Medical Assistant Program Outline

Course length: 1 Academic Year (2 semesters)

 Semester 1 (14 total credit hours):

Medical Terminology (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes learning and acquiring basic understanding of all medical terminology used within a clinical/hospital setting

Anatomy and Physiology I (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes the first half of a basic Human A&P course, and will teach the student the basic anatomy of the human body. The first semester includes coursework on the systems of the body, bones, the muscular system, and the nervous system.

Computer Based Skills and Coding (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes learning the basic technological skills required of a Medical Assistant, such as how to type in an efficient manner (70-100 WPM), how to use basic computer applications, how to keep medical records, how to perform billing and accounting processing, and how to code and perform insurance processing.

Laboratory Techniques (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes learning the basic techniques used within a laboratory in order to perform blood sample testing, urine sample testing, and more.

First Aid (1 credit hour)

  • This course teaches students critical skills needed in order to respond efficiently and effectively to an emergency where either first aid is required, or the patient is choking or undergoing cardiac arrest.

CPR (1 credit hour)

  • This course teaches students critical skills needed in order to respond efficiently and effectively to an emergency where the individual is unconscious, not breathing, and/or is without a pulse.

Semester 2 (15 credit hours):

Anatomy and Physiology II (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes the second half of a basic Human A&P course, and will teach the student the basic anatomy of the human body. The second semester includes coursework on the digestive system, the integumentary system, the immune system, and the cardiovascular system.

Clinical/Diagnostic Procedure (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes basic common medical scenarios and diseases encountered while working within the clinical environment, and the standard procedures and diagnoses that are used during each event.

Pharmacology/Medicine Administration (3 credit hours)

  • This course includes basic pharmacology and teaches students the most common medicines administered within the clinical environment.

Patient Care/Relations (3 credit hours)

  • This course teaches students the proper techniques used when caring for patients within the clinical setting, as well as the proper etiquette and administrative aspect of patient relations.

Medical Law and Ethics (3 credit hours)

  • This course teaches students the laws pertaining to physicians, physicians assistants, and medical assistants within the clinical setting, as well as the important role of ethics pertaining to patient relations.