South
Certificate

MDA Program Outcomes        Health Programs - Limited Admissions   

This certificate program prepares students for entry-level positions as a medical assistant in a physician’s office, clinic or other healthcare setting. Medical assistants work with physicians of all specialties performing clinical and administrative duties. They assist with examinations and treatments, perform routine laboratory procedures, maintain medical records, complete insurance forms, arrange for diagnostic procedures, handle correspondence, transcribe notes and perform bookkeeping. Students graduating from this program will demonstrate critical thinking based on knowledge of academic subject matter required for competence in the profession. The program prepares competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains using classroom instruction with laboratory experience. The program includes a 160-hour, non-paid clinical externship.

Enrollment is limited by availability of clinical sites and other factors. Students must make separate application to the program. Students must be eligible for second-level developmental courses and have 40 words per minute typing proficiency.

A felony conviction may affect a student’s eligibility to enroll in the clinical externship and the graduate’s ability to take the national examination which is required to practice as a Medical Assistant.

A student must maintain a 2.0 college-level cumulative GPA to enter and remain in the program.

The program has been placed on Probationary Accreditation as of September 18, 2015. Probationary accreditation is a temporary status of accreditation imposed when a program does not continue to meet accreditation standards but should be able to meet them within a specified time.

The Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission Accreditation of the Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). CAAHEP is located at 25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763; 727.210.2350, www.caahep.org.

The Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB) is a Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP). As of the 2015 Annual Report Form (ARF), the Medical Assisting program at Community College of Allegheny County has a job placement rate average of 68.66% over the past five years. Graduates are eligible to apply for the national examination for the CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) credential.

Graduates are eligible to apply for the national examination for the CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) credential.

Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate will:

1. Perform clinical procedures related to patient examinations and assist the physician throughout the exam.
2. Prepare blood and body fluid specimens for analysis according to industry standards.
3. Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
4. Perform administrative functions related to medical business practices.
5. Display behavior in accordance with regulations, policies, laws and patient rights.