MEDA - Medical Assistant

This course examines the professional qualities and expectations of a medical assistant along with the administrative and clinical duties required to perform in the role. Students will learn the purpose of accreditation and the significance of becoming a credentialed professional. Students will be introduced to types of insurance, health insurance basics, traditional insurance plans, managed care, Medicare, Medicaid, military carriers, and Worker's Compensation and Disability insurance. The importance of interpersonal skills and the critical ability to apply them in the workplace with patients and co-workers will be covered. Students will be introduced introduced to the patient privacy laws and be able to differentiate between laws and ethics. In addition, this course introduces students to basic medical terms, their meanings, and how to decipher medical terms that may not be recognizable at first glance. Students will construct complex medical terms from word roots, medical prefixes and medical suffixes in the context of case studies, personal examples, anatomical terms and diagnostic procedure examples. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 6 quarter hours

This course introduces students to the clinical aspect of medical assisting and stresses the importance of asepsis and sterile technique in today’s health care environment, along with the proper use of personal protective equipment. Students will learn about basic bacteriology and its relationship to infection and disease control as well as identify the purpose and expectations of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regarding disease transmission in the medical facility. Students will become familiar with a physician's clinical office environment along with the hospital environment and will be introduced to clinical procedures including vital signs, heights and weights, assisting with patient mobility, patient identification, bandaging and wound care, rooming of patients, the physical examination and assisting with minor office procedures. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 6 quarter hours

This course examines the general plan and structure of the human body and its function under normal, healthy conditions as well as an introduction to the body’s response to illness and disease. Students will also be introduced to basic information about common medical conditions, diseases, and the disease process. Emphasis will be placed on documentation of symptoms, patient assessment, case management - including diagnostic tests indicated, treatment indicated, patient education required and ways to validate a patient's understanding of their disease and treatment. In addition, this course examines the circulatory and respiratory systems, including the structure and function of heart and lungs, along with diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests, anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology associated with these systems. Students will apply knowledge of the electrical pathways of the heart muscle in preparation for applying electrocardiography leads and recording a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG). Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 6 quarter hours

This course will prepare you to perform critical clinical skills for the Medical Assistant. Students will learn to draw blood samples from patients using a variety of procedures. Students will learn about basic vascular anatomy and physiology and blood physiology. Students will learn the proper technique for performing capillary skin punctures and venipunctures. In addition, this course explains the medical assistant's role in pharmacology. Students will learn to recognize the five categories of pharmacology and their importance to medication administration. Students will be able to differentiate the major drug categories, drug names, their actions, as well as, learn how vaccines work in relation to the immune system . Students will learn to carry out the procedure for registering or renewing a physician with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for permission to administer, dispense, and prescribe controlled substances. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 quarter hours

This course enables students to challenge, test and hone the knowledge and skills they have acquired and developed throughout the program. Through this experience, students build subject matter expertise while continuing to develop values, attitudes and behaviors that will make them successful in the workplace. Each student must complete 160 hours supervised internship at an approved internship sire and maintain 3 out of 5 average score on supervisor evaluations Students experience first-hand the various operations within a medical office performing clinical and administrative duties as Certified Medical Assistants. Students will be expected to expand their skill set throughout the duration of their Practicums. Pre-requisite(s): Completion of all courses in the medical program with a grade of C or better and permission of the Program Director. Co-requisite(s): None. 6 quarter hours