Medical Assistant

The Medical Assistant program consists of the following courses:

Medical Assistant

920 Clock Hours/47.5 Semester Units
This program is designed to prepare students for entry level positions as "back and front office" medical assistants for California healthcare providers. This program combines the "back office" medical assisting and "front office" assistant training. Prior to starting this program, a pre-employment drug screen, physical exam, negative Mantoux intradermal tuberculosis (TB) skin test or Chest X-Ray, and current immunizations are required.

GE101 English Composition and Communication
(45 lecture hours/3.5 semester units)
Prerequisite, with a minimum grade of "C"
A college-level course in English designed to strengthen basic skills and develop critical reading, writing and thinking skills. Emphasis is on practical forms of communication used in the professional workplace.

GE102 College Mathematics
(45 lecture hours/3.5 semester units)
Prerequisite, with a minimum grade of "C"
A college-level course in math designed to strengthen basic arithmetic skills and develop proficiency in practical computations and calculations commonly encountered in the professional workplace.

GE103 Computer Literacy
(45 lecture hours/3.5 semester units)
Prerequisite, with a minimum grade of "C"
This course will introduce the student to the basics of computers and keyboarding. Computer components will be discussed as well as different types of software. There will be an emphasis on Windows XP, keyboarding skills and exploring the internet and using internet e-mail.

GC104 Computer Software Applications
(45 lecture hours/3 units)
Prerequisite, with a minimum grade of "C"
This is an overview course designed to teach students the skills they will need to create and manipulate documents using MS Word, spreadsheets using MS Excel.

MED111 Medical Terminology
(45 lecture hours/3.5 semester units)
This is an introductory course in medical terminology with the assumption of no other knowledge in the field. The goal is vocational with a focus on understanding the language of medicine studying basic word structures using a systems approach: Integumentary, musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, sensory and endocrine systems will be covered in this course.

NS111 Anatomy and Physiology
(45 lecture hours/3.5 semester units)
Study of the organic systems of the human body, Topics include the digestive system, the urinary system, the male and female reproductive systems, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the blood, lymphatic and immune systems, the musculoskeletal system, the integumentary system, the endocrine system, and the sense organs.

MED112 Pharmacology
(45 lecture hours/4.5 semester units)
This course is designed to assist students in developing an understanding of basic pharmacology; including routes of administration, proper techniques, conversion, and use of syringes, needles and other related applicable equipment and techniques commonly used in the medical/clinical office.

MED113 Patient Assessment
(30 lecture hours-30 lab hours/4.5 semester units)
This course is designed to provide to the student with the knowledge of exam room procedures and patient assessment techniques including vital signs as well as methods of infection control used in the medical/clinical office setting.

MED114 Laboratory Procedures
(30 lecture hours-30 lab hours/3 semester units)
This course is designed to expose the student to procedures most common in the clinical laboratory setting. Emphasis will be placed on blood collection techniques, medical asepsis, OSHA safety precautions, and other relevant laboratory testing such as urinalysis, antisteptolysin testing, pregnancy tests and others common to the medical/clinical office. Note: Laboratory practice requires both simulator and live blood draws.

MED115 CPR/Medical Emergencies
(15 lecture hours/1.0 semester units)
This course emphasizes CPR certification and Basic Emergency First Aid training for those injured individuals needing immediate medical intervention. This course will be lecture based as well as hands on skill training.

MED116 Medical Software
(15 lecture hours/1.0 semester units)
The student will become familiar with computerized account management as well as develop the confidence and skills necessary to become a successful user of medical account management software. The medical manager student version is incorporated into this course.

MED117 Advanced Medical Terminology
(30 lecture hours-15 lab hours/2 semester units)
Prerequisite: MED111
This course is a continuation of MED111, providing students with a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology relating to the systems studied in MED111, as well as the specialties of oncology, radiology and nuclear medicine, pathology, blood, lymphatic and immunology, psychiatry and pharmacology.

MED118 Basic Medical Office Procedures
(30 lecture hours-15 lab hours/2.5 semester units)
This course provides an introduction to the business side of the medical office, "The Administrative Medical Assistant", focusing on the healthcare industry, the administrative medical assisting profession, and professional behavior, as well as computers in the medical office, telephone techniques, appointment scheduling and patient reception and processing.

MED119 Advanced Medical Office Procedures
(30 lecture hours-15 lab hours/2.5 semester units)
Prerequisite: MED118
This course is a continuation of MED118, focusing on written communications and mail processing, medical records management, medical practice management, marketing and customer service, as well as health information management and management of practice finances..

MED120 Advanced Medical Software
(15 lecture hours-30 lab hours/2.0 semester units)
This course provides additional knowledge of the medical office, appointment scheduling and procedures, enabling the student to perform billing and the collection of necessary data. The student will use ICD-9-CM codes for identifying diagnoses and enter current CPT-4 codes for medical procedures, treatments and services. Students will be instructed in insurance billing (HCFA-1500 forms) and posting payments from patients, posting payments from insurance carriers and when to apply necessary posting adjustments and write-offs from carriers; also the posting of multiple patients from an explanation of benefits and the ability to read and understand the explanation of benefits. The knowledge of refunding an overpayment, removing the credit for a bad check, re-billing unpaid insurance claims, aging accounts and preparing reports for the practice, including financial activity reports, support reports, daily reports and special reports.

MED121 Medical Insurance Billing
(30 lecture hours/2.0 semester units)
This course introduces the student to medical documentation, insurance claim forms, electronic claim submissions, posting payments, collection strategies and related problem solving. Health care coverage topics include: managed care, Medicare, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, CHAMPVA, Workers Comp, Disability Income and Hospital Billing.

MED122 Medical Insurance Coding
(30 lecture hours/2.0 semester units)
This course introduces the student to diagnostic coding ICD-9-CM in conjunction with the basic steps and rules for accurate coding. The goal is to allow a higher level of reimbursement through understanding the current procedural coding skills CPT-4 and the effective use of billing to the highest proper level of specification.

MED123 Medical Transcription
(30 lecture hours/2.5 semester units)
Prerequisite: GE103, GE104, MED111 and MED117
This course is an introduction to medical transcription, and the equipment used. It will provide hands-on practice transcribing basic clinic letters or SOAP notes, and the patient history and physical and discharge summary, using knowledge gained in basic and advanced medical terminology. Student showing strong aptitude may also attempt specialty transcription.

HUM111 Medical Ethics
(15 lecture hours/1.5 semester unit)
This course is designed to acquaint the student with one's ethical and legal responsibilities as a health care provider. Common situations, problems and dilemmas are studied. Other topics include medical etiquette, medical practice acts, professional liability, patient rights, contracts, informed consent, minors, emergency care, medical records and alternatives to the litigation process.

CS159 Career Success
(15 lecture hours/1.5 semester unit)
This course is comprised of three key elements: 1) practical job readiness with the goal of producing a resume and cover letter. 2) First job search skills, including mock interviews and networking. 3) Surveying career paths beyond the entry level with health care professionals.

CMA299 Clinical Medical Assisting - Externship Training Plan
(120 externship hours-3 weeks/2.5 semester units)

During the externship phase of the Clinical Medical Assisting program, the externing student will be provided with the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills acquired during classroom clinical theory, and clinical laboratory practical while obtaining experience and additional skills consistent with a hands on approach. The externship will take place at an approved medical/clinical facility under professional and paraprofessional supervision.

While under clinical supervision the extern will be observed and evaluated on their overall clinical development, especially those areas of direct patient care, procedural technique, and knowledge of pertinent legal issues regulated by OSHA and HIIPA.

Students will be evaluated on a weekly basis and then assigned a final grade at the end of the externship by their facility supervisor. Unsatisfactory conduct or behavior will result in the withdrawal of the student from the externship site.

Upon completion of the externship, the student will have gained the required clinical experience needed to prepare them for an entry-level position as a Clinical Medical Assistant.

* The student will not receive a grade for this course until all course objectives have been met successfully, regardless of the scheduled course hours. Scheduled hours reflect the minimum required hours for the course and may vary on an individual student basis.

MOA299 Medical Office Administration and Billing - Externship Training Plan
(40 externship hours-1 week/.5 semester unit)
Since medical offices vary widely, the extern may work in one and/or all of the following environments and perform the following training:

Medical Front Office: The externship requires the student to use the telephone techniques, medical terminology, and medical software skills, learned during their classes, for appointment scheduling, patient reception and patient processing.

Medical Records Department: In the medical records department of a clinic, specialty practice, or physician's office environment; requires the student to use the telephone techniques, medical terminology, filing practices, medical software capability and patient processing skills learned during their classes.

Medical Billing Office: In a medical billing office environment; requires the student to use the telephone techniques, medical terminology, insurance, billing, and coding concepts, as well as the computerized medical software capability learned during their classes.

Medical Transcription: In a medical transcription setting; requires the student to produce chart/clinic notes and clinic letters in a variety of medical specialties using the skills and knowledge gained during their English, Medical Terminology, and Medical Transcription courses.

For all MOAB externships the student will be expected to dress appropriately for their position, be professional, punctual, flexible, and have a good attitude. The student must respect the confidentiality of their position and will be expected to sign a confidentiality agreement at the outset of the externship.

* The student will not receive a grade for this course until all course objectives have been met successfully, regardless of the scheduled course hours. Scheduled hours reflect the minimum required hours for the course and may vary on an individual student basis.