Medical Assisting Diploma (MA22)  Diploma


Program Description:

The Medical Assisting program’s main goal is:

“To prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.” The Medical Assisting program prepares students for employment in a variety of positions in today’s medical offices. The Medical Assisting program provides learning opportunities which introduce, develop and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. Additionally, the program provides opportunities to upgrade present knowledge and skills or to retrain in the area of medical assisting. Graduates of the program receive a Medical Assisting diploma.

Entrance date: Varies

Core courses: Each semester

Occupationally specific courses: Varies

Program admission requirements:

Minimum Test Scores

ACCUPLACER NEXT GENERATION– Reading 236 ACCUPLACER- Sentence Skills 60
Writing 232 Reading Comprehension 64
Arithmetic 235 Arithmetic 40

High School diploma or equivalent required for admission.

Applicant must be at least 17 years of age.

Students must attend program orientation.

The Medical Assisting program includes an internship. All students must show proof of the following prior to clinical rotation:

  • Physical exam
  • PPD (negative or chest x-ray)
  • Immunization record
  • Liability insurance
  • Hepatitis series or signed declination form

Students who refuse to take the Hepatitis B vaccination series must sign a declination form and be aware that clinical sites may refuse you an opportunity to gain clinical experience.

  • Drug screening

A positive drug screening will result in termination from the Medical Assisting program

  • Criminal background check

All criminal background checks will be approved by the externship site. Please be advised that sites may allow you to extern but may not hire you based on your criminal record. Conviction of a felony or gross misdemeanor may prohibit employment in the field and may make the student ineligible to extern, thus not completing the program for graduation. For more information, contact the appropriate program advisor. All of the above tests and records are the student's expense.

Graduates are required to take the American Association of Medical Assistants Certification Examination to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA).

Felons will not be eligible for CMA Exam unless the Certifying Board grants a waiver based on one or more of the following mitigating circumstances:

  • The age at which the crime was committed;
  • The circumstances surrounding the crime;
  • The nature of the crime committed;
  • The length of time since the conviction;
  • The individual’s criminal history since the conviction;
  • The individual’s current employment references;
  • The individual’s character references. Other evidence demonstrating the ability of the individual to perform the professional responsibilities competently and evidence that the individual does not pose a threat to the health or safety of patients.

If a student fails or withdraws from the same class twice, whether it be a core, allied health, or medical assisting course, the student will be dropped from the program and unable to reenter for five (5) years. *This also applies to students in the Business Technology diploma (Medical Administrative Assistant Specialization), and the Health Information Coding diploma taking the MAST 1120 Human Diseases course.

Credits required for graduation: 54

Beginning Spring 2022 (January 2022), ALL FIRST TIME college students will be required to take the College Success (COLL 1020) course.


The Medical Assisting program at Albany Technical College has a job placement rate of 75% for the 2020 graduates.

The retention is currently 70% for the 2020 admission cohort and the exam passage rate is 60% for the 2020 graduates.

The employer satisfaction of the diploma Medical Assisting program at Albany Technical College, Albany, GA is 100%, based on the most recent Annual Report Form submitted to the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Students at Albany Technical College, Medical Assisting program are satisfied with the education that they receive, as there is a 100% graduate satisfaction rate over the past three years.


The Albany Technical College Diploma Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs
9355 - 1113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

Basic Skills Courses 9 credits
ENGL 1010

Emphasizes the development and improvement of written and oral communication abilities. Topics include analysis of writing, applied grammar and writing skills, editing and proofreading skills, research skills, and oral communication skills.

3
MATH 1012

Emphasizes the application of basic mathematical skills used in the solution of occupational and technical problems. Topics include fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and proportions, measurement and conversion, formula manipulation, technical applications, and basic statistics.

3
PSYC 1010

Presents basic concepts within the field of psychology and their application to everyday human behavior, thinking, and emotion. Emphasis is placed on students understanding basic psychological principles and their application within the context of family, work and social interactions. Topics include an overview of psychology as a science, the nervous and sensory systems, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, intelligence, lifespan development, personality, psychological disorders and their treatment, stress and health, and social relations.

3
Occupational Courses 45 credits
MAST 1010

Introduces the basic concept of medical assisting and its relationship to the other health fields. Emphasizes medical ethics, legal aspects of medicine, and the medical assistant's role as an agent of the physician. Provides the student with knowledge of medical jurisprudence and the essentials of professional behavior. Topics include: introduction to medical assisting; introduction to medical law; physician/patient/assistant relationship; medical office in litigation; as well as ethics, bioethical issues and HIPAA.

2
MAST 1030
Prerequisites: MATH 1012, MATH 1111

Introduces medication therapy with emphasis on safety; classification of medications; their actions; side effects; medication and food interactions and adverse reactions. Also introduces basic methods of arithmetic used in the administration of medications. Topics include: introductory pharmacology; dosage calculation; sources and forms of medications; medication classification; and medication effects on the body systems.

4
MAST 1060

Emphasizes essential skills required for the medical practice. Topics include: office protocol, time management, appointment scheduling, medical office equipment, medical references, mail services, medical records, and professional communication.

4
MAST 1080
Prerequisites: ALHS 1011, BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L, ALHS 1090 Corequisite: ALHS 1040

Introduces the skills necessary for assisting the physician with a complete history and physical in all types of medical practices. The course includes skills necessary for sterilizing instruments and equipment and setting up sterile trays. The student also explores the theory and practice of electrocardiography. Topics include: infection control and related OSHA guidelines; prepare patients/assist physician with age and gender-specific examinations and diagnostic procedures; vital signs/mensuration; medical office surgical procedures and electrocardiography.

4
MAST 1090
Prerequisites: ALHS 1011, ALHS 1040, BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L, ALHS 1090, MAST 1080, MAST 1030, MAST 1120

Furthers student knowledge of the more complex activities in a physician's office. Topics include: collection/examination of specimens and CLIA regulations/risk management; urinalysis; venipuncture; hematology and chemistry evaluations; advanced reagent testing (Strep Test, HcG etc); administration of medications; medical office emergency procedures and emergency preparedness; respiratory evaluations; principles of IV administration; rehabilitative therapy procedures; principles of radiology safety and maintenance of medication and immunization records.

4
MAST 1100
Prerequisites: ALHS 1011, BUSN 1440, ENGL 1010, COMP 1000, ALHS 1090

Emphasizes essential skills required for the medical practice. Topics include: managed care, reimbursement, and coding.

2
MAST 1110
Prerequisites: ALHS 1011, ALHS 1090, BUSN 1440, ENGL 1010, COMP 1000, BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L, MAST 1100, MAST 1120

Emphasizes essential skills required for the medical practice in the areas of computers and medical transcription. Topics include: medical transcription/electronic health records; application of computer skills; integration of medical terminology; accounting procedures; and application of software.

3
MAST 1170
Corequisite: MAST 1180

Provides students with an opportunity for in-depth application and reinforcement of principles and techniques in a medical office job setting. This clinical practicum allows the student to become involved in a work setting at a professional level of technical application and requires concentration, practice, and follow-through. Topics include: application of classroom knowledge and skills and functioning in the work environment.

4
MAST 1180
Corequisite: MAST 1170

Seminar focuses on job preparation and maintenance skills and review for the certification examination. Topics include: letters of application, resumes, completing a job application, job interviews, follow-up letter/call, letters of resignation and review of program competencies for employment and certification.

4
MAST 1120
Prerequisites: ALHS 1011, ALHS 1090, BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L

Provides fundamental information concerning common diseases and disorders of each body system. For each system, the disease or disorder is highlighted including: description, etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, treatment, management, prognosis, and prevention. Topics include: introduction to disease and diseases of body systems.

3
COLL 1020

Prepares students for success in college, on the job, and in the community. Topics include information access, basic computer skills, academic strategies, financial literacy, career exploration, and civic engagement. A Student Success Plan is the capstone project.

3
ALHS 1090

Introduces the elements of medical terminology. Emphasis is placed on building familiarity with medical words through knowledge of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Topics include: origins (roots, prefixes, and suffixes), word building, abbreviations and symbols, and terminology related to the human anatomy.

2
ALHS 1011

Focuses on basic normal structure and function of the human body. Topics include general plan and function of the human body, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, nervous and sensory systems, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, and reproductive system.

5
Faculty
Click to view profile for LaTonya Harris
Program Chair

Medical Assisting Chairperson/ Instructor

Click to view profile for Dialisa Clark
Advisor

Medical Assisting, Instructor
Healthcare Technology Building, Room 128

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