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Term Effective:
Summer 2025
The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.
Description:
The Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Certificate of Achievement prepares students for work in physicians' offices, medical clinics, hospital outpatient clinics, health agencies, and educational institutions. Students completing the program will be eligible to sit for the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA) exam. This program provides training in both administrative (front office) and clinical (back office) skills.
The duties of a medical assistant vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the physician's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants are usually generalists, handling both clerical (administrative) and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager or physician. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area under the supervision of department administrators.
Medical assistants perform many clerical (administrative) duties. They answer telephones, greet patients, update and file patient medical records, complete insurance forms, handle correspondence, schedule appointments, arrange hospital admissions and laboratory services, and handle billing and bookkeeping.
Clinical duties vary according to state law. They may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, explaining treatment procedures to clients, preparing clients for examinations, and assisting during examinations. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens and perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They instruct clients about medication and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, prepare clients for x-rays, take EKG's, remove sutures and change dressings. Job titles include: medical assistant, administrative assistant, clinical medical assistant, hospital unit secretary, insurance claims process, medical transcriptionist, or research assistant.
They may also arrange examining room instruments and equipment, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms neat and clean.
Medical Assistants with both administrative and clinical skills are increasingly utilized because of their dual skills. The employment outlook is very good for Medical Assistants.
This program of study is also available as an Associate degree major option.
Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate ability to greet patients, answer telephones, schedule appointments, maintain and filing client medical records, complete insurance forms, arrange hospital admissions and laboratory services, handle billing, bookkeeping, and physician correspondence;
- Demonstrate ability to perform clinical tasks such as taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, explaining treatment procedures to clients, preparing clients for examinations, and assisting during examinations;
- Collect and prepare laboratory specimens and perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments;
- Present in an instructional manner information about medication and special diets;
- Demonstrate ability to perform other clinical tasks such as preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician, authorizing drug refills as directed, telephoning prescriptions to a pharmacy, preparing clients for x-rays, taking EKG's, removing sutures and changing dressings; and
- Arrange examining room instruments and equipment, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms neat and clean.
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