Printer Friendly Version    Evaluation Worksheet   

Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical-Track 1 Certificate Health Sciences Total Units: 50.5
A newer version of this program is available. View the latest version here.

Catalog rights may apply, see a counselor for more information.

Term Effective: Fall 1992

Description:

The Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Career Certificate 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 take the California Examination for Certified Medical Assistants. Track 1 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 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 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, draw blood, prepare clients for x-rays, take EKG's, remove sutures and change dressings. 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. Job titles include: medical assistant, administrative assistant, clinical medical assistant, hospital unit secretary, insurance claims process, medical transcriptionist, or research assistant.

The employment outlook is very good for Medical Assistants. Click here for supplemental information about the program, and contact the Health Sciences Department for more information.

Program Requirements:

The requirements for the Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical-Track 1 Certificate program are:

  • Complete 50.5 units from
    • Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical

Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical - complete 50.50 units
BOT 153Typing-Skill Building1.50
CIS 101APersonal Computers for New Users1.00
HLC 60Medical Terminology1.00-3.00
MSR 66Medical Secretary/Receptionist Externship1.00-3.50
MSR 68.1Basic Medical Office Insurance1.50
MSR 70AIntroduction to Medical Transcription1.50
MSR 60Introduction to Medical Office Practice1.00-3.00
MSR 61Law and Ethics in the Medical Office1.00
MSR 62BMastering Medical Language II4.00
PSYCH 1AGeneral Psychology3.00
Complete any combination totaling at least 3.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
ANAT 51Anatomy & Physiology1.00-5.00
ANAT 58Introduction to Human Anatomy3.00

Term Effective: Fall 1992

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.

Term Inactive: Fall 2006

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Notes:

All courses must be completed with a "C" or better to receive the certificate.

Contact
Information
Phone Email Website
(707) 527-4272
srjccertificate003155@santarosa.edu