ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE
IN
MEDICAL ASSISTANT

Medical Assistants are allied health professionals who assist physicians in their offices or other medical settings. In accordance with respective state laws, they perform a broad range of administrative and clinical duties, as indicated by the American Association of Medical Assistants’ recent role delineation study.

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 examination 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.

Employment Opportunities

Physician’s offices
Any other type of health care setting

Program Description

Within the 71 credit hours students must earn for the associate degree, 19 credit hours of medical assistant classes are required. This includes 3 credit hours of medical office internship where the students will practice utilizing their skills in a health care setting.

Applications will be accepted from January 1 of each year for the upcoming fall semester. Admission to the program will be granted starting in May.

This is a limited enrollment program.

For more information contact:

Janet B. Smith, MS, RHIA, CCS
Cabell Hall, Room 205
Telephone (304) 696-3048 or 800-642-3437
E-mail: smithjan@marshall.edu

You may also contact the American Health Information Association at (312) 787-2672 or www.ahima.org

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