Medical Assistant TrainingMedical Assistant

 

A Career as a Medical Assistant

 

Medical assistants work side-by-side with nurses and others on the health care team, treating patients from newborns to senior citizens. Medical Assisting exposes you to a wide variety of medical office responsibilities that showcase your administrative, technical and scientific responsibilities, as well as your human relations skills.

 

As a medical assistant, you can share your compassion with patients in a host of medical situations - from primary care physicians' and specialists' offices to hospitals.

 

Clinical duties performed by medical assistants vary according to state law and may include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination and assisting the physician during the examination.

 

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Medical Assistant Program Description

 

Pima Medical Institute's Medical Assistant certificate program will train you to assist physicians in the examination and treatment of patients, as well as perform routine office tasks.

 

Pima medical assistants are trained to collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies and sterilize medical instruments. Medical assistant training also includes how to instruct patients about medications and special diets; prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician; authorize drug refills as directed; telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy; draw blood and give injections; prepare patients for X-rays; take electrocardiograms; remove sutures; and change dressings. You will learn how to put patients at ease and interpret a physician's instruction correctly and efficiently.

 

 

Medical Assistant Licensure and Certification

 

Employers prefer to hire formally trained medical assistants from accredited medical assisting colleges or certified applicants who have passed a national examination, indicating that the medical assistant meets certain standards of competence. The American Association of Medical Assistants awards the Certified Medical Assistant credential; the American Medical Technologists awards the Registered Medical Assistant credential. Other medical assistant certificates are offered in podiatry and ophthalmology.

 

 

Medical Assistant Program Outline:

 

General Education courses are listed in italics.
Course # Course Theory Lab Extern Credits
CSK 100 Study Skills* 15     1.0
CAT 150 Anatomy, Physiology, and Terminology* 55     3.5
CCB 100 Computer Basics*   15   0.5
CMF 95 Math Fundamentals* 20     1.0
CHS 100 CPR & First Aid* 10 5   0.5
Career Prep Sequence Total 100 20   6.5
*Successful completion of CSK 100, CAT 150, CCB 100, CMF 95, and CHS 100 is required either online or on-ground prior to externship.
Course # Course Theory Lab Extern Credits
MAA 100 Office Management 30 30   3.0
MAA 102
Introduction to Insurance and Coding
15 15   1.5
MAA 104 Business Writing and EHR 15 15   1.5
Professional Sequence I Total 60 60   6.0
**Professional Sequence I must be successfully completed prior to entrance into Professional Sequences II, III, & IV. Professional Sequences II, III, & IV may be completed in any order.
Course # Course Theory Lab Extern Credits
MDA 111 Examination Techniques 15 30   2.0
MDA 121 Clinical Aspects of Coding & Billing 15 15   1.5
MDA 130 Surgical Procedures 15 30   2.0
Professional Sequence II Total 45 75   5.5
 
Course # Course Theory Lab Extern Credits
MDA 106 Pharmacology 30 30   3.0
MDA 136 Medical Law and Ethics 15     1.0
MDA 120 Medical Office Laboratory Procedures 15 30   2.0
Professional Sequence III Total 60 60   6.0
 
Course # Course Theory Lab Extern Credits
MDA 125 Medical Office Laboratory Procedures 15 30   2.0
MDA 141 Medical Specialty Procedures 15 30   2.0
MDA 131 Communication 30     2.0
Professional Sequence IV Total 60 60   6.0
 
Course # Course Theory Lab Extern Credits
MDA 275 Externship     200 4.0
Externship Total     200 4.0
PROGRAM TOTALS 325 275 200 34.0

 

 

Job Outlook for Medical Assistants

 

Medical assistants may experience diverse career opportunities. Medical assistants may be able to advance to office manager. They may also qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations or may even teach medical assisting.

 

As the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population, there will be an increased need for health care workers. Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, to 34 percent through 2018.

 

 

Medical Assistant Program Length

 

Approximately 9 months

 

 

For more detailed information on Medical Assistant program specifics, financial aid and lifetime job placement assistance for graduates, please visit your local campus below.



Albuquerque, New Mexico
Chula Vista, California
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
East Valley, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Mesa, Arizona
Renton, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Tucson, Arizona

 

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What are people saying
about PMI?


Name: Kerri N.

 

"Everything I'm doing now,
PMI trained me for."


Program: Medical Assistant

 

Making the leap from full-time mom to full-time medical professional was daunting, but when Kerri's youngest of three children began his first day in kindergarten, she knew she had to add something to her life...

 

...She began to think about careers. She'd always had a desire to learn medicine, she said, but it was something she had never pursued. After seeing an advertisement on TV for the Albuquerque campus of Pima Medical Institute, she decided to give her hunch a shot.

 

During her entrance interview, she knew Pima Medical Institute was different.
“I immediately liked the atmosphere,” she said. “The staff really impressed me.”

 

Once Kerri started attending Pima, she discovered her initial impression of the school and its people was right on, and PMI was exactly what she was looking for.
“I'm a pretty happy person, and I like being around happy people. Everyone at Pima – the instructors and the entire staff – always had a healthy, positive attitude...”

 

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