Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assistant

Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) who have achieved certification through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) are multi-skilled Allied Health Professionals specifically educated and cross-trained to perform a broad scope of BOTH administrative and clinical duties within a medical facility. The demand for CMAs (AAMA) is evidenced by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics' projection that medical assisting is one of the fastest growing professions, increasing by more than 18% (much faster than average) through the year 2030.

Medical Assistants serve as communication liaisons on the healthcare delivery team and enjoy contact with patients while working alongside physicians and other healthcare professionals, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as a physician’s office, hospital, or numerous other specialized and primary health care clinics.

The practice of Medical Assisting directly influences the public’s health and well-being and requires mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills requiring both formal education and practical experience that serve as standards for entry into the profession. Practical experience is a vital aspect of the Certified Medical Assistant program and is attained through a 180-hour Clinical Experience course. It is a policy that the Clinical Experience hours required for the Medical Assistant AAS degree are non-paid.

The duties of Medical Assistants vary depending on the location and size of the practice and the physician's specialty. Duties can include measuring vital signs, assisting with patient exams, minor office surgeries, and procedures, administering medications, performing phlebotomy and routine lab tests, EKGs, scheduling appointments and surgeries, obtaining referral and surgery pre-authorizations, operating medical office software and equipment, insurance billing, and many other clinical and administrative tasks.

Medical Assistant courses require that students work with patients; therefore, students are responsible for obtaining any necessary health exams, immunizations, evidence of a TB test, titers, etc., which may be necessary to meet requirements by the College and affiliating clinical agencies. Students may be required to undergo a criminal background check before beginning their Clinical Experience as determined by affiliated clinical sites.

Pathways

The Medical Assistant Program offers two pathway opportunities:

• An Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC) where you complete a semester of pre-requisites and then two semesters of professional Medical Assistant courses.
• An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree where you complete the ITC and an additional semester of core and healthcare-focused courses available online, for which you will receive an associate degree in addition to the ITC.

All students in the program whether completing the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree or the Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC) will be eligible to sit for the CMA (AAMA) exam at end of the second semester of the professional program Medical Assistant courses.

Successful completion of the Medical Assistant program will result in either an Intermediate Technical Certificate or an Associate of Applied Science degree.

Accreditation

The LCSC 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).

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LC State is a regional state college, operating under the governance of the Idaho State Board of Education. The college offers a wide range of undergraduate academic, professional, and career & technical programs leading to baccalaureate and associate degrees. The college also offers a number of programs leading to certificates. LC State’s primary emphasis areas are business, justice studies, nursing, social work, teacher preparation, and career & technical education. LC State maintains basic strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, which provide the general education core portion of the curriculum. The institution also conducts selected research studies and provides a variety of lifelong learning opportunities through its continuing education and workforce training programs. LC State works in collaboration with other state and regional postsecondary institutions to serve its diverse constituencies.

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