Medical Assisting
The Medical Assisting curriculum prepares multi-skilled health care professionals qualified to perform administrative, clinical, and laboratory procedures. The Medical Assisting Program goal is to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
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 information 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
- 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
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic math computations and use this knowledge to solve equations
- 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
Diploma Program Eligibility Requirements
- High school diploma or High School Equivalency diploma.
- Eligible to take ENG 111 or higher without a co-requisite.
- Credit for MAT 010.
- 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
- Medical Assisting graduates are required to pass 100% of all psychomotor and affective competencies.
- 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 180 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. The determination that a student is healthy and can participate in clinical practice must be made by a licensed medical provider (physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner). A student is admitted conditionally until a completed physical appraisal form, including the statement verifying the student is able to perform clinical practices, and documentation of all required immunizations/tests are submitted to the Certified Background portal.
- Clinical agencies accredited by The Joint Commission require criminal background checks and negative urine drug screens for Medical Assisting students. This is a requirement of the agencies and not the Medical Assisting program. Any student denied clinical access at any WPCC clinical agency due to the results of the criminal background check, drug test, failure to provide vaccine verification, or for any other reason will be dismissed from the program.
- Visible tattoos are not allowed in clinical classes or the clinical practicum.
- A grade of "C" in each Medical Assisting course is required for progression to the next medical assisting course in the sequence according to the Medical Assisting program curriculum plan.
- A grade of "C" or better must be obtained for all required courses in the Medical Assisting curriculum including Medical Assisting, Psychology, Biology, Humanities, Word Processing, and English courses.
- Returning students should refer to the Medical Assisting Program Policy Manual for additional information.
- The supervised practicum experience is part of the program requirements, and the student shall not be compensated for work performed during the assigned school hours with payment, monetary or otherwise. Non-remuneration includes both direct and indirect remuneration. Practicum sites cannot pay the students for their time nor can students be provided with a travel allowance, or a meal allowance or any other perk, such as gifts or gift cards that involve the exchange of funds. Students are responsible for providing transportation to the sites and purchasing required uniforms and equipment.
- 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.
Also see Career and College Promise for additional options for high school students.