Introduction to Clinical Medical Assisting
Program Length: 20 Semester Credit Hours
Program Overview:
The Introduction to Clinical Medical Assisting program is designed to prepare students with the clinical skills needed to assist with patient care in a physician’s office or other outpatient healthcare setting. The student will gain skills to perform clinical tasks such as assisting with minor surgery, taking vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, performing EKG, obtaining health history, specimen collection, administering first aid, and other related tasks commonly performed.
Program Outcomes: Upon completion of this program, students are expected to be able to:
•Demonstrate proficiency in medical terminology by correctly identifying and defining key medical terms and abbreviations commonly used in clinical settings.
•Describe the structure and function of the various body systems and identify the pathophysiologic conditions and disorders, diagnostic procedures, and treatment options for each.
•Identify best practices for safety and infection control in a medical office.
•Prepare patients for healthcare provider examinations and procedures, conduct accurate screening, and document appropriately in the medical record.
•Assist providers in minor office surgeries, including maintaining surgical asepsis, and providing patient education on treatment plans.
•Identify common diagnostic tests and differentiate between normal and abnormal results.
Listed below are summaries of each course within the program.
MED101 Medical Terminology 3 Credits
This course introduces students to the language of medicine. Students will gain an understanding of the way medical terms are formed and how to build medical terms using combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes. Students will learn the structure and function of various body systems and the diagnostic, procedural, laboratory, pathological, surgical, and pharmacological terms and abbreviations associated with each body system.
MED140 Anatomy and Physiology I 3 Credits
This is the first of a two-course series that provides a comprehensive study of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. This course focuses on the overall organization of the human body and the anatomical locations of the various organs and systems. The course will discuss genetic and congenital disorders, and the structure and function of cells and cell division. The nervous, sensory, integumentary, muscular, and skeletal systems will be covered including the structure, function, common pathology, diagnostic procedures, and treatments. The course is designed for students who have little formal knowledge of the human body who wish to pursue a career in health-related professions.
MED142 Clinical Procedures I 4 Credits
The responsibility of preparing patients for examinations and procedures performed by the providers is mainly the medical assistant. In this course, the medical assistant’s role in the patient examination
process will be stressed. Ensuring patient safety by minimizing disease transmission will be discussed as well as preparing a patient for specific examinations and procedures. The assistant’s role of educating the patient in healthful activities and disease or disorder management is covered. The process to conduct accurate screening and the procedures to document accurately in the medical record are also reviewed.
MED141 Anatomy and Physiology II 3 Credits
Prerequisite: MED140 Anatomy and Physiology I
Building on the knowledge gained in Anatomy and Physiology I, this course provides an in-depth study of the respiratory, circulatory, immune, digestive, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive systems. Students will learn about the structure and function of each system, common diseases and disorders, diagnostic procedures, and available treatment options.
MED143 Clinical Procedures II 4 Credits
Prerequisite: MED142 Clinical Procedures I
Medical assistants may be required to assist the provider in minor office surgeries and various treatment modalities, as well as provide patients with education on their treatment plan. Throughout this course students will be shown how to maintain surgical asepsis, which is vital to the prevention of disease transmission, before, during, and following any of the invasive procedures performed in the medical office or clinic. Students will also develop a good working knowledge of the care and function of basic instruments used in minor surgical procedures as well as how to assist the provider and properly prepare the patient. This course also covers several rehabilitation methods, such as body mechanics, mobility devices, and range-of-motion exercises, as well as healthy living techniques that include nutritional guidelines and the significance of diet, exercise, weight control, sleep, and the way personal behaviors influence health. Finally, this course will discuss what to do if confronted with an emergency or accidental situation including basic first aid skills and CPR.
MED144 Lab Procedures 3 Credits
Prerequisite: MED142 Clinical Procedures I
This course will provide students with an understanding of the lab procedures typical of a physician’s office laboratory. Students will study various laboratory tests and procedures with a focus on safety. Students will be taught how to recognize safety, security, and operation hazards in the medical and laboratory environment and identify best practices for eliminating and/or minimizing them. In addition, students will gain knowledge of the purpose for common diagnostic tests and identify how to differentiate between normal and abnormal results.