Total Credit Hours: 36 credit hours

Major Credit Hours: 33 credit hours

Offered to students enrolled at the St. Augustine College location only.

Description of Program: Medical Assisting is an Allied Health Profession whose practitioners are members of the healthcare delivery team. Medical Assistants perform administrative and clinical procedures in medical offices, outpatient medical groups, and outpatient departments of hospitals.

The Medical Assistant Program prepares graduates to provide a blend of administrative and clinical services to physicians and other healthcare personnel. Duties of Medical Assistants include receiving and preparing patients; gathering medical histories; transcribing and maintaining medical records, handling correspondence and manuscripts, and assuming responsibilities for automated and manual office procedures. Medical Assistants prepare examination rooms, assist physicians with examinations and treatments, check vital signs, perform routine lab tests, draw blood, take electrocardiograms, administer injections, perform spirometry, and sterilize equipment. The Medical Assistant program addresses both clinical and administrative topics and includes an externship in a clinical setting after completion of all required course work.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022 edition, employment of Medical Assistants is expected to grow 14% much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 through 2032. The Illinois Department of Employment Security’s website shows that there is a high demand for Medical Assisting jobs. There are 764,400 jobs available for Medical Assistants in 2022. About 114,600 openings for medical assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Program Learning Outcomes: At the end of the program, students shall:

1. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of an electronic health record for the purpose of delivering patient care.
2. Use of appropriate medical terminology for the purpose of delivering and documenting patient care.
3. Adhere to legal guidelines and code of ethics for the profession of medical assistants.
4. Apply basic pharmacology, mathematical skills, anatomy and physiology concepts, laboratory procedures, and basic insurance principles.
5. Implement the principles of cultural sensitivity and respect when administering patient care
6. Safely perform appropriate medical office procedures.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
General Education
ENGL 11100	College Writing 1	3
Program Core Requirements
HUPR 19500	Medical Terminology	3
MDAS 10500	Law and Ethics	3
HLSC 10100	General Anatomy and Physiology	3
HLSC 10200	General Anatomy and Physiology Lab	1
MDAS 12000	Math for Healthcare Professionals	3
MDAS 10900	Introduction to Medical Coding	3
MDAS 10100	Electronic Health Records	3
MDAS 12500	Medical Office Procedures	3
MDAS 13500	Clinical Medical Assisting	4
MDAS 22000	Laboratory Procedures and Pharmacology	3
MDAS 21000	Medical Assisting Externship	4

Admission Requirements:

1. General Admission Requirements
   1. Be 17 years of age or older
   2. Be a high school graduate or hold an official transcript of the General Education Development (GED) test.
   3. St. Augustine College at Lewis University requires all students to take placement exams in English and Mathematics as part of the admission process. These no-pass, no-fail tests are designed to ensure that students are ready to enroll in the English and Mathematics courses that are required in the Medical Assistant program.
2. Other Requirements:
   1. Some healthcare facilities will require background checks before starting externship. Student externs should be advised that any felony and some misdemeanor convictions may prevent them from being accepted as an extern or securing employment in a healthcare facility. Most background checks may include drug and alcohol screening and health physicals.
   2. A Physical Examination form will be provided by the Medical Assistant Program Director, which will be filled out by the student’s primary care physician.
   3. The vaccinations and tests that will be required by clinical sites are the following:
      1. Hepatitis B vaccine – 3 series; at lease the first dose of the three series have been administered before the start of externship
      2. COVID-19 vaccines – primary doses as well as the booster doses
      3. MMR, tetanus vaccines
      4. TB testing – Quantiferon or PPD test