Take the first step towards an exciting and rewarding career in healthcare.

Explore SCC's Medical Assistant Program. Your journey to a rewarding career starts here.

The Medical Assistant Diploma prepares the student for an in-demand career in less than one year. Students learn practical medical situations and treatments.

Graduates of the Medical Assistant Program are eligible to take the national certification examination for Certified Medical Assistants administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants.

Program location

  

Why Medical Assistant at SCC?

Prep for an In-Demand Career: The healthcare industry is booming, and there's a high demand for skilled medical assistants. Secure your future in a field that's always growing.

Get In, Get Out: Our hybrid program is designed to get you job-ready in no time. Gain practical skills that healthcare providers value to land an entry-level position quickly.

Learn Hands-On, High-tech: Learn by doing! Our curriculum is crafted to provide hands-on experience, ensuring you're ready for the real-world challenges of a medical assistant. Practice in our medical lab using similar equipment as in medical offices.

Join a Supportive Community: Join a community of healthcare professionals on the same journey as you. Our experienced faculty and staff will guide you every step of the way.

What you'll learn

Clinical Skills: Master the essential clinical procedures that make you an indispensable part of any healthcare team.

Administrative Proficiency: Develop the organizational and administrative skills needed to keep medical offices running smoothly.

Patient Care: Learn to provide compassionate and effective care to patients, making a positive impact on their health and well-being by assisting the medical provider and following orders given.

Technology Integration: Stay ahead with training on similar medical technology and software used in medical office settings.

Key classes you'll take

• Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology
• Medical Terminology
• Human Body: Health and Disease
• Clinical Procedures for Medical Office I
• Clinical Externship

What you can do after finishing this program

• Medical Office Assistant
• Clinical Medical Assistant
• Administrative Medical Assistant
• Phlebotomist

• 

  Land that job!

  The 5-year cumulative percentage for job placement was 98.04% for the years 2018-2022.

  The Medical Assistant Program at Southeastern Community College (SCC) has a job placement rate of 100% for the graduate year of 2020. The exam passage rate for the 2020 graduate year was 90.91%.

• 

  Work-life balance

  Many medical assistant jobs allow for great work-life balance, including regular daytime hours, and rewarding work.

Contact Us

Schedule an Appointment

Admissions standards apply to this program. Please contact the Student Support Center for more details.

Admission Requirements

• Complete and attain minimums in standardized scores within 24 months of review for acceptance into the program:
  • ACT
    • Reading: 19
    • Math: 19
  • SAT
    • Reading/Writing: 330
    • Math: 510
  • Next-Gen ACCUPLACER:
    • Reading: 248
  • ALEKS:
    • Math: 14

Additional Requirements

• Students will be required to pass a mandatory background check.
• Students will be required to submit (at their own expense) a completed physical examination form and immunizations for health care providers.
• Current certification in CPR-Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers**.
• Current certification in Mandatory Reporter-Adult & Child Abuse**.
• Satisfy "Essential Functions" guidelines.
• Return of Handbook consent forms as directed in orientation.

**Certifications may be obtained at Southeastern Community College. Students should work with a Student Success Advocate for the appropriate courses and dates to obtain these certifications.

All health career programs require students to earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or above in all coursework within the program. All other eligibility requirements must be met.

Disclosures

The Southeastern Community College Medical Assistant 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
Telephone: (727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org

Medical Assisting Education Review Board
2020 N. California Ave., #213, Suite 7
Chicago, IL 60647
Telephone: (800) 228-2262
www.maerb.org

Occupational Risks

Medical Assisting is a profession with many rewards, as practitioners can perform both administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in a variety of healthcare environments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly outlines that it is a growth field, with an anticipated 18% growth from 2020 to 2030.

Medical Assistants work directly with providers and patients, with the goal of providing healthcare and ensuring patient safety. It is a position with a great deal of responsibility.

As with any healthcare position, there are certain occupational risks that come into play with being a medical assistant, and those hazards include but are not limited to the following:

• Exposure to infectious diseases
• Sharps injuries
• Airborne and bloodborne pathogens, and biological hazards
• Chemical and drug exposures
• Ergonomic hazards from lifting, sitting, and repetitive tasks
• Latex allergies
• Stress

At the same time, there are protections set up with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and those protections are particularly important within a healthcare environment. OSHA has a series of standards that protect the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

Links

• Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Medical Assisting
• Admissions policies and practices
• Placement charts
• Technical standards (pending)
• Transfer credits
• Articulation agreements (pending)
• Tuition
• Fees
• Refund policies
• Clinical assignment policies (see handbook)
• Academic calendar
• Student grievance procedure
• Appeal process
• Criteria for successful completion (see handbook)
• Program outcomes (Retention, Job Placement, Exam Passage)

For specific information regarding program rules and expectations, please view the Medical Assistant Program Handbook

Summary Sheet

The summary sheet provides a program overview and other information.

Download the Summary Sheet.

Curriculum Sequence

---

Prerequisite	Course Title	Credit
BIO-163	Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology	4
	TOTAL CREDITS	4

---

Fall Semester I	Course Title	Credit
HSC-114	Medical Terminology	3
MAP-121	Administrative Procedures I: Medical Office	4
MAP-139	Introduction to Electronic Health Records	2
MAP-364	Clinical Procedures for Medical Office I	7
MAP-431	Human Relations	1
	TOTAL CREDITS	17

---

Spring Semester I	Course Title	Credit
HIT-211	Basic Medical Insurance and Coding	3
MAP-122	Administrative Procedures II: Medical Office	3
MAP-369	Clinical Procedures for Medical Office II	7
MAP-370	Specialty Procedures	4
MAP-401	Medical Law and Ethics	1
MAP-532	Human Body: Health and Disease	3
	TOTAL CREDITS	21

---

Summer Semester	Course Title	Credit
MAP-602	Clinical Externship Seminar	1
MAP-615	Clinical Externship	5
	TOTAL CREDITS	6

BIO-163 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology

Lecture: 3

Lab: 2

Credit: 4

This introductory course is designed for the student needing a one-semester combined anatomy and physiology course with laboratory. All systems will be covered with greater emphasis on the cardiovascular, respiratory, immune and urinary systems. This course also provides background for the more advanced courses, BIO-168 and BIO-173.

HSC-114 - Medical Terminology

Lecture: 2

Lab: 2

Credit: 3

This course is designed to study the basic language related to medical science with emphasis on word analysis, construction, definitions, pronunciations, spelling and standard abbreviations.

MAP-121 - Administrative Procedures I: Medical Office

Lecture: 2

Lab: 4

Credit: 4

This course is designed to acquaint students with the front office administrative responsibilities of the medical assistant. Competencies will include appointment scheduling, telephone techniques, professional correspondence, billing and collecting procedures, accounting methods and payroll preparation. The student will also be introduced to telehealth and navigator responsibilities. Prerequisite: BIO-163 with a C or higher.

MAP-139 - Introduction to Electronic Health Records

Lecture: 1

Lab: 2

Credit: 2

Introduction to Electronic Health Records involves the student in the management and application of health records. This includes the implementation and management of electronic schedule, creating patient medical records, electronic correspondence, laws and regulation of medical records. 

MAP-364 - Clinical Procedures for Medical Office I

Lecture: 3

Lab: 8

Credit: 7

This course will provide basic clinical skills and techniques needed for competency in the medical office. Fundamental skills include: medical and surgical aseptic techniques; sanitation, disinfection and sterilization of medical equipment; techniques used to obtain accurate vital sign data; assisting with patient examinations; preparation and assisting with minor office surgeries; preparation and performance of urinalysis testing; and techniques used to perform eye and ear assessment in the medical office. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the program.

MAP-431 - Human Relations

Lecture: 1

Credit: 1

This course includes fundamental principles related to human relations. Basic psychological and developmental theorists, factors that influence behavior, professional attitudes and behavior, self-improvement, and communication in the health care setting are emphasized.

HIT-211 - Basic Medical Insurance and Coding

Lecture: 2

Lab: 2

Credit: 3

This course is designed to assist students in understanding the complexities of current insurance procedures encountered in today's medical facilities. The student will be familiarized with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE, CHAMPVA, and Worker's Compensation. A comprehensive unit on Procedural Coding, as well as Diagnostic Coding is incorporated into the course. Managed health care is explored in depth. Corequisites: HSC-114 or BIO-163.

MAP-122 - Administrative Procedures II: Medical Office

Lecture: 2

Lab: 2

Credit: 3

This course introduces basic computer concepts and emphasizes the practical applications approach using simulated medical office management programs. The student is guided through a series of computer applications that highlight the most common aspects of the modern medical office including electronic claim filing. Resume development and job-seeking skills are also presented. Prerequisite: MAP-121 with a C or higher.

MAP-369 - Clinical Procedures for Medical Office II

Lecture: 4

Lab: 6

Credit: 7

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the knowledge and skills required in the preparation, administration and documentation of various forms of medications. Dosage calculations and the physiological actions of drugs on the human body are addressed. Students will gain knowledge of venipuncture and use of quality controls. The student will gain knowledge of blood chemistries, serology, microbiology and hematology. Student will gain knowledge regarding the electronic medical record and its application in the clinical setting. Prerequisite: MAP-364 with a C or higher.

MAP-370 - Specialty Procedures

Lecture: 2

Lab: 4

Credit: 4

This course expands on basic clinical procedures with advanced theory and procedural techniques in the medical practice. Student will gain knowledge and skills in gynecology, obstetrics, cardiopulmonary and pediatric procedures in the medical office. Student will also focus on knowledge and skills to prepare and respond to common emergency situations in a medical practice. Prerequisite: MAP-364 with a C or higher.

MAP-401 - Medical Law and Ethics

Lecture: 1

Credit: 1

This course is designed to familiarize the student with legal concepts of standard of care, scope of employment, criminal and civil acts, contracts, negligence and ethical concepts.

MAP-532 - Human Body: Health and Disease

Lecture: 3

Credit: 3

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the basic concepts and characteristics of disease processes, to impart basic knowledge of the etiology of the disease and to enable the student to understand the relationship between clinical signs and the disease process. Diagnostic tests, common treatments and patient education will also be discussed. Prerequisite: BIO-163 with a C or higher.

MAP-602 - Clinical Externship Seminar

Lecture: 1

Credit: 1

This course will discuss job related concerns and current medical office procedures. The student will complete a comprehensive medical assistant assessment of their knowledge; and prepare for national certification testing. Prerequisites: All previous program classes passed with a C or higher. Corequisite: MAP-615.

MAP-615 - Clinical Externship

On Job Training: 20

Credit: 5

Following successful completion of the academic hours, the student is placed in a selected medical office or clinic for a required clinical practicum, working directly under supervision of the medical provider. The student will experience both administrative and clinical areas of the medical facility during this training period. Students are unable to receive monetary compensation for the practicum/externship. Prerequisites: All previous program classes with a C or higher. Corequisite: MAP-602.

Anne Abel - Instructor - Medical Coding & Billing

Email: aabel@scciowa.edu
CPC Certification of American Academy of Professional Coders
CPC-I Certification of American Academy of Professional Coders

Megan Massner - Instructor - Medical Assistant

Email: mmassner@scciowa.edu
Diploma, Southeastern Community College

Kara Schreiner - Medical Assistant Instructor / Program and Practicum Coordinator

Email: kschreiner@scciowa.edu
Diploma, Southeastern Community College
AA, Southeastern Community College