Medical Assistant, Associate in Applied Science (MED)

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, Associate Degree in Applied Science, 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).

Students may complete the Certificate of Proficiency (CMED) program first.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Medical Assistant applicants are required to take college placement tests in math, reading and English upon applying to the college.  Any deficiencies should be remedied prior to registering for AHM 106 Medical Assistant Clinical I. 

ACCREDIATION COMPLIANCE

Medical Assistant students must progress through the curriculum in the sequence required by MAERB, our program accrediting body. Required medical assistant competencies may not be assessed until the student has taken or is taking AHM 106 Medical Assistant Clinical I.

Divisional approval is required for Medical Assistant majors in the following four courses where competencies are assessed: 

FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES

Certain functional abilities that will enable the student to competently perform required technical skills are necessary for completion of the program. A functional abilities inventory is required from each student prior to externship. Reasonable accommodations will be made on an individual basis.

STUDENT CONDUCT

Students may be removed from the program for violation of safety, confidentiality or for behavior that is incompatible with the DCCC Code of Conduct pending outcome of an appeal.

EXTERNSHIP

Selected clinical externship sites will be provided in local medical offices under the supervision of allied health instructors.  The externship is a learning experience giving the student the opportunity to utilize learned skills in the medical office environment. The student may not receive monetary remuneration or other reimbursement. Students are required to carry liability insurance while in externship which is included in tuition.

In addition to normal tuition and fees, Medical Assistant students will have the following additional expenses for externship: uniform, name tag, stethoscope, personal insurance, cost of a physical exam, required vaccines, drug screen, PA background check, PA Child Abuse Clearance and FBI Background check including fingerprints, current CPR, and a program package form Castle Branch for collection of externship documents.

Documentation of the following must be on file by the provided deadline while student is enrolled in AHM 107 Medical Assistant Clinical II. Students will be unable to go on externship if there are missing documents.

• FBI Criminal Background Check (including fingerprints)
• Background Check and Child Abuse Clearance from state of residency.
• Complete physical examination including laboratory testing
• Seasonal flu vaccine
• Covid Vaccine
• Hepatitis B vaccine
• 10 panel drug screens
• Two-step Mantoux PPD or QuantiFERON test
• Current CPR for Health Provider:
  • American Heart Association – "Basic Life Support" OR
  • American Red Cross – "BLS/CPR for Healthcare"

Third-party entities, such as clinical sites, require criminal background checks as a condition participating in externship in a medical office. Even if you have chosen the Medical Assistant Program as your major, sites may refuse you access to the facilities if the criminal background check does not meet the facility’s standards.  The Medical Assistant Program will attempt to make other arrangements for such students to fulfill clinical requirements but may not be able to do so.

Details will be provided, and documents will be collected in AHM 107 Medical Assistant Clinical II.

Medical Assisting Students are required to sit for the national certification exam offered by the American Association Medical Assistants (AAMA) during a designated time.  The cost of the exam is included in the AHM 107 Medical Assistant Clinical II tuition.  The exam is a requirement of AHM 199 Medical Assistant Externship