AAS in Medical Assisting

• Medical Assistant

To prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

In the Medical Assistant program at Spokane Community College, students learn about the administrative duties of scheduling and receiving patients, preparing and maintaining medical records, performing basic secretarial skills and medical transcription, handling telephone calls, writing correspondence, serving as a liaison between the physician and other individuals, and managing practice finances. The clinical phase of the program is taught through intense training and hands-on application. Students learn to perform clinical duties, including asepsis and infection control, taking patient histories and vital signs, first aid and CPR, preparing patients 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. In the 4th quarter, the students will have a 198-hour unpaid clinical externship in a medical office working directly with providers.

Admission Requirements

First Quarter

• Introduction to Computer Applications
• English Composition I
• Algebra for Math Literacy I

Program Courses

First Quarter

• Human Anatomy
• Administrative Medical Assistant I
• Clinical Medical Assistant I
• Basic Medical Assisting

Second Quarter

• Medical Terminology
• Administrative Medical Assistant II
• Clinical Medical Assistant II - A
• Clinical Medical Assistant II - B
• Mathematics for Pharmacy Technicians

Third Quarter

• Medical Assistant Coding and Reimbursement
• Administrative Medical Assistant III
• Clinical Medical Assistant III - A
• Clinical Medical Assistant III - B
• Ambulatory Care Setting Pharmacology
• Introduction to Study of Disease

Fourth Quarter

• Administrative Medical Assistant IV
• Clinical Medical Assistant IV - A
• Clinical Medical Assistant IV - B
• Medical Assistant Seminar
• Medical Assistant Externship

Fifth Quarter

• Principles of Management
• General Psychology
• Introduction to Sociology

Sixth Quarter

• Human Relations in Business
• Intercultural Communication
• Composition II

Seventh Quarter

• Principles of Accounting I
• Interpersonal Communication
• Lifespan Psychology

Technical Standards

Technical standards are the essential benchmarks for admission to and engagement in an educational program. They outline both academic and practical criteria, including skills and performance expectations for those pursuing a career as a medical assistant. Academic standards cover study courses, achieving satisfactory grades, and fulfilling other essential activities. Nonacademic standards encompass physical, cognitive, and behavioral prerequisites crucial for mastering the curriculum and cultivating the professional attributes necessary for a successful career.

It's crucial to meet these technical standards, whether with or without accommodations. Individuals aspiring to join the Medical Assistant Program at Spokane Community College should thoroughly assess the non-academic technical standards outlined below, considering any potential limitations that might impact their ability to meet these requirements. Applicants are encouraged to engage with the program director to discuss any individual situations that could affect adherence to these technical standards.

Physical Standards

• Lifting: Lift and carry equipment and patients up to 50 pounds, supporting and assisting patients in and out of a wheelchair, and on and off an examination table (lifting requirement is 0-25% of the time).
• Pushing: Push a patient weighing up to 200 pounds in a wheelchair.
• Spend an average of 25% of a regular workday walking, squatting, sitting, bending, and reaching, and 75% standing.
• Maneuverability: Perform activities such as kneeling, bending, stooping, crouching to perform CPR, assist patients, and retrieve items from cabinets below waist level.
• Fine Motor Skills: Exhibit adequate dexterity for tasks such as phlebotomy, electrocardiography, administering medications, handling small containers of potentially biohazardous specimens, using measuring devices, and operating various equipment.

Tactile Standards

• Palpation: Ability to palpate pulses, muscle contractions, bony landmarks, and edema.
• Sensory Differentiation: Differentiate between temperature and pressure variations.

Visual Standards

• Acuity: Possess adequate visual acuity for tasks including medication preparation and administration, diagnostic laboratory procedures, and patient assessment.
• Reading: Read accurately numbers, letters, cursive writing, and differentiate shapes and colors.
• Corrective Devices: Standards apply with or without corrective devices.

Auditory Standards

• Perception: Possess adequate auditory perception for verbal communication, including heart sounds, blood pressure sounds, patient distress sounds, instrument timers, alarms, and telephone communication.
• Corrective Devices: Standards apply with or without corrective devices.

Communication Standards

• Verbal, Nonverbal, and Written Skills: Demonstrate effective communication skills in English for interactions with patients, families, healthcare providers, colleagues, and the community.
• Language: Speak and comprehend oral and written English, including medical terminology.
• Writing: Write clearly and legibly in English for medical record documentation, form completion, and written communication.

Mental/Cognitive Standards

• Intellectual and Emotional Functions: Possess sufficient intellectual and emotional capabilities to plan and implement duties responsibly.
• Stress Management: Function safely and effectively under stressful situations.
• Alertness: Remain alert to surroundings and potential emergencies.
• Interpersonal Skills: Interact effectively and appropriately with patients, families, and coworkers.
• Ethical Standards: Display attitudes and actions consistent with ethical standards of medical assisting.
• Multitasking: Manage and prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining composure.
• Confidentiality: Communicate an understanding of confidentiality principles.
• Calmness: Remain calm, rational, decisive, and in control, especially during emergency situations.
• Personal Presentation: Maintain cleanliness and personal grooming consistent with close personal contact.
• Medication Influence: Function without causing harm to others if under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter medication.
• Harm Prevention: Function without causing harm to others due to any mental or physical conditions.