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Program Profile: Medical Assisting

Program Description | Accreditation | Program Highlights
About the Profession | Faculty | Class Size
Length of Program | Locations | Prerequisites
Costs | Scholarships and Financial Aid | How to Apply

Program Description

Name of program: Medical Assisting (AAS)

Program Overview: The Medical Assisting Program at ISU College of Technology is a 5 semester program offering an AAs degree with the option of two Bachelor degrees, BSHS and BAT which some students can do concurrently with their program curriculum. The program provides students with the skills and knowledge to assist physicians examine and treat patients, perform routine tasks to keep the medical office running smoothly, deal with the public, schedule appointments, process insurance claims, perform bookkeeping duties and a wide variety of other clerical tasks. Clinical and lab skills include vital signs, medical histories, patient preparation for exams and procedures, collecting blood and other specimens samples, administration of medications and basic lab procedures.

Accreditation

Commission on Accreditation of allied Health Educational Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation of the Curriculum Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (AAMAE)

The Medical Assisting program accreditation is current until 2016. Ten year accreditation was granted in 2006 with no citations.

Program Highlights

Ten year accreditation was granted in 2006 with no citations is almost unheard of. 100% national certification pass rate with many students placing in the high 90 percentile nationally. 100% graduate placement

About the Profession

Medical Assisting is one of the nation's fastest growing careers, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This can be attributed to a predicted surge in the number of physicains' offices and outpatient care facilities. Technological advancements and the growing number of elderly Americans who need medical treatment are also factors for the increased demand for medical assistants. Medical Assistants have a great amount lof variety in their jobs and are cross-trained to perform many administrative and clical duties. They work in many settings including medical offices and clinics, emergency and urgent care units, insurance and billing companies, and laboratory settings. The externship that students complete at the end of their course work assists them in finding these jobs. The rotations are completed in administrative, family practice, and specialty medical offices.

Potential Salary: $12.00/hr - $15.00/hr

Faculty

Two full time faculty, 25 clinical faculty and 25 clinical sites.

Program Coordinator/Instructor, Norma Bird, is a certified medical assistant with a Master of Education degree. She is a accreditation site surveyor and has approximately 25 years experience in the medical community. Kathy Mooso, instructor in the MA program is also a CMA with appx. 15 plus years of experinece in the medical community. Both are active members of the local, state and national medical associations and routinely attend seminars and conventions to keep abreast of the constantly changing medical field and the technology.

Class Size

Fixed Seats: Yes

Number of students in entering class: 18

Total number of students enrolled in program: 54

Length of Program

Number of academic years needed to complete the program: 2

Locations

Locations offered: Pocatello

Program offered fully online? No

Program delivered through distance presentation? No

Prerequisites

Required Degree: AAS

Other Prerequisites: 16 general ed credits and health occ. core classes

Costs

Tuition: Annual tuition set by University for residents or non-residents.

Professional fees: None

Equipment: $200-$400

Books: $1700

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Scholarship Deadline: Contact the Scholarship Office for more information.

Financial Aid Deadline: Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

How to Apply

Application Deadline:

Program Start Date: Fall semester

Other Information: Application for Admission Application fee, High school transcript, GED COMPASS Placement Test or ACT scores are needed. Register early - admission is based on space availability.