“The Mountwest Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) on recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).”
Allied Health
Associate of Applied Science • 60 Credit Hours
Certificate of Applied Science • 33 Credit Hours
The Mountwest Medical Assistant AAS program is accredited by the Commision on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) most recent role delineation study.
Medical Assistants, in accordance with respective state laws, perform a broad range of administrative and clinical duties, as indicated by the American Association of Medical Assistants recent role delineation study. The Mountwest Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org), on recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
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The National Exam: Becoming a Certified MA
Completion of the Medical Assistant degree will not automatically qualify a graduate to work as a Medical Assistant. Once a student successfully passes the assessment for skills and competency and graduates, he/she will be able to sit for a national exam, . This certification will allow graduates to our students take the CCMA exam (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant from the National Health Career Association (NHA))work in a medical office, medical laboratory, hospital, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Participants who pass the CCMA exam will be able to apply for exams for certifications for the following fields: Phlebotomy (Certified Phlebotomy Technician), EKG (Certified EKG Technician), and medical secretary (Certified Medical Administrative Assistant).
The Medical Assisting Program at Mountwest Community and Technical College has the following five-year average (2018 – 2022) outcomes:
1. To prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains
2. To prepare graduates to perform within the legal and ethical boundaries of the medical assistant’s scope of practice (cognitive, affective, psychomotor)
3. To prepare graduates to value the needs of each patient, their family, culture and beliefs  (affective)
4. To prepare graduates to communicate effectively, professionally and be culturally sensitive with providers, staff and patients (affective)
5. To prepare graduates to participate as team members while in the work place (affective)
6. To prepare graduates to maintain currency within their field through certification and continuing education (cognitive)
7. Encourage the student to be a lifelong learner (cognitive)
8. Perform a variety of clinical procedures (psychomotor)
9. Perform a variety of administrative procedures (psychomotor)
10. To prepare students to successfully complete the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, CCMA (NHA) exam and earn their national professional credential
The college adheres to an open admission policy which means applications with a high school diploma or GED are eligible for admission. Applicants with neither a high school diploma nor GED may be admitted on a conditional basis.
Administrative duties include scheduling and receiving patients, preparing and maintaining medical records, performing basic secretarial skills and medical transcription, handling telephone calls and writing correspondence, serving as a liaison between the physician and other individuals, and managing practice finances. Clinical duties include asepsis and infection control, taking patient histories and vital signs, performing first aid and CPR, preparing patient for procedures, assisting the physician with examinations and treatments, collecting and processing specimens, performing selected diagnostic tests, and preparing and administering medications as directed by the physician.
Both administrative and clinical duties involve maintenance of equipment and supplies for the practice. A medical assistant who is sufficiently qualified by education and/or experience may be responsible for supervising personnel, developing and conducting public outreach programs to market the physician’s professional services, and participating in the negotiation of leases and of equipment and supply contracts.
