Associate of Science/Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting Services

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Program Description

The introduction of students to the overall operation of the physician’s office is the basic objective of this program. Students are trained to assist the physician in the examination room, to perform routine laboratory procedures, and to handle financial records, correspondence, insurance forms, and other administrative functions. This program is unique from other programs as students are prepared for and sit for the Medical Assisting Certification Exam during their program. This certification enhances employment opportunities but is not a state specific requirement.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

Perform clinical assisting and laboratory procedures.
Perform all administrative duties for a medical office.
Apply legal concepts to the medical practice.
Communicate professionally with patients, coworkers, and providers.
Utilize test-taking skills along with medical assisting knowledge to complete the credentialing exam.

Program Content

A minimum of 60.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Required Courses

All courses, 24.00 semester credit hours, are required.

HC 101 - Medical Terminology Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
HC 120 - Introduction to Healthcare Management Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
MC 110 - Introduction to Billing and Coding Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
MC 120 - Patient Privacy Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
MO 160 - Pathophysiology and Pharmacology Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
MO 180 - Administrative Skills for the Medical Office Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
MO 185 - Ethics and Professionalism Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
MO 205 - Insurance Claims, Processing and Adjudication Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
SC 144 - Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology Semester Credit Hours: 4.00

Required Clinical Courses

All courses, 13.00 semester credit hours, are required.

* MS 263 - Medical Clinical Assisting I with Lab Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
MS 265 - Medical Clinical Assisting II with Lab Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
* MS 268 - Externship Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
MS 281 - Program Certification Review Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
* Enrollment and successful completion in a student readiness training course is required two terms prior to MS 263 and MS 268.

Healthcare Elective Courses

A minimum of 2.00 semester credit hours is required from a combination of healthcare electives and/or credits transferred from the core (non-general education) courses of a healthcare-related associate or diploma programs. Students not transferring in 2.00 semester credit hours in healthcare courses may make up the difference with elective courses in healthcare and/or related subject areas.

General Education Requirements - Associate

Students enrolled in this bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines.

9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communications

EN 104 – English Composition I
EN 111- Information Literacy
EN 116 – Speech

6.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities

HU 140 – Cultural Diversity
HU 240 – Introduction to Humanities

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics

MA 109 – College Algebra

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Science

SC 144 – Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology*

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social and Behavioral Sciences

PS 101 – Psychology

*This requirement is being met by the programmatic science course requirement, SC 144, above.