maturity to conduct themselves in a professional manner in the performance of clinical procedures.
• Students must demonstrate the emotional intelligence to exhibit empathy and compassion, to maintain productive relationships in the classroom and clinical settings and to integrate direction, instruction and constructive criticism into behavior.
• Criminal background checks and drug screenings are required of all students prior to clinical courses and practicum placement. No students will be exempt from either process. Any student found to be chemically impaired at any time will be dismissed from the program. National certification boards, practicum sites and/or medical facilities may restrict candidates from the certification or practicum, if involved in civil or criminal legal proceedings.
• Students must possess and maintain both personal health insurance and professional liability insurance while enrolled in MEDA125M, MEDA218M, and MEDA223M. This professional liability insurance coverage is purchased through MCC’s Bursar’s office.
• Students enrolled in MEDA125M Clinical Lab Procedures I, must purchase required scrubs, shoes, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and watch. (Consult faculty for more information).
• Students must enroll in MEDA218M immediately following MEDA125M or the student may be required to repeat MEDA125M. MEDA223M must immediately follow MEDA218M.
• Students may need to travel up to 45 minutes for practicum.

Before entry into MEDA125M Clinical Procedures 1, students must:

• Submit a satisfactory criminal background check
• Submit a current physical examination (within 1 year of MEDA125M Clinical Procedures 1)
• All required immunizations (See Medical Assistant Handbook for specifics)

Transfer Credit Policy

Students transferring from another college or from another program within MCC must have a 2.0 CGPA to be accepted into the Medical Assistant program. This includes developmental courses.

Transfer courses must have been taken within the past eight years for AHLT110M, BIOL106M, and BIOL107M. Transfer credit will not be given for MEDA125M, MEDA218M, or MEDA223M.

Technical Standards

MCC must ensure that patients/clients are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in practicum must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties and changing circumstances that characterize patient/client care responsibilities. Furthermore, the student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships with employees, patients/clients and their families.

The following technical standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the profession of Medical Assisting. Applicants who think they may not be able to meet one or more of the technical standards must contact the Department Chair to discuss individual cases.

• Applicants must be in good physical and mental health. Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the profession
• Good manual dexterity and sufficient tactile ability to assess pressure temperature, position, vibration and movement
• Sufficient hearing to assess patient needs and to understand instructions, identify emergency signals and engage in telephone conversations
• Sufficient visual acuity to observe patients, manipulate equipment and interpret data; visual acuity sufficient to ensure a safe environment, identify color changes, read fine print/writing and calculate fine calibrations
• Sufficient strength to perform CPR and the ability to stand for extended periods of time
• Travel Policy: Transportation to and from the Practicum site is the responsibility of the student

Accreditations

MCC’s Medical Assistant Certificate Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). CAAHEP 9355 – 113th St. N. #7709 Seminole, FL 33775, (727) 210-2350.

For the past five years, Employers of our Medical Assistant graduates are 100% satisfied with the education and training their newly hired Medical Assistant received. The Medical Assistants are competent entry-level employees. In 2019, the Medical Assistant Program had a 100% retention rate and a 75% CMA exam passage rate.

Employment Opportunities

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 23 percent over the from 2018-2028, much faster than average for all occupations, particularly for those with formal training or experience and certification.” MCC’s programs are competency-based and graduates are comprehensively prepared to enter any medical office with confidence.

Medical Assistant Degree

Medical Assistant Professional Certificate

Medical Administrative Assistant Certificate

Medical administrative assistants perform a variety of tasks necessary to make an office operate smoothly. They are responsible for scheduling patient appointments, completing referrals for inpatient/outpatient procedures, keeping patient charts updated, accepting and documenting payments, processing insurance claims, typing correspondence and interacting with healthcare facilities on a routine basis.

This certificate program provides the essentials needed to work in a medical office. Computer courses/ applications will prepare graduates to feel comfortable with all types of clerical duties associated with a doctor's office, hospital or insurance company.