Medical Assisting (AAS)
Download as PDF
College
Program CIP Code
The Associate of Applied Science in Health Sciences-Medical Assisting degree prepares students to perform clinical and administrative functions in a physician‘s office or other medical setting. The program includes didactic classroom instruction, extensive hands-on laboratory experience, and externship in a local area medical facility. Applied Science in Health Sciences-Medical Assisting graduates are CPR certified.
Students graduating from this program may be eligible to become Certified Medical Assistants, Registered Medical Assistants, Certified Phlebotomy Technicians, and EKG Technicians.
The program has entered into a consortium agreement with the University Online campus located at the main campus in Virginia Beach. The agreement enables Arts and Science and Self Integration courses to be delivered asynchronously online. The agreement has zero impact on employment or licensure and there are no additional costs incurred.
See also the following additional program information:
Attendance Policy > Medical Assisting | AAS and Diploma (includes information about Late Assignments)
Transferability of Credit > Medical Assisting section
About Medical Assisting
Medical Assistants perform a combination of clinical and administrative duties. Clinical duties might include preparing the patient for a physician’s examination, collecting and preparing specimens, performing basic laboratory tests and EKGs, removing sutures after surgery, changing dressings, sterilizing medical instruments, and administering injections. They also communicate extensively with patients and other healthcare providers. The administrative duties include scheduling appointments, recording information in electronics medical records, completing insurance forms, arranging for referrals to other healthcare institutions, performing billing functions, and purchasing and maintaining supplies and equipment. These duties occur in a wide range of healthcare settings, such as doctors’ offices, hospitals, clinics, urgent care, and other healthcare facilities.
For employment, students will generally need to pass a routine physical examination, background check, credit check, drug screening, and Mantoux test for tuberculosis and have current vaccinations, including Hepatitis B. Students must be able to comply with all federal regulations regarding HIPAA and OSHA.
Graduates could obtain employment as Medical Assistants, Phlebotomists, or EKG technicians, and they could be expected to work in any healthcare environment.
Recommended Certifications
Certifications are not required for completion of this program; however, ECPI encourages student to obtain all appropriate certifications to increase potential job opportunities. ECPI provides students in this program with vouchers which allow the student to take certification exams at a greatly reduced cost. Students graduating from this program may be eligible to become Certified Medical Assistants (CMA), Registered Medical Assistants (RMA), Certified Phlebotomy Technicians, and EKG Technicians. Students should also obtain their CPR certification.
Student Evaluation
The faculty will use the objectives of the medical assisting program as criteria for student evaluation. The student‘s grades are determined by a combination of professionalism, written examinations, laboratory practical exams, competency checklists, and other assignments.
The student progresses to the next term when all prerequisite courses have been satisfactorily completed. Students must achieve a passing grade of “C” (73 numerical grade) in all MED courses.