Programs

Medical Assistant Program
700 Clock Hours 36 weeks

Program Description:

Medical assistant is one of the fastest growing occupations in today’s economy. ITF’s medical assistant program will prepare the students for entry level position as medical assistant, medical office managers and or medical receptionist. Students will learn to perform such tasks as checking vital signs, performing EKGs, drawing blood, urinalysis, CPR, first aid, setting up exam rooms and assisting the physician during routine clinical procedures. They also perform administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments, ordering supplies, filling out insurance information, and other patient related correspondences.

Graduates will be prepared for entry-level employment in doctor’s office, hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics, and other health care facilities. They will be prepared to effectively perform tasks assigned in all aspects in the office settings.

Medical Assistant Technician Program Outline

Course Number	Course Title	Clock Hours
MA 110	Medical Terminology	51
MA 111	Anatomy & Physiology	146
MA 112	The Healthcare Environment	41
MA 113	Administrative Procedures	71
MA 114	Medical Billing (Theory & Practical)	66
MA 115	Phlebotomy	72
MA 116	EKG	64
MA 117	Pharmacy	46
MA 118	Clinical Procedure	76
MA 119	Externship Total Hours	100  700

MA 110 – Medical Terminology
The students will learn medical terms, spelling, meaning and pronunciations in this course. Common medical abbreviations, singular and plural endings are emphasized. Students will be familiar with terminology commonly used in the clinical and hospital settings.

MA 111 – Anatomy & Physiology
This course will introduce students through lecture and laboratory exercises to the introductory information about the human body. Students will learn cell structure and function, skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, blood vessels, body organs, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, and re-productive system.

MA 112 – The Healthcare Environment
Medicine requires affective communication between patients and healthcare providers. In the healthcare environment students begin to learn how to communicate effectively by taking medical histories, discussing procedures, and dealing with medical studies. Students will discuss documentation in the medical environment, and learn to communicate with other members of the healthcare team.

MA 113 – Administrative Procedures
In this course students are introduced to clinical requirements for the front office such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, written correspondence, telephone skills, appointment scheduling, and how to fill out health insurance claim forms for physician’s offices. This portion includes instruction in the areas generally described as front office work.

MA 114 – Medical Billing (Theory & Practical)
Students will learn administrative skills, coding skills, and medical billing rules and regulations used in today’s medical professions. Patient relations, privacy issues and professional standards for workers in the healthcare industry are also stressed. In order to keep pace with the regulatory changes occurring in this medical field, students will develop skills and documentation in compliance.

MA 115 – Phlebotomy
Hematology is the study of blood and is constituents, the functions of blood and blood forming organs, the anatomy and physiology of the blood cells and their relations to illnesses, and the proper cell preparation of WBC (White Blood Cells) and RBC (Red Blood Cells) for examination as an aid to diagnose disease. Infection control and universal precautions is mandated for the healthcare worker by the CDC, OSHA, and CLIA will be expanded upon this course.

MA 116 – EKG
This course will teach students through lectures, demonstration, and hands on practice in the anatomy and physiology of the heart and cardiac cycles. Also how it relates to electro-physiology and the principles of the electrocardiograph machine. The students will learn the standardization of the electrocardiograph, placement of the electrocardiograph leads, marking and mounting the electrocardiogram, and the capabilities of the electrocardiograph.

MA 117- Pharmacy
Students are introduced to common procedures performed in the medical office setting and the science of pharmacology. Emphasis is on safe, accurate administration of medications, the student acquires knowledge of drug action, major side affects, basic math calculations related to drugs and techniques of administration. Students get familiar with prescriptions, drug order forms, and drugs. 

MA 118 – Clinical Procedure
Students are introduced how to properly take a medical history, write it in a medical chart and file.  Students will learn aseptic techniques, various types of instruments, sterile procedure, and how to position and drape the patient for examination with the physician. The proper procedures for hand washing, cleansing, and disinfecting instruments in the medical office will be covered. Students will perform hands on techniques with his/her classmate’s by taking vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature). Students will learn proper technique for CPR. As well as guidelines for OSHA regulations are discussed.

MA 119 – Externship
Students will be placed in a medical setting where they can practice the skills that they have learned through out the program. This will give students practical experience in the healthcare setting, emphasizing phlebotomy, EKG, patient care techniques, medical billing and coding, pharmacy and professionalism.