Award: Certificate in Medical Assisting
No. of credits required: 39
For more information: Contact the Program Coordinator, Brittany Arkins, 443-412-2738, barkins@harford.edu, or Admissions, 443-412-2109.

Program Description

The Certificate in Medical Assisting at Harford Community College is a career program designed to prepare students for employment as a medical assistant immediately upon completing the course of studies. The program prepares students to work in an administrative and clinical capacity in a variety of medical office and clinical settings. Students learn the knowledge, technical skills and work ethic that are required for an entry level position in medical assisting. The program includes both classroom theory and clinical practice. The student who completes the certificate program has the option of earning the A.A.S. in Medical Assisting by completing the general education courses required by that degree program. Graduates of the program are eligible to test for the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) through the American Medical Technologists (AMT) or the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) through the National Healthcare Association (NHA). Please note that, generally, individuals who have been found guilty of a felony, or pleaded guilty to a felony, are not eligible to take the exam. However, the Certifying Board may grant a waiver based upon mitigating circumstances.

The Medical Assisting Certificate Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (https://www.caahep.org/) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB):

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355-113th St., N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
(727) 210-2350

Initial Accreditation Date:      1/20/2011 
Status:                                     Continuing 
Degrees:                                  Certificate 

Administrative duties performed by medical assistants include general medical office procedures, scheduling appointments, medical billing, and coding. Clinical duties include recording medical histories and vital signs, preparing patients for examination and procedures, performing laboratory tests, pharmacology and injection training, and phlebotomy and EKG training.

Program Goals

Upon completion of the program, the student will :

1. Perform clinical skills within the scope of practice for a medical assistant: phlebotomy, injections, EKG (electrocardiogram), obtaining lab specimens, and vital signs.
2. Perform executive administrative skills within the scope of practice for a medical assistant including; scheduling, billing and coding.
3. Possess knowledge of legal implications and ethical considerations in an ambulatory healthcare setting.
4. Follow the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Code of Ethics.
5. Be eligible to take the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Examination for national certification.
6. Have completed 160 hours of unpaid externship in an ambulatory healthcare setting.
7. Demonstrate professionalism and effective communication skills.
8. Qualify to secure an entry level employment position as a medical assistant.

Student Responsibilities

Students will be responsible for the following:

1. Obtaining scrubs to be used throughout all MAS courses,
2. Purchasing the textbook bundle from the college bookstore that contains the textbook, workbook, and MindTap access code (valued at approximately $380),
3. Maintaining up-to-date vaccinations (annual PPD and flu, COVID) as well as current healthcare provider level CPR and first aid certifications by the American Heart Association, including obtaining background check and drug screening through Castlebranch.

Occupational Risks

Medical Assisting is a profession with many rewards, as practitioners can perform both administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in a variety of healthcare environments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly outlines that it is a growth field, with an anticipated 14% growth through 2032.

Medical Assistants work directly with providers and patients, with the goal of providing healthcare and ensuring patient safety. It is a position with a great deal of responsibility.

As with any healthcare position, there are certain occupational risks that come into play with being a medical assistant, and those hazards include the following:

• Exposure to infectious diseases
• Sharps injuries
• Bloodborne pathogens and biological hazards
• Chemical and drug exposure
• Ergonomic hazards from lifting, sitting, and repetitive tasks
• Latex allergies
• Stress

At the same time, there are protections set up with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and those protections are particularly important within a healthcare environment. OSHA has a series of standards that protect the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

Accredited medical assisting programs are required to teach students about the hazards that they face on the job and the protocols that can be put into place to ensure a workplace culture that prioritizes safety.
 

Certificate Requirements

In order to earn a certificate from Harford Community College, students must demonstrate basic competencies in English, reading, and mathematics by completing: ENG 018 Integrated Reading and Writing, MATH 020 Pre-Algebra I, and/or a qualifying exam must be passed.

Required Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AHS 101	Medical Terminology and Ethics	3
BIO 108	Human Body in Health and Disease (GS) 1	3
BIO 116	Human Body in Health and Disease Laboratory (GL) 1	1
MAS 120	Medical Assisting Fundamentals	3
MAS 122	Clinical Medical Assistant I 2	3
MAS 124	Clinical Medical Assistant II 2	4
MAS 126	Administrative Medical Assisting I	3
MAS 127	Administrative Medical Assisting II	3
MAS 200	Laboratory Procedures for Medical Assistant	3
MAS 202	Pharmacology for the Medical Assistant	3
MAS 210	Medical Assisting Practicum 2,3	4
Total Credits		33

¹

Biology Requirement choose BIO 108 Human Body in Health and Disease (GS) & BIO 116 Human Body in Health and Disease Laboratory (GL) OR BIO 203 Anatomy and Physiology I (GL) & BIO 204 Anatomy and Physiology II (GL)

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Health requirements and vaccinations (PPD, FLU and COVID), as well as current healthcare provider level CPR and first aid certification by the American Heart Association, including obtaining background check and drug screening will be required prior to placement at a clinical site. 

³

Medical Assisting Practicum requires 160 hours of unpaid work experience in a physician's office or clinical setting. All other coursework must be completed prior to taking MAS 210 Medical Assisting Practicum. 

General Education Degree Requirements

Note: The following codes identify courses which satisfy the General Education Degree Requirements:

Behavioral/Social Science (GB)
English Composition (GE)
Arts/Humanities (GAH)
Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues (GI)
Biological/Physical Laboratory Science (GL)
Mathematics (GM)
Biological/Physical Science (GS)