Health Care Support
Medical Office Assistance
Program Summary
Medical Office Assistants are on the front line of the health care field, performing the administrative and clinical tasks needed to keep the offices and clinics of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and optometrists running smoothly. The duties of
Medical Office Assistants vary from office to office depending on office location, size, and specialty. In small practices, Medical Office Assistants are usually "generalists" who handle both administrative and clinical duties and report directly to the office manager or health practitioner. In larger practices, they tend to specialize in a particular area.
Administrative duties range from answering telephones, scheduling appointments, and greeting patients to filing patient medical records and insurance forms. Medical Office Assistants also may arrange for hospital admission and laboratory services, handle billing and bookkeeping, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms clean and neat.
Clinical duties vary according to state law and may include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician during the examination. Medical office assistants also may collect and prepare laboratory specimens or even perform basic laboratory tests, and sterilize medical instruments. They may instruct patients about medication and special diets; or they may draw blood, give injections or other treatments, and change dressings.
Employment Trends
- The medical assistance field is projected to be the fastest growing occupation from 2002 to 2012.
- Job prospects should be best for medical assistants with formal training or experience, particularly those with certification.
- Employment growth will be driven by the increase in the number of group practices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities that need a high proportion of support personnel, particularly the flexible medical assistant who can handle both administrative and clinical duties. Medical assistants work primarily in outpatient settings, which are expected to exhibit much faster-than-average growth.
Program Objectives
- Successful completion of each course earns a Certificate of Completion
Program Requirements
- High school diploma or GED equivalency
- United States citizenship or a legal working permit
- Negative TB test taken within six months --
Those with a positive skin test must produce a negative chest x-ray. Yearly review of symptoms with documentation must be submitted within the first two weeks of class.
- CPR for Health Professionals, current certification
- Current certification for Universal First Aid
Program Curriculum
The two-part Medical Office Assistant Program includes both classroom lecture and hands-on practice. Part 1 covers general administrative tasks including office practices, patient relations, maintaining medical records, and basic patient care skills. In Part 2, students continue learning in a structured medical setting, such as a hospital or health care center, by observing physicians and other health providers. Under supervision, students work directly with patients to assess their needs and provide care. Basic training in phlebotomy is also included.
| Crs # |
Course Name |
Hrs |
| HES355 |
Medical Office Assistant, Part I, Overview |
48 |
| HES322 |
Medical Office Assistant: Part II, Practical Applications* |
30 |
| |
Program total |
78 |
* Part II, Practical Applications, may take place at Doctors Community Hospital; J. Richard Lilly, MD; ABFP; PC and Associates; Largo Foot and Ankle Health Center; Blake and Sloan Internal Medicine; or Children First, LLC.
Please check the
Schedule of Courses for courses currently offered.
For more information, contact:
Donna Barker, PGCC Program Coordinator
301-386-0796,
dbarker@pgcc.edu
Key Words