Medical Assistant

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Prerequisite: None

Open to: Juniors & Seniors

Length: Year

Dual Credit: No 

Certification: CPR, Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (must pass a national test) 

Medical/Clerical Assisting course provides student development in a sequence of organized learning experiences and skills designed knowledge and skills that combine the medical and clerical fields. Students typically develop skills such as patient exam preparation, assessment of vital signs, routine lab procedures, medical transcription, financial accounting, patient and insurance company billing, and record-keeping. This course suggests common clerical duties which include answering phones; greeting patients/clients; handling mail, patient/client data files, and medical histories; ordering supplies; dealing with representatives from pharmaceutical companies and medical suppliers; and performing common clinical duties which include sterilizing instruments; preparing patients /clients for examination or treatment; taking temperatures, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure; measuring height and weight; performing routine laboratory procedures, and assisting the physician with patient/client examinations and treatment under the direction of the professional medical staff. In addition, the medical assistant should be able to understand the health problems of patients/clients, ethics and legal issues, human relationships, and interpersonal relationships.