Career Description
Medical Assistants (MAs) are the only allied health professional trained specifically for the ambulatory care setting. The career is identified by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics as one of the fastest growing through 2012. Part of the reason is the increase in the number of health care facilities demanding a flexible medical assistant who can perform a variety of skills. Skills acquired in the MA Program include (but not exclusively) administrative such as answer telephones, greet patients, file, complete insurance forms, handle correspondence, schedule appointments, arrange for other health care services, treatments, procedures, handle billing and bookkeeping; and clinical based on state law such as taking medical histories, obtaining/recording vital signs, prepare and administer medications as directed by the physician, preparing/assisting in client examinations, collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, sterilize medical instruments, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, change dressings, and educate clients in treatments/procedures. MAs who specialize may perform additional skills.
Medical assistants interact with a variety of people in pleasant-physician office/clinic environments typically during day hours Monday through Friday. The Medical Assistant is not limited to clinical practice with the potential for advancement in areas such as office manager, administrative support occupations, or teaching future medical assisting.
For a more complete description of careers in medical assisting, refer to the website of the American Association of Medical Assistants.
Program Overview
BPCC's MA Program consists of a Qualification Courses, Clinical Courses, and Additional Required Courses. Students may work at any pace (part time/full time) to complete the qualification and additional required courses. When the qualification courses have been completed (with a "C" or better), students may apply for admission to the clinical component. Applications for the clinical component of the program are taken each spring, with a new clinical class beginning each fall. The additional required courses may be completed at any time prior to graduation. The program is designed so that a student may complete the MA program in 5 semesters including summer prior to clinical courses.
Program Curriculum (Courses Required)
| Qualification Courses | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| (must be completed prior to beginning clinical classes) | ||
| ZLGY 110: | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| ZLGY 120: | Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| ZLGY 120L: | Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab | 1 |
| ALHT 109: | Health Care Systems/Safety | 2 |
| **CIS 115: | Software Applications | 3 |
| **ALHT 206: | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| **ALHT 115: | Pharmacology | 3 |
| **ALHT 116: | Dosage Calculations | 3 |
| **indicates course has prerequisite requirements | ||
| Total Qualification Course Hours: | 21 | |
| Clinical MA Courses | Hours | |
| (Students are selected to enter clinicals.) | ||
| ALHT 114: | Introduction to Medical Coding | 3 |
| ALHT 201: | Medical Supplies and Patient Preparation | 4 |
| ALHT 209: | Laboratory Procedures | 4 |
| MOS 206: | Medical Office Procedures | 3 |
| MOS 206L: | Medical Office Procedures Lab | 1 |
| ALHT 203: | Specialty Areas | 3 |
| ALLH 210: | Externship | 5 |
| Total Clinical MA Courses | 23 | |
| Additional Required Courses | Hours | |
| ALHT 105: | Medical Ethics and Law | 3 |
| BADM 112: | Business English | 3 |
| **ENGL 101: | Composition & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| **MATH 102: | COllege Algebra | 3 |
| **PSYC 220: | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| SPCH 110: | Principles of Speech | 3 |
| or SPCH 115: | Interpersonal Communication | |
| Total Additional Required Courses hours: | 21 | |
| Total credit hours: | 65 | |
Admission to the Program
The selection process for the MA Program clinical component begins each spring. Students should be aware of the following requirements and procedures regarding clinical selection:
- Students must submit a completed MA Clinical Application Packet by the application deadline of April 15th.
- Qualification courses must be completed by the end of the summer semester in the application year. In some situations, however, up to 3 credit hours may be completed in the first fall session when available and with prior approval of the academic advisor.
- Cumulative GPA must be 2.0 or higher and students must earn a "C" or better in all qualification courses to be eligible for application.
- Selected applicants will be notified by mail of their acceptance status. In addition, selected students will be notified of the day/time of the MA clinical orientation meeting.
- 20 students per year are selected for the clinical component of the program.
Special Requirements
- Students who are selected for the clinical component of the MA Program must be available for daytime, evening and possible weekend classes.
- Clinical MA students must be prepared to complete 275 hours of clinical rotation/externships at physicians’ offices and clinics in the Shreveport/Bossier City area.
- Students selected for MA clinicals must adhere to the BPCC Allied Health Clinical Requirements related to additional tests/immunizations required, documentation submission and policies/procedures of the division/program.
- Students selected for MA clinicals pay a clinical fee, in addition to regular tuition, during the clinical/externship semester.