The fast growing career of Medical Assisting  Michelle Buchman, Medical Assisting instructor

Associate of Science Medical Assisting Program

Cox College awards an associate of science degree in Medical Assisting. Medical Assistants are multi-skilled health professional that work in tandem with medical staff in clinics and physician's offices. Medical Assistants will be trained to provide patient care through administrative tasks as well as taking vital signs and preparing patients
for examinations.

Outcome Criteria, upon completion of the program of study, the graduate will be able to:

• understand medical terminology, laboratory, anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology as it relates to body systems and disease processes
• demonstrate office administration procedures including bookkeeping, processing insurance claims; and procedural and diagnostic coding
• perform diagnostic testing including; electrocardiography, respiratory, urinalysis, hematology, chemistry, immunology and microbiology
• demonstrate proper patient care; vital signs, patient history, prepare and assist with routine and specialty examinations
• apply pharmacology principles to prepare and administer oral and parenteral medications
• perform clinical procedures such as venipuncture, and capillary puncture
• accurately impart patient instructions for specimen collections.

Program Admission and Selection Criteria

Candidates are considered for admission into the Medical Assisting program based on the completion of Cox College application requirements and prior academic performance. Once a candidate has been notified of an offer for admission into the Medical Assisting program, a non refundable deposit must be submitted. After receipt of this fee, the student may register for classes according to the academic calendar.

Requirements Prior to the Medical Assisting Program
Verification of the following must be provided by all Medical Assisting students prior to the start of the first Health Science course:

• Clear criminal background check
• Negative drug screen
• Submit the $125 acceptance fee prior to enrolling in courses

Requirements Prior to MACC 311 Clinical Medical Assisting I

• Initiation of Hepatitis B immunization series
• TB skin test within six months of program entry & renewed annually
• Current Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, and Rubella immunization status
• Current Tetanus/Diphtheria immunization status (booster required every 10 years)
• Current Varicella immunization status (reliable history, serological evidence, or immunization series complete)
• Completion of health form (provided by the Admission Coordinator)

Requirements Prior to MACC 414 Medical Assisting Practicum

• TB skin test within the last six months
• Completion of Hepatitis B immunization series prior to enrollment
• Completion of the American Heart Association (AHA) for Healthcare Provider course or equivalent prior to enrollment (Your card must read BLS for Health Care Providers)

Requirements for Progression

To successfully progress through the Medical Assisting program, students must demonstrate safe, responsible, and professional conduct and meet the following academic standards:

• a grade of "C" or better in all core courses
• a grade of "C" upon completion of Clinical Medical Assistant I
• a grade of "C" or better upon completion of Clinical Medical Assistant II.

Degree Requirements: Total 62 credit hours 
Core Curriculum (48 Credit Hours)

MACC 110   Career Development: Success In College (1)
MACC 111   Medial Terminology for Medical Assisting (3)
MACC 112   Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Assisting (3)
MACC 113   Human Disease for Medical Assisting (2)
MACC 114   Health care Communications (2)
MACC 115   Electronic Medical Record for Medical Assisting (2)
MACC 116   HIM, Ethics, & Medical Law for Medical Assisting (3)
MACC 211   Administrative Medical Assisting I (3)
MACC 212   Administrative Medical Assisting II (3)
MACC 213   Administrative Medical Assisting III (2)
MACC 311   Clinical Medical Assisting I (3)
MACC 312   Clinical Medical Assisting II (3)
MACC 313   Clinical Medical Assisting III (3)
MACC 314   Clinical Medical Assisting IV (3)
MACC 315   Drug Dosage Calculations for Medical Assisting (2)
MACC 411   Professional Traits and Skills (2)
MACC 412   Certified Medical Assisting Review (2)
MACC 413   Career Development: Success on the Job (2)
MACC 414   Medical Assisting Practicum (4)

General Courses (14 Credit Hours)

ENGL 150   English Composition (3)
INFM  160   Computer Resources (1)  
PSYC 101   Introduction to Psychology (3)
CCPL 100   Promoting Learning & Ultimate Success (1)
GOVT 101   Government and Politics in the United States (3) 
COMM 101   Speech Communication (3)

Each session is 8 weeks with a 1 week break between each session, with no courses in the summer.

For complete course descriptions please see the Cox College Catalog

Career Outlook

Medical Assisting is one of the fastest growing fields in health care. Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 decade. Job opportunities should be excellent, particularly for those with associate degrees. Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. They should not be confused with Physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician.

• About 62 percent of medical assistants work in offices of physicians. The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.

Medical assistants who perform administrative tasks have many duties. They update and file patients' medical records, fill out insurance forms, and arrange for hospital admissions and laboratory services. They also perform tasks less specific to medical settings, such as answering telephones, greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, and handling billing and bookkeeping. For clinical medical assistants, duties vary according to what is allowed by State law. Some common tasks include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting physicians during examinations. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens and sometimes perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They might instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for x-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings. Medical assistants also may arrange examining room instruments and equipment, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms neat and clean.

Career Opportunities

Medical assistants held about 417,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in offices of physicians; 12 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. Most of the remainder worked in other health care industries such as outpatient care centers and nursing and residential care facilities.