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2023-2024 Catalog

Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion

(51 credits)

Program Description

The Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion (C.C.)  focuses on a competency-based learning approach that prepares graduates with the key cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills required by healthcare employers and the opportunity to pursue career opportunities with private practices, hospitals, clinics and government agencies. Students will participate in classroom and hands on laboratory activities to include career development, medical law and ethics, effective communication, introduction to the electronic health record (EHR), coding and billing, finance, administrative procedures, human disease, anatomy and physiology, infection control, phlebotomy, diagnostic testing, simulation module learning and applied clinical laboratory practices.

Career Opportunities

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics employment of Medical Assistants is projected to grow 16 percent from 2021 to 2031. Medical Assistant is currently one of the fastest growing professions. As a result, physicians will hire more medical assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians to see more patients.

Certified Medical Assistants are able to obtain additional certifications including Electrocardiography Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Specialty Certified Medical Assistants and work as clinic managers.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), the median annual Medical Assistant salary is $37,190 or $17.88 per hour. However, salaries can vary widely depending on a variety of factors such as location and type of health care facility.

Program Outcomes

  • The goal of the Medical Assistant Program is, to prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
  • Be eligible and sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) examination. Students who successfully complete requirements for the NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) exam earn their eligibility to sit for the NHA CPT exam. 
  • Qualify for employment in the healthcare field.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion, students will be able to:

  • Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a healthcare setting.
  • Display professionalism and respect for diversity in relation to culture, age, and gender.
  • Perform within the legal and ethical scope of practice in the role of a Medical Assistant.
  • Demonstrate professional and effective forms of communication with patients, families and other health care professionals in culturally diverse communities.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the administrative and clinical competencies that are required in the role of a Medical Assistant.

 

Requirements Specific to the Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion

  • Physical Demands: The industry standards for a Medical Assistant are to have a full range of motion. This includes handling and lifting patients, stooping or stretching and hand-eye coordination. The job will require a Medical Assistant to stand 8-10 hours a day with occasional sitting. MA students must be able to carry 40-50 pounds.
  • All students are required to have a complete federal background check done prior to the end of fall quarter/first year.Failure to pass the federal background check may result in inability to progress in the program. 

  • Note: Students with a history of criminal convictions (whether felony or misdemeanor) relating to crimes such as, but not limited to, physical assault, use of a dangerous weapon, sexual abuse or assault, abuse of children, the elderly or infirm and crimes against property, including robbery, burglary and felony theft, may not be eligible for employment in a healthcare facility as a medical assistant.  Students with concerns in this area should consult with the program director.  
  • The Salish Kootenai College Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion program prepares students to take the National Healthcareer Association Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam.  The SKC MA CC program conforms to requirements in Montana. The College has not determined whether the program meets specific certification requirements in other states. Students planning to work as a CCMA in another state should consult that state’s requirements.

Admission Requirements

  • Submission of the Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion application and related documents.
  • All students are responsible for additional program fees to include purchase of uniform, name tag, OSHA approved clinical shoes, stethoscope, wrist watch with a second hand, immunizations, liability insurance, lab fees, certification fees and a federal background check. 
  • All students are required to provide documentation of health insurance upon acceptance to the Medical Assistant Program.

Physical Demands: The industry standards for a Medical Assistant are to have a full range of motion. This includes handling and lifting patients, stooping or stretching and hand-eye coordination. The job will require a Medical Assistant to stand 8-10 hours a day with occasional sitting. MA students must be able to carry 40-50 pounds.

 

Other requirements are stated in the Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion application.

 

Certification Information

 

The Salish Kootenai College Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion program prepares students to take the National Healthcareer Association Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam. The SKC MA CC program conforms to requirements in Montana. The College has not determined whether the program meets specific certification requirements in other states. Students planning to work as a CCMA in another state should consult that state’s requirements.

Requirements for Continuing in the Program

  • Students that are accepted into the Medical Assistant Program must take all HIEP and MAST courses consecutively starting fall quarter/first year.
  • Students are required to earn a C or better in all HIEP or MAST courses in order to remain in the program and advance to the next academic quarter.
  • Students are required to earn a C or better in all non-medical assisting course.
  • All students are required to successfully complete 160 hours of administrative and clinical practicum hours prior to program completion.
  • All students are required to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant national exam prior to program completion.
  • Any changes in a conviction record and/or pending criminal charges which occur between the initial completion of the criminal background/registered sexual offender check and program completion must be provided in writing to the program director within ten working days from the date of notification. Failure to provide such information within the required time frame may result in immediate dismissal from the program. 
  • Students who are not in compliance with the Student Code of Conduct provided in the SKC Catalog and/or the SKC Medical Assistant Student Handbook may place themselves at risk for dismissal from the Medical Assistant program.

Curriculum

Fall

HIEP121Medical Legal Aspects

2
MAST101Introduction to Medical Assisting

1
MAST118Medical Terminology for the Medical Assistant

2
MAST121Human Relations for the Medical Assistant

3
MAST133Clinical Skills I

2
MAST134Clinical Lab I

2
MAST150Anatomy and Physiology for the Medical Assistant

4
MAST175Career Development

1
Total Credit Hours:17

Winter

HIEP141Medical Coding and Billing

4
MAST132Client Communication I

1
MAST151Anatomy and Physiology for the Medical Assistant II

4
MAST153Clinical Skills II

2
MAST154Clinical Lab II

2
NASD101History of Indians in the United States

3
Total Credit Hours:16

Spring


HIEP171Medical Administrative Practices

4
MAST142Client Communication II

1
MAST143Pharmacology for the Medical Assistant

3
MAST189CMA Prep Exam

2
MAST190Externship for the Medical Assistant

8
Total Credit Hours:18

MAST 189 CMA Prep Exam and MAST 190 Medical Assistant Externship are completed during summer quarter.

Total Credit Hours: 51