Oct 06, 2024  
2024-25 Catalog 
    
2024-25 Catalog

Medical Assisting


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Program Coordinator Shelle Ridings

Medical Assistants are multi-skilled health professionals specifically educated to work as a member of a health care team, performing a broad range of clinical and administrative tasks under the supervision of a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner. Program graduates assist health care professionals in many aspects of medical and nursing practice, including patient care management, administrative, and clinical procedures. Students learn about the administrative duties of scheduling and receiving patients, preparing and maintaining medical records, performing basic secretarial skills, handling telephone calls, writing correspondence, serving as the liaison between the physician and other individuals, and managing practice finances. The clinical phase of the program is taught through intense training and hands-on application. Students learn to perform clinical duties, including asepsis and infection control, taking patient histories and vital signs, first aid and CPR, preparing patients for procedures, assisting the health care professional with examinations and treatments, collecting and processing specimens, performing selected diagnostic tests, administering injections, and preparing and administering medications as directed by the physician. Primary employers for medical assistants include: ambulatory health care settings, extended health care facilities, public health agencies, schools, medical schools, research institutes and medical insurance firms.

Written and oral communication, knowledge of human biology, medical terminology, pharmacology, emergency procedures, and medical front office duties are important for successful job placement.

The Medical Assisting curriculum prepares the graduate to be a multi-skilled practitioner qualified to perform administrative, clinical and laboratory procedures. Course work includes instruction in scheduling appointments, coding and processing insurance accounts, billing, collections, medical transcription, computer operations; assisting with examinations/treatments, performing routine laboratory procedures, electrocardiography, supervised medication administration; and ethical/legal issues associated with patient care.

If a student relocates to another state in which the institution does not have approval to operate prior to program completion, the relocation might adversely impact the student’s ability to complete the program or gain in-field employment.

In addition to the Godfrey Campus, the Medical Assisting Program will also be offered at the East St. Louis Higher Education Center located at 601 James R. Thompson Blvd., East St. Louis, IL  62201.  To complete the program at the East St. Louis campus, a student would take a combination of face-to-face and online courses.

Program Learning Objectives

  1. Prepare for entry into the workforce, career advancement, or career change through technical certificate and associate degree programs
  2. Prepare for the Registered Medical Assistant Examination administered by the American Medical Technologists
  3. Raise aspirations and foster achievement through dynamic, compassionate, and responsible learning experiences
  4. Meet the demands of global, technology-driven, and knowledge-based economy through programs and experiences that foster individual development through job skills and lifelong learning skills
  5. Learn in an environment that is supported by teaching excellence, high quality student services, and well-equipped and maintained instructional facilities

Medical Assisting Program Entry Requirements: The Medical Assisting program is an open admission program that has limited enrollment. Individuals interested in the program are encouraged to contact the program coordinator about registration dates, any course prerequisites, and other academic concerns or questions.

Students are required to complete:

  • Proof of graduation via high school transcript or Illinois High School Diploma (formerly GED) - must be submitted to Program Coordinator within the first 10 days of starting the program
  • Drug screen - 30 days prior to beginning MEDA 260-Medical Assisting Externship
  • Federal background check - 30 days prior to beginning MEDA 260-Medical Assisting Externship
  • Completion of CPR course for Health Care Providers - 30 days prior to beginning MEDA 260-Medical Assisting Externship
  • Satisfactory health exam with appropriate immunizations (any expenses associated with these or any externship site immunizations are the responsibility of the student) - 30 days prior to beginning MEDA 260-Medical Assisting Externship

Lewis and Clark Community College adheres to the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, which requires college campuses to be drug and alcohol free.  In accordance with the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, the use, possession, maintenance, distribution and/or sale of alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, controlled substances or unauthorized prescription drugs while on College property, in College-owned vehicles or while participating in any College activity is strictly prohibited.

In addition, the L&C Medical Assisting Program partners with external agencies to provide clinical experiences for students.  These agencies require that all clinical participants undergo a drug test as a condition upon placement in a clinical program.  A negative result is required for a Medical Assisting student to be placed in an externship program.  Some clinical agencies also require random drug testing throughout a student’s clinical experience and require a negative result for the student to continue his/her participation in the clinical experience.

Substances prohibited by the clinical agencies include, but are not limited to:  amphetamines, methamphetamines, cocaine, cannabis, opiates, heroin, PCP, and alcohol.  A student who tests positive for any of these substances, or who refuses to undergo the required drug test, is subject to disqualification from clinical participation by the clinical agency, which will result in the student not receiving his/her degree due to a failure to meet the clinical component of the L&C Medical Assisting Program.

Technical Standards: All students must be able to fulfill certain “technical standards.” These standards are the essential requirements of the Medical Assisting program that students must master to successfully participate in the program and become employable in the medical assisting field. Technical standards for the students in the Medical Assisting program:

  1. All students must possess the manual dexterity, physical stamina, and visual capacity to perform all required technical procedures.
  2. Students must be able to communicate in an effectual manner. Students will be required to read and comprehend technical material, as well as write technical reports in a clear and concise manner. In addition, all students must be able to verbally communicate effectively with patients, coworkers, and other health care personnel.

Each applicant needs to assess his/her own ability to meet the above technical standards.

Program prerequisite for Medical Assisting certificate program: Qualify for

  and   with appropriate L&C placement test scores.

Graduation Requirement:
To be eligible for graduation with the Medical Assisting Certificate of Proficiency and Medical Assisting Associate in Applied Science Degree, students must:

  1. Earn a grade of “C” or better in all Medical Assisting courses (defined as courses with a MEDA prefix), and
  2. Satisfy the requirements for a Certificate of Proficiency and Associate in Applied Science Degree as outlined in this catalog.

MEDA classes taken longer than five years prior to graduation must be retaken or a proficiency test passed to ensure that the student has retained his/her knowledge from the class.

PROFICIENCY TEST INFORMATION -

  - Students wanting to take a proficiency test for   may do so by contacting the Computer Information Systems Program Coordinator.

Students will be eligible to sit for the Registered Medical Assistant Exam, sponsored by the American Medical Technologists, at the end of MEDA 250 Medical Assisting Exam Review . For more information about the RMA Exam, please visit www.americanmedtech.org.


Medical Assisting - MEDA.AAS


Associate in Applied Science Degree

Total: 15 Credit Hours


Total: 14 Credit Hours


Third Semester


Total: 17-18 Credit Hours


Fourth Semester


Total: 14-18 Credit Hours


Total credit hours required for the A.A.S. in Medical Assisting: 60


 

Medical Assisting - MEDA.CP


Certificate of Proficiency

Total: 15 Credit Hours


Total: 14 Credit Hours


Third Semester


Total: 4 Credit Hours


Total credit hours required for the Certificate of Proficiency Medical Assisting: 33


 

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