• Medical Assistant

     

     

    Medical Assistant Video

     

    CIP Code:  51.0801

     
    Pathway:  Health and Science
     
    Instructor:  Precious Wilson
    Length: 3 years
     
    Certifications:  OSHA for Healthcare, CPR/First Aid/AED, Bloodborne Pathogens, Patient Care Technician, Medical Assisting Clinical and Clerical

    More Information

     
    Our Medical Assistant program will give you the office and clinical skills you need to step into a wide range of careers in the medical arena. Our duties vary from office to office. You will be handling both administrative and clinical duties or specialize in a particular area where you are under the supervision of department administrators and staff while on Clinical and Co-Op in the community.  Other areas may include: Veterinary Hospitals, Pharmacies, Dietary Departments, and School Nurse Medical Offices.
     
    The courses covered in this program include: Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, Keyboarding & Data Entry, Medical Office Administrative Assistant Skills, Basic Medical Billing and Coding, Clinical Lab Skills, Pharmacology, and the skills needed to prepare and interview for Clinical, Co-Op, and future jobs.  The clinical Medical Assistant tasks consist of: taking medical histories, recording vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, laboratory procedures, specialized procedures, and instruction of patients about medications, special diets, tests, and procedures. There are many higher level tasks a medical assistant can perform that a CNA can not when trained and certified such as drawing blood, giving injections, performing and reading EKGs, and many more.  This done under the supervision and direction of a RN or higher level clinical professional. 
     
    We promote positive working relationships, establish and maintain collaborative relationships with families, as well as, use resources of the community and provide a safe and healthy environment. The students must be neat, well groomed and have a courteous, pleasant manner showing compassion and empathy toward every patient and fellow peers.  A professional attitude must be maintained in the classroom as well as on the Clinical and Co-Op floor at all times. We hold students to the highest standards when pursuing the medical field while attending Erie High School.
     
    Introduction - Program of Study

    Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. They should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician.

    The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner’s specialty. Medical assistants who perform administrative tasks have many duties. They update and file patients’ medical records, fill out insurance forms, and arrange for hospital admissions and laboratory services. They also perform tasks less specific to medical settings, such as answering telephones, greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, and handling billing and bookkeeping.

    For clinical medical assistants, duties vary according to state law. Some common tasks include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting physicians during examinations. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens and sometimes perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They may instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, send prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for x-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.

    Postsecondary medical assisting programs are offered in secondary career and technical centers, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Programs usually are for one year and result in a certificate or diploma, or two years and result in an associate degree. Courses include anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, keyboarding, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Students learn laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, the administration of medications, and first aid. They study office practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics. There are various organizations that accredit medical assisting programs. Accredited programs often include an internship that provides practical experience in physicians’ offices, hospitals, or other health care facilities.

    Medical assistants deal with the public; therefore, they must be neat and well groomed and have a courteous, pleasant manner and they must be able to put patients at ease and explain physicians’ instructions. They must respect the confidential nature of medical information. 

    Assumptions of this Program of Study

    High quality programs should meet the following standards:

    1.  Promote positive working relationships.

    2.  Implement a curriculum that fosters all areas of skill development

    3.  Use appropriate and effective teaching approaches.

    4.  Provide ongoing assessments of student progress.

    5.  Employ and support qualified teaching staff.

    6.  Establish and maintain relationships and use resources of the community.

    7.  Provide a safe and healthy learning environment.

    8.  Implement strong program organization and supervision policies that result in high quality teaching and learning.

    9.  Integrate academic skills and aptitudes necessary for postsecondary education, gainful employment and a foundation of lifelong learning.

     
    CIP Code 51.0801Medical/Clinical Assistant
     
    This is an instructional program that prepares individuals to assist physicians by performing functions related to both administrative and clinical duties of a medical office. Administrative components of instruction include telephone technique, insurance, accounts, reports, medical records, computerized fiscal management, medical transcription and word processing. The clinical aspects of the program provide instruction in examination room techniques, aseptic practices, infection control, care of equipment and supplies, CPR and first aid, laboratory orientation and the use of biomedical equipment. The curriculum includes planned courses in anatomy and physiology, universal precautions and OSHA regulations, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, psychology, communications, introduction to pharmacology, medical assisting skills and clinical practice.