Medical Assistant

11 Months – Total Clock Hours: 1,120

2023-2024 Tuitions Fees: $12,3

Admission Requirements

Application Fee, Application for Admission, Enrollment Agreement, High School Diploma or GED, Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse Clearance.

Program Overview

2019 Medical Assistant Graduates

Medical assistants play a critical role in the daily operations of medical offices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. This CAAHEP accredited program prepares students to be multi-skilled members of the healthcare team. Students are trained in administrative, clinical, and laboratory procedures commonly performed by medical assistants. The curriculum provides students with the technical and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in medical assisting. Training involves a mixture of classroom, laboratory, and clinical components to prepare the student for employment upon graduation. Graduates of this program meet AAMA requirements to take the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam.

Maximum # of Students Per Class: 24

Program starts in August. Please check with CPI Admissions and review the Program Enrollment Agreement for specific start dates.

Entry-Level Career Opportunities:

  • Medical Assistant
  • Medical Secretary
  • Medical and Clinical Lab Technician
  • Phlebotomist

Courses In This Program Include:

 

Course Descriptions

Anatomy and Physiology I, II
Anatomy and Physiology I &II introduces the student to basic knowledge of all body systems and their functions.  Anatomy and Physiology also introduces common diseases and diagnostics /treatment modalities. 

Medical Terminology
Medical Terminology is an introduction to the principles of medical word building to develop the necessary medical vocabulary used in health care settings. Students will study, analyze and interpret root words, prefixes and suffixes with emphasis on spelling, pronunciation, definition and use of medical terms.

Introduction To Healthcare And The Electronic Health Record
Introduction to Healthcare and the Electronic Health Record is designed to give the student a working knowledge of electronic health records. Students will learn the fundamentals of the systems used in various healthcare settings. 

Pathways to Success with Integrated Technology
Pathways to Success with Integrated Technology assists students in developing skills necessary for success in higher education.  Topics include transitioning to post-secondary learning, setting academic goals, time management/organization, study and test taking skills and utilizing electronic resources.  This course is an introduction to fundamental skills such as composing documents, spreadsheets, and preparing presentations. 

Introduction to Medical Billing
This course introduces health insurance and reimbursement. The student will learn principles of medical billing related to proper claim form preparation, submission and payment processing, and the follow-up process. 

Medical Assisting/Clinical I, II, III
Clinical I is an introduction to basic skills, which includes assessment of vital signs, electrocardiography, aseptic/sterilization techniques, handling of biohazardous materials, identifying instruments, exam positions, and gathering medical information/charting.  Clinical II is a continuation which includes patient interviews, developing communication techniques, setting up for office procedures, proper equipment operation, microscope and centrifuge skills, specimen collection, and administration of injectable medication.  Clinical III is a continuation that includes identifying medical emergencies, first aid technique, and a review of CPR.

Medical Law & Ethical Principles In Health Care
Medical Law & Ethical Principles introduces medical ethics and related issues, such as legal guidelines and requirements for health care. Students will be taught to identify and respond to issues of confidentiality, perform within legal and ethical boundaries, and document appropriately. Ethical issues will be explored within the context of current laws and cases. 

Medical Assistant/ Administrative I,II
These courses introduce the administrative duties performed in a medical office setting.  This includes electronic filing, completion of medical insurance forms, operation of office equipment, billing & collection, and accounts receivable & payable. 

Basic Pharmacology
Pharmacology addresses the medical assistant’s responsibility, the legal implications, and quality assurance in the administration of medications in the office setting. Focus is placed on knowledge of medications, dose calculations, and proper administration. 

Technical Writing 
Technical Writing introduces the practice of writing in a professional setting.  This course is designed to help students apply concepts of effective written communication. This course will help the student develop the essential skills of a professional communicator with an emphasis on clear and effective written communication.  

Basic Phlebotomy
Basic Phlebotomy addresses the following:  Standard Precautions, Infection Control, specimen collection, and venipuncture.

Introduction to Medical Coding 
This course introduces diagnostic (ICD-10CM) & procedural (CPT) coding as well as completion of insurance claims for a variety of health care insurance programs.

Clinical Practicum
 Clinical Practicum provides students with the opportunity to correlate academic content with experiential learning.  Students have the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills gained in the academic setting to the active delivery of services. 

The ACCUPLACER exam is used by CPI to determine student readiness for AST degree programs. The Next Generation Arithmetic and Next Generation Reading exams are the tests administered at CPI.  Below are resources that offer study guides and practice tests for both the Arithmetic and Reading ACCUPLACER exams.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
ARITHMETIC SOURCES:
READING COMPREHENSION SOURCES:
Test Details: Next Generation ACCUPLACER
ARITHMETIC
Next-Generation Arithmetic focuses on computation, order of operations, estimation and rounding, comparing and ordering values in different formats, and recognizing equivalent values across formats. The following knowledge and skills categories are assessed:
  • Whole Number Operations
  • Fraction Operations
  • Decimal Operations
  • Percent
  • Number Comparisons and Equivalents
READING COMPREHENSION
Next-Generation Reading assesses the test-taker’s ability to derive meaning from a range of texts and to determine the meaning of words and phrases in short and extended contexts. Passages on the test cover a range of content areas, writing modes, and complexities. Both single and paired passages are included. Four broad knowledge and skills categories are assessed:
  • Information and Ideas
  • Rhetoric
  • Synthesis
  • Vocabulary

As part of CPI’s program accreditation requirements, The Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) requires that CPI post Program performance information annually. Above is CPI’s most recent Medical Assistant Retention, Job Placement, and Exam Pass Rate performance.