Medical Assisting
The Medical Assisting curriculum prepares multi-skilled health care professionals qualified to perform administrative, clinical, and laboratory procedures.
Coursework includes instruction in scheduling appointments, coding and processing insurance accounts, billing, collections, computer operations; assisting with examinations/treatments, performing routine laboratory procedures, electrocardiography, supervised medication administration; and ethical/legal issues associated with patient care. The WPCC Medical Assisting Diploma program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
Graduates are eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants’ Certification Examination to become Certified Medical Assistants. Employment opportunities include physicians’ offices, health maintenance organizations, health departments, and hospitals. Students should consult their advisor for informa tion about course scheduling.
Upon successful completion of this program, the graduate will:
- Apply critical thinking skills in performing patient assessment and care
- Communicate with staff and clients in the medical setting, through effective verbal and written skills (GE I, 1)
- Prepare patients for and assist with physical examinations, procedures, treatments, and minor office surgeries
- Perform administrative and clinical skills and techniques with a degree of competence appropriate for safe and effective office management and patient care
- Use computer skills to schedule appointments, process billing; code and process insurance accounts, and provide written documentation in medical settings(GE II, 5)
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic math computations and use this knowledge to solve equations (GE IV. 2)
- Conduct oneself at all times in an ethical, legal, and professional manner as a member of a health services profession
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of federal and state health care legislation and regulations
Eligibility Requirements
- High school diploma or High School Equivalency diploma.
- NC DAP Developmental Reading and English Composite score of 151 or higher or successful completion of DRE 098.
- NC DAP score of 7 or above in DMA 010, DMA 020, and DMA 030 or successful completion of DMA 010, DMA 020, and DMA 030 or a combination of the two.
- Basic computer and keyboarding competence through previous work experience, coursework, or testing. (OST 080 or OST 130 satisfies this requirement).
- Cumulative grade point of 2.0 on all coursework completed at post-secondary institutions.
- Meet, with or without accommodations, essential functions (available in program coordinators office) required to perform the tasks of a medical assistant.
Medical Assisting Degree and Diploma information
WPCC’s Medical Assisting Program is structured in the one-plus-one format. All competencies required for entry-level medical assisting are met in the one-year diploma, and graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination.
Students who have completed the requirements for the diploma and/or students waiting to enter the diploma curriculum can take selected courses to earn the Associate in Applied Science degree.
The number of students that are selected in the Diploma program is limited and students are accepted in the order that they meet eligibility requirements. Students may start general education classes in the Degree option any semester.
Notification of Acceptance is given in April prior to Fall Semester start date.
Additional Program Information
- Students will be required to meet the safety standards for health care workers exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This includes attending the training session offered in MED 110 and completing the HBV immunizations or signing the mandatory declination form.
- Students will be required to meet confidentiality standards following admission to the Medical Assisting Program by attending a HIPAA training session offered in MED 140.
- Students must submit evidence of physical and emotional health during the first semester of the Diploma program sequence.
- Clinical agencies may require drug screening and/or a criminal background check.
- Students who are denied clinical placement will not be able to complete MA program.
- Visible tatoos are not allowed in clinical classes or the clinical practicum.
- Copies of additional policies and procedures are available in the Medical Assisting Program Coordinators office and will be provided to students upon program advisement and admission to the program.