Shasta College Certificate of Achievement Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting Item 1: Statement of Program Goals and Objectives The proposed Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting supports the mission of Shasta College by providing access to affordable and comprehensive career technical training that contributes to the economical development of our community. Graduates of the program will have developed critical thinking, effective communication, information competency, community awareness, and workplace skills necessary for employment in the healthcare industry. Upon completion, graduates will be eligible to certify through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) (Multiskilled Medical Certification Institute, Inc.), or the California Certifying Board of Medical Assistants (CCBMA), the latter two of which are recognized by the California Medical Board. Program and Student Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting, the student will be able to: Apply the knowledge and skills needed to perform entry level competencies in clinical and administrative medical assisting as outlined by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Apply the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully pass the certification exam through NHA, NCCT, or CCBMA. Apply knowledge, skills, and professionalism necessary to compete in the job market. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively as an individual and collaboratively as a team member to resolve challenges in a changing healthcare environment. Student Selection and Fees To begin the program, the student must: Complete the Admission Application for Shasta College or be an active Shasta College student.
Enroll in courses following the recommended sequence of courses for the Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting. Submit all required paperwork before beginning ALH coursework High school diploma Assessment of current health status Tuberculosis screening Proof of immunizations or immunity Criminal background check Drug screening Additional fees include: Textbooks Transportation costs related to externship (ALH 94) Immunizations Criminal background check Drug screening Scrubs, athletic shoes, stethoscope Certification fees Item 2: Catalog Description The Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting prepares the student with the knowledge, skills, and distinctive qualities necessary for the Medical Assisting profession. The Medical Assistant possesses a broad scope of skills which make them ideal allied health professionals in the ambulatory care setting. During this program students will learn vitals, EKG, venipuncture, injections and pharmacology, assisting in minor office surgery, waived testing, patient advocacy and education, medical terminology, basic anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, as well as medical office administrative tasks. Such versatility affords graduates the opportunity to find employment in clinics, urgent care facilities, primary care and specialty physician offices, including podiatry, chiropractic, and optometry. Medical Assistants have also found employment in medical laboratories, surgical centers, electrocardiography departments in hospitals, government agencies, and educational institutions.the program can be completed in two semesters, not including prerequisite coursework. Students will complete an additional 160 hour externship hosted by local healthcare facilities. A Certificate of Achievement may be earned by completing all courses with a grade of C or better and passing externship (ALH 94). The medical assisting profession is highly diversified, and the work is challenging and personally rewarding. Item 3: Program Requirements and Course Sequence
In addition to the two prerequisite courses, students must complete the core courses listed below in order to earn the Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting. Students must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0 with a grade of C or higher in ALL courses required of the program. A P (pass) grade is not an acceptable grade for courses in this program with the exception of ALH 94. All coursework must be completed in order to participate in ALH 94. Students must be prepared to complete ALH 94 immediately following the completion of all other course work, or as placement allows. Externship (ALH 94) scheduling commitments generally follow standard business hours M F 8 5. In order to progress through the allied health courses, students must demonstrate competence in both the theory and clinical components. Failing or Withdrawing from any one of the semester s co requisites courses requires withdrawal from all of that semester s co requisites. Program Sequence Prerequisite Courses OAS 110 Medical Terminology 3 BIO 5 Introduction to Human Biology 3 Semester One OAS 150 Electronic Health Records 3 OAS 112 Medical Coding 3 ALH 101 Medical Assisting Core 4 ALH 102 Administrative Medical Assisting 4 Semester Two
ALH 103 Clinical Medical Assisting Theory I 3 ALH 104 Clinical Medical Assisting Procedures I 4 ALH 105 Clinical Medical Assisting Theory II 3 ALH 106 Clinical Medical Assisting Procedures II 4 Semester Three (160 hours) ALH 107 Medical Assisting Professional Development 1.5 ALH 94 Medical Assisting Clinical Experience 5 Prerequisite courses 6 units Program courses 34.5 units Total for Certificate of Achievement 40.5 units Item 4: Master Planning Program Origins: Clinical and Administrative Medical Assistant training has been provided through Shasta College s Community Education Department since 2008. Recognizing the importance of offering an affordable for credit program, a strategic decision was made to restructure the program so that students could earn a Certificate of Achievement for their efforts. In addition, the Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting is directly supportive of the Adult Education Block Initiatives. As a vocational training program, the coursework can be completed in a relatively short period so that the student is able to enter the workforce sooner. Relevancy in the Region: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the medical assisting profession is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster that the average for all occupations. The Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting addresses the growing demand for certified medical assistants. The demand
is generated from a combination of federal health legislation and an increase in the retired population. Certification will be embedded in the program as a means of graduating competitive candidates. While certification is not required in the state of California at this time, physician offices are demanding certification in order to meet Meaningful Use requirements as set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Item 5: Enrollment and Completion Projections The proposed start date for the Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting is fall 2016. Only Semester One courses will be offered. Semester Two courses will be added in spring 2017, with Semester Three (160 hours) to be offered Summer 2017. Courses will be added as the program progresses and according to the demand. Eventually students may enter the program in either the fall or the spring semesters. It is projected that initially 10 12 students will enroll in the program. Item 6: Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Shasta College does not have a Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting. The administrative portion of the program does seem similar to the Office Administration program, but is different is several ways. Medical Assisting Core and Administrative Medical Assisting (ALH 101 and 102) focus on medical office administration and addresses specific information in order to adequately prepare graduates for both certification and the ambulatory healthcare setting. Item 7: Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area A Certificate of Achievement in Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting is not available at any community colleges in the region. Other community colleges in California that offer the same program include: Orange Coast College: Costa Mesa, CA Contra Costa College: San Pablo, CA Proprietary Schools that offer a Certificate of Completion: Institute of Technology: Redding, CA