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Medical Assistant

• Admission Requirements
• Job Opportunities
• Degree Program
• Degree Cost Estimate
• Degree Checklist
• Certificate Program
• Certificate Checklist

Medical Coding

• Cerfiticate Program
• Certificate Checklist

Medical Secretary

• Cerfiticate Program
• Certificate Checklist

Phlebotomy

• Cerfiticate Program
• Certificate Checklist
• Program Description

General Information

• Programs of Study
• Admissions Info
• Course Descriptions

Medical Assistant

Medical assistants are multiskilled health professionals specifically educated to work in ambulatory settings performing administrative and clinical duties. The practice of medical assisting directly influences the public’s health and well-being, and requires mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills requiring both formal education and practical experience that serve as standards for entry into the profession.

Our nationally accredited Medical Assistant (MA) programs emphasize the skills and knowledge needed to obtain employment in doctors’ offices, clinics, insurance companies, and other medical facilities. Students may choose the professional certificate, which focuses mainly on the medical courses, or the associate degree, which includes advanced training in clinical procedures and the choice of electives that will enhance your education and training.

Graduates of the MA program are trained to work under the direction of physicians to provide quality health care, including patient intake, taking vital signs, giving injections, administering EKGs, drawing blood, and assisting the physician with patient exams, clinical procedures and office surgeries. Administrative training includes scheduling appointments, processing insurance claims, posting insurance/patient payments, and completing physician referrals. Both clinical and administrative classes include training in electronic medical records.

Both degree and certificate programs are competency based so that graduates are comprehensively prepared to enter any medical office with confidence. Graduates of both programs are eligible to sit for the national certification exam for medical assistants (CMA-AAMA).

MCC must ensure that patients/clients are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in practicum must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties, and changing circumstances that characterize patient/ client care responsibilities. Furthermore, the student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships with employees, patients/clients and their families.

Applicants must be in good physical and mental health to qualify for positions in health care. Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully and ultimately in the profession of medical assisting. Applicants who think they may not be able to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact the department head or faculty to discuss individual cases.

Our Medical Assistant programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB): Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 1361 Park Street, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 210-2350.

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Admission Requirements

In addition to college-wide admissions requirements, applicants must interview with a member of the full-time faculty to determine appropriateness for admission to the program.

Health, Character and Technical Standards

1. Placement into College Composition I based on Accuplacer scores before registering for any AH or MEDA courses.
2. Must demonstrate reading, writing, and listening comprehension competencies in English as well as the ability to speak English clearly and correctly. Applicants whose first language is not English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 61 (internet-based), 173 (computer-based) or 500 (paper-based) is required for admission.
3. Sufficient hearing to assess patient needs and to understand instructions, identify emergency signals and engage in telephone conversations.
4. Sufficient visual acuity to observe patients, manipulate equipment, and interpret data; visual acuity sufficient to ensure a safe environment, identify color changes, read fine print/writing and calculate fine calibrations.
5. Sufficient speech and language ability to express, comprehend, and exchange information and ideas in English verbally, non-verbally, and in writing, and to interact clearly and logically with patients, family, physicians, peers and other ancillary medical personnel.
6. Ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately in emergencies or unexpected situations and to cope with variations in workload and stress levels.
7. Sufficient strength to perform CPR and the ability to stand for extended periods of time.
8. Sufficient tactile ability to assess pressure, temperature, position, vibration, and movement.
9. Sufficient emotional intelligence to exhibit empathy and compassion, to maintain productive relationships in the classroom and clinical settings, and to integrate direction, instruction, and constructive criticism into behavior.
10. Criminal background checks are required of all students prior to entering the clinical setting. Drug screening may also be required, dependent on the clinical setting. No students will be exempt from either process. Cost to be incurred by student.
11. Additional requirements for Clinical Lab Procedures I include uniform, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and watch with a second hand.

Other Program Criteria

• Possess professional liability insurance for clinical classes and practicum (available at the college).
• Possess and maintain personal health insurance for clinical classes and practicum.
• Submit a report of a current physical exam, including vaccination status, up-to-date tetanus booster, TB test, Hepatitis B series and documentation of chicken pox or varicella vaccine prior to registering for Clinical Lab Procedures I.
• Be CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer (American Red Cross or American Heart Association equivalent) and First Aid certified prior to Clinical Lab Procedures I.
• All MEDA and AH courses must be taken within three years of Medical Assistant Practicum.
• Associate Degree students must enroll in MEDA218 immediately following MEDA125. MEDA223 must immediately follow MEDA218
• Students who place into MATH070 or MATH080 based on the Accuplacer test must successfully complete MATH080 and successfully pass a basic math test before registering for MEDA123 and MEDA125
• Students who do not possess verifiable touch keyboarding skills of 30-35 cwpm must take ADMN111 Keyboarding I prior to ADMN122Executive Keyboarding.

Job Opportunities

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 35 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than average for all occupations…particularly for those with formal training or experience, and certification.”

MCC has an outstanding placement rate for program graduates. Employer surveys document a high level of competency in our medical assistants, and our graduates have an exemplary record of passing the national certification exam.

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Medical Assistant Degree Program

Students must maintain a grade of “C” or better in most major required courses. Please consult the course descriptions for further information.

Total Credits - 65

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Medical Assistant Professional Certificate

Students who place in MATH070 or MATH080 based on the Accuplacer test must successfully complete MATH080 and successfully pass a basic math test before registering for MEDA123 Introduction to Pharmacology and MEDA125 Clinical Lab Procedures I.

Other Program Criteria

• Professional Certificate students must be enrolled in MEDA223 Medical Assistant Practicum immediately following MEDA125 Clinical Lab Procedures I.
• Students who place in MATH 070 or MATH080 based on the Accuplacer test must successfully complete MATH080 before enrolling in MEDA123 Introduction to Pharmacology and MEDA125 Clinical Lab Procedures I.
• Students who do not possess verifiable touch keyboarding skills of 30-35 cwpm must take ADMN111 Keyboarding I prior to ADMN122 Executive Keyboarding.

Total Credits - 44

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Medical Coding Certificate

Health care in the United States has undergone unprecedented changes in the recent past and even more changes are imminent. These changes have created an overwhelming and unmet demand for qualified medical coders. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 51% increase in the need for medical coders during the next five years. This national shortage has increased the salary for the coding occupations, and salaries will continue to rise in the future. In addition to medical reimbursement, coding is used for planning and research, to track diseases, and by hospital administrators to determine if hospital facilities are being used effectively and meet the needs of the community.

Medical coding requires the coder to abstract information from the patient record and combine it with their knowledge of reimbursement and coding guidelines to optimize physician payment. This coding curriculum will train participants to code for medical offices, clinics, mental health facilities, and hospitals. Successful completion of this certificate will prepare you to sit for the national Certified Coding Specialist exam.

Total Credits - 22

NOTE: MCOD100 and MCOD215 are only offered in the Spring semester; MCOD110 is only offered in the Fall semester; please plan accordingly.

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Medical Secretary Certificate

Medical secretaries perform a variety of tasks necessary to make an office operate smoothly. They are responsible for scheduling patient appointments, completing referrals for inpatient/outpatient procedures, keeping patient charts updated, accepting and documenting payments, processing insurance claims, typing correspondence, and interacting with health care facilities on a routine basis.

This certificate program provides the essentials needed to work in a medical office. Students will build a strong foundation of medical terminology, human anatomy, and prescription drugs before continuing on to courses requiring their application. Computer courses/applications and will prepare graduates to feel comfortable with all types of clerical duties associated with a doctor's office, hospital, or insurance company.

Total Credits - 32

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Phlebotomy Certificate

Phlebotomists (PBT) are essential members of the health care delivery team who are primarily responsible for collecting blood specimens from patients for laboratory testing. Qualified phlebotomists may be employed in hospital laboratories, private laboratories, doctors' offices, clinics, emergency rooms or blood donor centers. For more detailed information about the Phlebotomy program at MCC, review the Program Description Packet .

Classroom learning is combined with a 120-hour internship that is performed in a clinical laboratory or other health care facility to provide the skills required of a certified PBT. Fine motor skills and some mobility are required to successfully perform in most clinical facilities: drawing patient's blood in the inpatient and outpatient settings, processing specimens including operating mechanical and computerized equipment, and performing clerical duties. Good communication skills are critical in dealing with patients, clients, physicians, nurses, and other health care workers. Internships are limited and offered as sites become available. Students must have complete documentation of physical exam, immunization records, TB testing, and health insurance coverage prior to registering for AH135. Students who participate in the internship must be available on a full-time basis for three 40-hour weeks. There are no evening or weekend internships.

Students who successfully complete this program are qualified for immediate employment at independent labs, hospitals, clinics, and are eligible to sit for a national certification examination offered by several professional organizations.

Applicants for the Phlebotomy Program must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the College. Student's health status must be compatible with the skills of PBT.

Health, Character and Technical Standards

MCC must ensure that patients/clients are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in internships must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties, and changing circumstances that characterize patient/ client care responsibilities. Furthermore, the student is expected to have the emotional stability to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships with employees, patients/clients and their families.

MCC believes patient and student safety is of utmost importance. Therefore, if the instructor believes that actions demonstrated by a student in class or on internship jeopardize either the student’s own safety or patient safety, that student will be dismissed from the class/program.

Applicants must be in good physical and mental health to qualify for positions in the health care field. Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the phlebotomy profession. Applicants who think they may not be able to meet one or more of these health, character or technical standards should contact the department head or faculty to discuss individual cases.

PBT students must:

1. Demonstrate reading, writing, and listening comprehension competencies in the English language as well as the ability to speak English clearly and correctly. Applicants whose first language is not English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 62 (Internet- based), 173 (computer-based) or 500 (paper-based) is required before taking AH115.
2. Have sufficient hearing to assess patient needs and to understand instructions and identify emergency signals.
3. Have sufficient visual acuity to observe patients, and interpret data; visual acuity sufficient to ensure a safe environment, identify color changes, read fine print/writing and calculate fine calibrations.
4. Have sufficient speech and language ability to express, comprehend, and exchange information and ideas in English verbally, non-verbally, and in writing, and to interact clearly and logically with patients, family members, physicians, peers and other ancillary medical personnel. All students must take the Accuplacer test and meet reading level standards prior to registering for AH115, or have passed college-level courses with a C or better (documentation required).
5. Ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately in emergencies or unexpected situations and to cope with variations in workload and stress levels.
6. Ability to stand for extended periods of time.
7. Sufficient emotional intelligence to exhibit empathy and compassion, to maintain productive relationships in the classroom and clinical settings, and to integrate direction, instruction, and constructive criticism into behavior.
8. Criminal background checks are required of all students prior to entering the clinical setting. Drug screening may also be required, dependent on the clinical setting. No students will be exempt from either process. Cost to be incurred by student.
9. Submit a report of current physical status, including immunization against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella, and hepatitis B (at least 2 in the required 3-shot series must be completed); up-to-date tetanus booster; negative TB test within one year or negative chest x-ray with physician’s clearance.
10. Possess and maintain personal health insurance while in both AH115 Phlebotomy and AH135 Internship. Documentation will be required at the first class.
11. Possess professional liability insurance for both the AH115 Phlebotomy class and the Internship (available through the college).
12. Provide own transportation to and from the internship site.

Total Credits - 6

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