■  Certificate Programs
   ●  Green Energy
   ●  Medical Billing and Coding
   ●  Medical Assistant
   ●  Computer Office Assistant
   ●  Premise Telecom Installer

Program Summary:

Medical assistants are multi-skilled health workers who work primarily in medical offices and clinics. Medical assistants perform routine clinical procedures which may include: vital signs, exam room preparation, patient data collection, simple dressing changes, lab tests, phlebotomy, medication instruction and EKGs. In addition, medical assistants carry out administrative duties such as scheduling, reception, insurance monitoring, record maintenance, and bookkeeping. Students enrolled in the program will develop knowledge of pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, and nutrition to assist the physician with patient teaching.
Curriculum

PSY 111 Introduction to Psychology
Students who have not taken any psychology course need to take Introduction to Psychology as part of the prerequisite for the medical assistant certificate program.

MAC 101 Medical Terminology
This course contains Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Physiology for Insurance Reimbursement. In this course, students learn the basic structure and functions of the human body and become familiar with common diseases and disorders. The prefixes, roots and suffixes which comprise medical terminology are covered and that terminology is applied to the body systems studied.

MAC 102 Keyboarding & Formatting
This course is designed to provide an opportunity to learn to touch type on the computer keyboard using correct techniques as well as the development of speed and accuracy. Students will be introduced to the formatting of personal and business letters, tables, notes, memos, and reports. No previous keyboarding experience required. This course is considered a prerequisite to Technology Applications.

MAC 111 Foundations/Management of Medical Insurance
Pre-Requisites: MAC 101
This course includes three modules:
1. Introduction to Medical Billing and Reimbursement
2. Medical Billing Practices
3. Medical Billing Procedures

This course provides a thorough understanding of the billing and reimbursement process that takes place in the business office of a health care facility. Federal regulatory issues, third party reimbursement, and the entire life cycle of an insurance claim will be discussed. It covers the accounts receivable management of the billing department of a health care facility, completing the HCFA 1500 Universal Insurance Claim Form and will work with actual explanations of benefits from a variety of insurance carriers. Students will also learn a popular accounting system used in many medical offices.

MAC 112 Computer Applications for Medical Offices
Pre-Requisites: MAC 111 
This course includes three modules:
1. Computerized Medical Billing
2. ICD-9 Coding
3. CPT-4 Coding

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do medical billing and practice management on Medical Office Manager, a highly popular medical billing software package, and will learn inputting of patient demographics and insurance information; patient chargers and supporting billing information; payments, credits and adjustments; appointment scheduling, and accounts receivable reports.

MAC 113 Practical Pharmacology
This course introduces information concerning sources, effects, legalities, and the safe use of medications as therapeutic agents. Emphasis is placed on nursing responsibility, accountability, pharmacokinetics, routes of medication administration, contraindications and side effects. Upon completion, students should be able to compute dosages and administer medication safely. Pharmacological properties of medications in each classification are emphasized.

MAC 120 Clinical Lab Procedures I
Pre-requisites: Admission to the Medical Assistant Program
Corequisites: MAC 101, MAC 102

This course provides an overview of health care procedures required by Medical Assistants. The course teaches students to prepare examination and treatment areas in health care settings. Concepts of Universal and Standard Precautions, aseptic technique, and infection control are presented. Therapeutic communication, medical ethics, confidentiality and accountability are stressed. In addition, the course teaches students to perform simple lab tests, vital signs, and specimen collection. Introduction to medication administration and pharmacology are presented. The four-credit course has 3 hours of class and 3 hours of clinical laboratory experience per week.

MAC 121 Clinical Lab Procedures II
Prerequisites: MAC 101, MAC 102, and MAC 120 (Clinical Lab Procedure I) with a grade of C or better.
Corequisites: PSY 111, MAC 113

This advanced clinical procedure course builds upon the knowledge from clinical procedures I and provides the student with phlebotomy skills, EKG skills, and basic principles of radiology safety. The course will present concepts related to simple dressing changes and response to medical emergencies. Principles of pharmacology, nutrition and medication administration will be continued. The course will include 3 hours of class and 3 hours of lab per week and 45 hours of clinical over the semester.

MAC 130 Cooperative Education Work Experience
Pre-Requisite: PSY 111, MAC 121 with a grade of C or better, MAC 112

This course combines a classroom seminar with on the job learning. Students who meet program eligibility work at approved Cooperative Education sites and attend regularly scheduled seminars on campus. Seminars cover the establishment of learning goals for the work assignment, work-related problem solving, and legal and ethical dilemmas facing health care personnel. A final project is designed to incorporate on the-job learning and medical law and ethics. Students must complete the seminar, all assignments, the final project, and the clinical work assignment to receive credit. This five-week summer course includes 3 hours of class per week and a minimum of 135 hours of unpaid externship.