Medical Assistant Program
Industry Description
A medical assistant is a health care professional who is cross-trained in three different areas of patient care. The medical assistant is qualified to work in clinics, hospitals, urgent care clinics, blood collection centers, research facilities, and insurance companies. The medical assistant participates in a wide variety of clinical duties encompassing clinical, laboratory, and administrative procedures. As a medical assistant, your duties could include administering injections, taking blood pressure readings, rooming patients, drawing blood, performing commonly ordered laboratory tests, insurance coding, medical records and scheduling patients. You may also perform electrocardiograms and take basic x-rays.
The ability to demonstrate professionalism, communicates effectively, and performs procedures quickly and accurately is essential for success as a medical assistant. As a medical assistant you will have direct patient contact and work closely with physicians, nurses and other health care professionals.
Minnesota Law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with patients and residents at a health care facility licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health have a background study conducted by the state. An individual who is disqualified from having direct patient contact as a result of the background study, and whose disqualification is not set aside by the Commissioner of Health, will not be permitted to participate in a clinical placement in a Minnesota licensed health care facility. The College will withdraw any student from the program who is disqualified by the Minnesota Department of Health. The student is responsible for requesting the Commissioner to reconsider the disqualification.
Wages/Outlook/Advancement Opportunities
Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Program Description
The medical assistant program consists of technical courses designed to develop skills in all phases of medical assisting. As a medical assistant student you will study clinical procedures such as sterile technique, suture removal and physician procedures. Your laboratory courses will prepare you to run diagnostic tests such as rapid strep throat, white blood counts, and cholesterol levels. The administrative area will prepare you to use medical computer scheduling software and bill insurances using the correct diagnostic codes.
The program concludes with an eight-week externship. The medical assistant student will be placed in a clinic for practical on-the-job experience. This is a non-salaried externship with supervision by instructors and clinical staff.
The medical assisting program has full-time, part-time, and weekend classes. We offer both a diploma and an A.A.S. degree.
The medical assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAA-HEP), on recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation for Medical Assistant Education. Graduates are eligible to write the National Certification Examination and become a certified medical assistant.
ACCUPLACER Test Requirement: The Medical Assistant program requires a "81 or better in the ACCUPLACER Arithmetic test , a "78" or better in the ACCUPLACER Reading test, and a "86" or better in the in the ACCUPLACER Sentence Structure test, or Completion of Basic Math and/or Basic English and Reading courses. Any needed developmental courses must be completed before receiving a diploma or an A.A.S. award.
Program Essentials
Length of Program
Medical Assistant Diploma 56 credits
Medical Assistant Associate of Applied Science 63 credits
Start Dates
Fall Semester August
Spring Semester January
Program Contact
Sandra Lehrke
Phone (763) 576-4844
E-mail slehrke@anokatech.edu
For information on how to apply or how to schedule a campus tour, contact the Admissions Office.
Phone (763) 576-4850
E-mail info@anokatech.edu
