Program Overview

Program Overview

The A.A.S. degree program in Medical Assistant builds upon the existing 30-credit Certificate in Medical Office Assistant. By completing the Associate Degree program, students will increase their general medical knowledge and administrative skills and will gain proficiency in additional clinical procedures that a typical medical office would employ. Graduates will be competitive in the continually expanding Health Care field, the fastest growing industry in the United States.

Program Description

Medical assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as members of the health care delivery team and perform a combination of administrative and clinical procedures. Administrative duties include answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patient's medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and bookkeeping.

Clinical duties include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, preparing patients for examination and assisting the physician during examination. Medical assistants also collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They will draw blood, prepare patients for X-rays, take electro-cardiograms, and remove sutures and change dressings under the supervision of the practitioner.

Degree Program Requirements

The program has additional benefits to students made possible by Perkins funding.

Career Opportunities

This Career and Technical Education (CTE) degree program has additional benefits to students made possible by Perkins funding.

National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Professional Certification

• A student enrolled in BI-961 (Phlebotomy Practice) has the opportunity to take the NHA Phlebotomy Certification exam to become a certified Phlebotomy Technician.
• A student enrolled in BI-452 (EKG Technology) has the opportunity to take the NHA EKG Certification exam to become a certified EKG Technician.
• A student who graduates from the Medical Assistant A.A.S. Degree program can take the NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Exam. This national certification will open the door to many Medical Assistant jobs.

Degree Maps

• A.A.S. in Medical Assistant with Developmental Placement
• A.A.S. in Medical Assistant No Developmental Placement

Student Learning Outcomes for Academic Programs

A.A.S. in Medical Office Assistant

General Education Outcomes

A robust general education is founded on the knowledge, concepts, methods, and perspectives that students gain through the study of many academic disciplines. These disciplinary studies stimulate intellectual inquiry, global awareness, and cultural and artistic appreciation: they equip students to make informed judgments and remain engaged beyond the classroom. To that end, QCC promotes educational activities that allow students to demonstrate that they can:

1. Communicate effectively in various forms
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make informed decisions
3. Reason quantitatively as required in various fields of interest and in everyday life
4. Apply information management and digital technology skills useful for academic research and lifelong learning
5. Apply scientific methods and reasoning to investigate issues or problems in the natural and social sciences in order to draw conclusions

To support these institutional general education outcomes, the academic departments—through their programs—may also assess the ability of students to:

• Integrate knowledge and skills in the program of study
• Make ethical judgments while recognizing multiple perspectives, as appropriate in the program of study
• Work collaboratively to accomplish learning objectives

Program Outcomes

1. Accurately use basic medical terminology and apply relevant human biological principles to patients' needs
2. Execute medical office responsibilities and tasks within ethical and legal boundaries
3. Practice patient-centered and coordinated care.
4. Employ state-of-the-art software to complete administrative tasks, including patient medical records management, collections, and insurance processing
5. Perform the most commonly used clinical testing procedures, such as EKS and phlebotomy