Program Outline
The Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assistant Degree program provides students with thorough and practical training in medical and laboratory procedures. Studying for an AAS degree also offers general medical knowledge and training in the area of medical office procedures. The general education portion of the program includes coursework in reading, writing, basic math, basic science, psychology, and speech. Emphasis in this portion of the program is placed on enhancing students’ academic and interpersonal skills.
The program has a total of 62 semester credits, with 20 credits in general education and 42 credits in the program’s major courses. The curriculum outline is below:
General Education Courses
|
Course Number |
Course Title |
Semester Credits |
|
BIO 101 |
Anatomy and Physiology I |
4 |
|
BIO 102 |
Anatomy and Physiology II |
4 |
|
MAT 103 |
College Algebra |
3 |
|
ENG 101 |
English Composition |
3 |
|
PSY 101 |
General Psychology |
3 |
|
SPC 101 |
Interpersonal Communications |
3 |
|
|
TOTAL |
20 |
Program Major Courses
|
Course Number |
Course Title |
Semester Credits |
|
MAP 101 |
Medical Terminology |
3 |
|
MAP 102 |
Medical Communications |
3 |
|
MAP 103 |
Law and Ethics for Medical Professionals |
3 |
|
MAP 104 |
Medical Office Administration |
3 |
|
MAP 105 |
Fundamentals of Computer Technology |
2 |
|
MAP 200 |
Laboratory Techniques I |
3 |
|
MAP 201 |
Laboratory Techniques II |
3 |
|
MAP 202 |
Microbiology for Medical Professionals |
3 |
|
MAP 203 |
Clinical Office Procedures |
3 |
|
MAP 204 |
Electrocardiography with Interpretation |
3 |
|
MAP 205 |
Pharmacology for Allied Health Professionals |
3 |
|
MAP 206 |
Advanced Clinical Procedures |
4 |
|
MAP 210 |
Medical Assistant Externship |
6 |
|
TOTAL |
|
42 |
TOTAL CREDITS (without elective courses): 62
Length of Program: 2 years
Abbreviations:
BIO – Biological Science MAT – Mathematics
ENG – English PSY – Psychology
SPC – Speech MAP – Medical Assistant Professional
Course Descriptions
ENG 098 Developmental Writing 3 Semester Units/0 Credits
This course reviews the writing process, namely, brainstorming, prewriting, drafting, proofreading, revising, and publishing. Students learn how to write strong sentences, paragraphs, and short essays, with clarity, creativity, and voice.
ENG 099 Developmental Reading 3 Semester Units/0 Credits
This course introduces students to college-level reading strategies, such as identifying main point, summarizing, distinguishing between fact and opinion, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and paraphrasing.
MAT 098 Developmental Math 3 Semester Units/0 Credits
This course covers basic math concepts, including but not limited to percentages, ratios, mathematical expressions, order of operations, simplifying algebraic expressions, and deductive reasoning.
BIO 101 Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Semester Credits
This course explores the structure and function of the human body. It includes the study of cells and tissue, with focus on the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems.
BIO 102 Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Semester Credits
This course is a continuation of Anatomy and Physiology I. It provides additional study of the structure and function of the human body. It includes study of the nervous system, the endocrine system, the reproductive system, protein synthesis, meiosis and genetics, digestion, anatomy and physiology of the urinary system, fluid and electrolyte balance, and immunity.
Prerequisites: BIO 101
ENG 101 English Composition 3 Semester Credits
This course further introduces students to college-level writing and reading skills through critical reading, group analysis, formal essays, and research projects. Proper paragraph and essay structure is emphasized throughout the course.
Prerequisites: ENG 098 and ENG 099 or passing of placement exams
MAT 103 College Algebra 3 Semester Credits
This course covers basic concepts in algebra, including but not limited to equations and inequalities in one variable problems, coordinate geometry and graphing techniques, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of linear equations in two or more variables, sequences and series, and probability theory.
Prerequisites: MAT 098 Developmental Math or passing of placement exam
PSY 101 General Psychology 3 Semester Credits
This course introduces students to the scientific discipline of psychology. It addresses cross-cultural issues, historical perspectives, and the importance of psychological well-being, with topics ranging from psychological disorders, therapeutic approaches, and personality, to the biological basis of behavior, learning and memory, development, consciousness, and the social nature of human beings.
SPC 101 Interpersonal Communications 3 Semester Credits
This course is an overview of the process of human communication, with special emphasis on analyzing communication patterns. Students learn skills designed to improve interactions in family, social, and professional settings. The course also addresses effective listening, pacing, attending, making value judgments, summarizing, probing, empathy, handling emotions, perception checking, and conflict management. Hindrances to effective communication are also discussed.
MAP 101 Medical Terminology 3 Semester Credits
This course is designed to provide in-depth knowledge and understanding of medical language used by health care professionals, including roots, prefixes, suffixes and word meanings. A systematic approach to the language of diseases, treatments and diagnostic procedures is presented. Common medical abbreviations used in the clinical setting are emphasized.
MAP 102 Medical Communications 3 Semester Credits
Students will learn how to communicate effectively in the medical setting while taking medical histories, discussing procedures and working with the next-of-kin. The proper way of communicating with the elderly, handicapped, pediatric and even disgruntled patients are examined. Communication skills utilized while working with members of the health care team are also discussed.
MAP 103 Law and Ethics for Medical professional 3 Semester Credits
This course covers the history of healthcare: the development of skills, attitudes and roles of medical assistants, licensure requirements, ethics and legal issues, etc. Emphasis is placed on professionalism, the relationships between physicians and patients, professional liability, medical ethics, and the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA). The legality of the health record as legal document is emphasized.
MAP 104 Medical Office Administration 3 Semester Credits
This course covers the responsibilities held by the medical office personnel. Topics include an introduction to basic medical office skills, including telephone techniques, filing and indexing, mail handling, appointment scheduling, travel arrangements, professional correspondence, and business transactions. Students will learn to utilize the medical database, Medisoft, which allows the user to register patients and input office data. An introduction to bookkeeping and other insurance and managed care claims will be provided. Medical transcription will be demonstrated and practiced on computer software. Theory and practice related to the ICD-9 and CPT-4 coding systems will be introduced.
MAP 105 Fundamentals of Computer Technology 2 Semester Credits
This course is designed to prepare the Medical Assistant student to use alphanumeric keyboarding. Students will increase their typing speed and improve their keyboarding with accuracy. Once the skills have been mastered, students will then use Microsoft Word to create business letters, memos, tables and other important documents needed to maintain health care businesses today.
MAP 200 Laboratory Techniques I 3 Semester Credits
This course introduces students to aspects of the clinical laboratory sciences, such as laboratory organization, professional ethnics, basic laboratory use, safety, quality control, quality assurance and specimen collection. OSHA and CLIA regulations are stressed and applied to the performance of basic laboratory skills such as blood collection (phlebotomy), urinalysis, and microbiology.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102, MAP 101, MAP 202 and MAP 203
MAP 201 Laboratory Techniques II 3 Semester Credits
This course is a continuation of Laboratory Techniques I. Blood collection (phlebotomy) is further studied, while chemistry testing and hematology testing (e.g., CBC, differential blood smears, blood typing, strep throat testing, glucose determinations, blood clotting, and cholesterol testing) is introduced.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102, MAP 101, MAP 200, MAP 202 and MAP 203
MAP 202 Microbiology for Medical Professionals 3 Semester Credits
This course provides students with knowledge of pathogenic microorganisms. Students are introduced to the biological foundations of viruses and bacteria that are required for their viability. The strategies that microbial pathogens employ to successfully infect humans and cause disease are described. Laboratory procedures including gram-staining sensitivity testing and use of microscope are employed.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102, and MAP 101
MAP 203 Clinical Office Procedures 3 Semester Credits
This course introduces students to the basic skills that are performed by the medical assistant. Emphasis is placed on patient-centered assessment, examination, intervention and treatment as directed by the physician. Additional study includes vital patient assessment, OSHA regulations, and charting. Anthropometric measurement and differentiation of signs and symptoms are also covered.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102 and MAP 101
MAP 204 Electrocardiography with Interpretation 3 Semester Credits
This course is designed and intended to prepare students for analysis of the anatomy and physiology of the heart, cardiovascular diseases, medical terminology, modern electrocardiography and basic ECG interpretation. The course covers anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system, electrophysiology, ECG rhythms, conduction problems and pacemaker recognition. Students learn to set up an ECG machine, prepare patients for testing, and conduct the ECG. Emphasis will also be placed on the relationship of the ECG in interpretation and disease states.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102 and MAP 101
MAP 205 Pharmacology for Allied Health Professionals 3 Semester Credits
This course is a basic introduction to the principles of pharmacology. Topics include classes of drugs and body systems; antiviral, antibiotics and chemotherapy agents; drug nomenclature; drug routes; drug interaction and contraindications; and various types of injections.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102, and MAP 101
MAP 206 Advanced Clinical Procedures 4 Semester Credits
This course prepares students with advanced clinical skills required in a laboratory. These skills include pulmonary function testing; local application of heat and cold; therapeutic ultrasound; minor office surgery; wound car; suture removal; bandaging; parental administration; pediatric growth patterns; pediatric immunizations and procedures; gynecological exams; and emergency medical procedures related to heart attack, stroke, shock, bleeding, wounds, burns, seizures, pulmonary problems, gastrointestinal problems, etc.
Prerequisites: BIO 101, BIO 102, MAP 101, MAP 200, MAP 201, MAP 202, MAP 203, MAP 204, and MAP 205
MAP 210 Medical Assistant Externship 6 Semester Credits
This externship course provides students with exposure to a healthcare setting that reflects material covered in Phlebotomy, ECG, Patient Care Techniques, Vital Signs, and Billing and Coding. The clinical site includes a laboratory in a hospital and/or private office setting. The course will commence with a one-day classroom orientation session. During the orientation, students will be instructed on professional behavior expected in a lab, including attendance and dress code. They will also receive instructions on how to keep an hours log, a case log, case journals, and the necessary evaluation forms.
Prerequisites: All coursework
