Effective: Fall 2023

The Medical Assistant program prepares students as multi-skilled health care workers who function as assistants to physicians and other health care professionals in a variety of ambulatory care settings. The responsibilities of the medical assistant include administrative and clinical duties.

A Medical Assistant, Certificate of Proficiency will be awarded upon successful completion of the required program with a 2.5 G.P.A. and a “C” or better in all allied health courses (AHM and AHA).

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Medical assistant applicants are required to take college placement tests in math, reading and English. Any deficiencies must be remedied prior to registering for AHM 106 Medical Assistant Clinical I. This course requires departmental approval as students must progress through the curriculum in sequence.

Certain functional abilities that will enable the student to competently perform required technical skills are necessary for successful completion of the Medical Assistant program. Students may be removed from the program for violation of patient safety, confidentiality or behavior incompatible with acceptable standards pending outcome of the appeal process.

In addition to the normal tuition and fees, medical assistant students are required to purchase uniforms, miscellaneous supplies, personal health insurance and a program package from Castle Branch to be cleared for clinical site placement.

Selected clinical externships will be provided in local medical offices under the supervision of the allied health faculty. These externships are work/learning experiences for which the student receives no monetary remuneration or other reimbursement. Students are required to carry liability insurance during the externship period and the cost is included in the tuition.

Medical assistant students are required to sit for the national certification examination offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) at a designated time during enrollment in AHM 199 Medical Assistant Externship. The cost of the exam is included in the program’s tuition.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

Documentation of completion of the following must be on file in the Allied Health and Nursing Division prior to entering AHM 199 Medical Assistant Externship. Additional fees are required to gain clearance for the above clinical site placement.

• All Medical Assistant applicants are required to submit a clear FBI Criminal Background check (which includes fingerprinting), a Criminal Background check and a Child Abuse Clearance form from the state of residency. Students who have been convicted of a prohibitive offense contained in Act 13 and/or Act 169 (a detailed list is available for review in the Admissions and Allied Health Offices) may not be able to complete their studies because clinical experiences needed for course/program success may be prohibited. Students must be free of all prohibitive offenses contained in the Act for 10 years prior to the beginning of the externship. Individual situations will be evaluated on a case by case basis. If a student cannot complete their clinical studies, they will not be able to complete the Medical Assistant program. Students who are in the Medical Assistant program are required to immediately divulge any misdemeanor or felony convictions or pending charges [any criminal charges as yet unresolved by the courts] that may occur while in the program to the Medical Assistant Program Director.
• All medical assistant students will need to have on file the results of a complete physical examination including: laboratory tests, seasonal influenza vaccine, a 10-panel urine drug screen and a two-step Mantoux PPD prior to beginning the clinical externship component of the program. Please refer to the pre-entrance medical record health form requirements from the Program Director.
• Additionally, students must have medical health insurance for the duration of the externship and be in compliance with recommendations for the Hepatitis B vaccine.
• Full CPR Certification is required and you must submit a photocopy (both sides) of the CPR Certification Card. For example, an acceptable CPR course is the “BLS” (Basic Life Support) from the (American Heart Association) which is renewable every two years.