Medical Assistants are multi-skilled, versatile, and essential members of the allied health profession who perform a range of professional duties. These include routine administrative duties and clinical responsibilities in a variety of healthcare settings.
All students successfully completing the Medical Assisting A.A.S. will have received exceptional instruction and appropriate applied learning experiences to prepare them as competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
Since they can work on both the administrative and clinical side of a variety of health care facilities, medical assistants are viewed as vital members of the health care team. A medical assistant’s administrative duties may include using computer applications, scheduling appointments, updating and filing patient medical records, coding and filling out insurance forms, billing, bookkeeping, and arranging hospital admission and lab services.
Clinical duties include, but are not limited to patient advocacy, taking vital signs, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens and tests, drawing blood, taking ECGs, and sterilizing
instruments.
Upon completion of this program, students will become competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior)
learning domains. We specifically map course learning outcomes to program learning outcomes in the following areas:
Cognitive (knowledge):
Students will
- follow established protocols, prepare patients for examination, and perform patient screening such as recording vital signs;
- assist in the preparation of space and equipment used in routine procedures and minor surgery;
- understand and describe the professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities and limitations of the medical assistant’s role
Psychomotor (skills):
Students will
- accurately and competently schedule appointments utilizing various platforms and technical tools,
- appropriately maintain office records, prepare billing and insurance forms
- assist the physician with compassionate patient care, the performance of venipuncture, ECG, and CLIA-waived hematology, chemistry, urinalysis, and immunology testing
Affective (behavior):
Students will
- effectively and accurately communicate doctors’ orders for prescriptions to pharmacies
- define the professional role and scope of a practicing medical assistant
- stimulate ideas through collaboration between classmates to learn the best patient care practices
- lead learning environments to work with and collaborate on ideas with other classmates
- develop critical thinking skills to understand cases scenarios related to ambulatory care
- understand team development and work as a cooperative team member in a healthcare facility
All Medical Assisting program applicants must take the College placement test in accordance with stated Admissions requirements.
Admission into the Medical Assisting program requires the ability to begin EN 101 and MA 102, MA 103, or MA 110.
Admission for the Medical Assisting A.A.S. is in the fall semester. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Coordinator of Medical Assisting.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Motor skills and dexterity: In order to be successful in the Medical Assisting program, students just have sufficient physical strength and coordination to be able to assist patients and the physician in a number of routine procedures. Students must also have the dexterity to perform activities using a variety of equipment and instruments
- Academic standing: Students must maintain a minimum grade of C in these courses in the major AH 106, AH 108, AH 109, AH 207, AH 208, AH 202, BI 112, BI 115) and must receive a passing grade in all other coursework. Courses in the major may be repeated once if minimal grades are not attained.
- Professional conduct: Medical Assisting students must demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively both in oral and written form with a patient and other members of a health care team. The department reserves the right to immediately remove the student from any course and/or dismiss that student from the program if it is determined that the student has acted in an unprofessional manner or if the student is unable to abide by safe laboratory practices.
- Externship: The student will complete an externship in a healthcare facility and is responsible for all transportation to the externship site.
- Program Orientation: All newly admitted students must complete a safety and onboarding orientation to the program prior to the beginning of their first semester. At such time important information, protocols, and procedures will be discussed to ensure student-readiness and set program expectations. Information regarding the scheduling of the orientation will be made available to newly accepted students. The orientation will occur prior the start of the academic year.
- Certification in CPR/First Aid: Students must have current certification in CPR/First Aid at the time of their externship (AH 203).
- Health Assessment: Students should be in good health to safely participate in the Medical Assisting program. A medical health examination is required of all Medical Assisting students within a three month period prior to their externship and must be submitted to the College Nurse. Students will be notified of the due date for the health assessment report at the time of registration. Students with missing or incomplete health assessment reports will not be permitted to attend their externship until completed.
- Immunizations: In addition to the College immunization requirements, we recommend that students handling body fluids be vaccinated against Hepatitis B. Students must be tested for TB (PPD test) within a three-month period prior to their externship. Furthermore, the NYS Department of Health mandates that all students participating in their externship receive the influenza vaccine or, if declined, that they wear a mask when at the externship site.
- Background checks and drug screening test: Externship sites require a background check and drug testing. Students are responsible for all related fees. Any student unable to pass a background check and/or drug screening test will not be allowed to continue in the Medical Assisting program.
Liberal Arts Requirements
22 Semester Hours
Program Requirements
40 Semester Hours