Center for Continuing Studies - Innovative Leadership for Lifelong Learning

Clinical medical assistant

PowerPoint Information from 11-07-12 Open House

As a Clinical Medical Assistant the student will be trained to help the physician carry out procedures, care for patients, perform basic lab tests and administer medications. The Clinical Medical Assistant works in a physician’s office or a clinic setting. This program combines classroom instruction of 134 hours (including 42 hours online training) and offsite externship of 160 hours to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience. (Total- 294 hours)

Financial Assistance

Fees: Tuition starts at $2,695

Financing: Financial Assistance is offered to many people that apply. Our partner, Boston Reed, may have options including:

• Scholarship Opportunities
• Sallie Mae Loans
• 5 to 12 month Payment Plans
• Debit/Credit Card Enrollment

What Medical Assistants Do:
 Medical assistants work in the offices of health practitioners completing administrative and clinical duties. Typical duties also include the following:

• Take patient history and measure vital signs
• Help the physician with patient examinations
• Give patient injections as directed by the physician
• Prepare blood for laboratory tests

More physicians are adopting electronic health records (EHRs), which are changing medical assistants’ jobs. Assistants must learn the EHR software that their offices use.

In larger practices or hospitals, medical assistants may specialize in either administrative or clinical work.

Externship

We know how important on-the-job training can be. That is why our partner, Boston Reed, guarantees externship placement for all students who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the student handbook. This practical experience has allowed many of our students to receive job offers immediately upon graduation. Externships are offered near your classroom location.

Work Environment:
In 2010, medical assistants held around 527,600 jobs, and more than half of them work in physicians’ offices. The remaining worked in other healthcare facilities.

Most medical assistants work full time.

How to Become a Medical Assistant:
Education: High school students should think about taking courses in biology, chemistry, and anatomy if they are interested in a career as a medical assistant.

There are no formal educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant in most states. However, some medical assistants graduate from formal education programs, and some employers may prefer such training.

Some states may require assistants to graduate from an accredited program, or to pass an exam or both to perform advanced tasks.

Training: Many assistants learn through on-the-job training. Often, another medical assistant will teach the new assistant medical terminology, the names of the instruments, how to do daily tasks, how to interact with patients, etc. An assistant codes both paper and electronic health records and also records patient information.

Certification: Employers prefer to hire certified assistants. However, you are not required to be certified to work in this career.

Several organizations offer certification. Some require the assistant to pass an exam, and others require graduation from an accredited program. Typically, an applicant must be at least 18 years old before applying for certification. Boston Reed provides clinical medical assisant training that is designed to prepare students to sit for the medical assistant certification exam.

Pay:
In 2010, the median annual wage of medical assistants was $28,860. Most medical assistants work full time. Some work evenings or weekends to cover shifts in medical facilities that are always open.

Job Outlook:
Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow by 31 percent from 2010 to 2020.

An increasing number of group practices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities need support workers, particularly medical assistants, to do both administrative and clinical duties.

Additional demand for medical assistants is expected as a result of new and changing tasks for medical assistants as part of the medical team.

Program Schedule:

Date:   Fall 2013      

Days:   TBA

Location: SCSU Welcome Center

                  355 5th Ave. S, St. Cloud

Please contact Tammy at 320.308.4252 or Tammy@SCSUTraining.com if you have any questions.