Medical Assistant Program

Career Opportunities

The medical assistant field is a health professional that performs routine administrative and clinical tasks within physicians offices. Their duties may vary from office to office, but the administrative duties usually include answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patient medical records, filling out insurance forms and advance directive forms, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission, and handling billing and accounting procedures.

The clinical duties may also vary but include taking medical histories, recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician during the examination. They may also collect blood specimens by both capillary or venipuncture technique, perform basic laboratory tests, dispose of contaminated supplies, sterilize equipment, instruct patients about medication and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by the physician, authorize drug refills, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, prepare patients for X-rays, and perform EKGs.

The Medical Assistant program is a certificate or two-year Associate in Applied Science degree program that prepares students to work in a medical office and perform both administrative and clinical procedures.

Please consult a faculty advisor listed below before beginning your coursework.

Degree

• Medical Assistant, Associate in Applied Science

When planning your coursework, use the Student Planning Worksheet. Degree information and the worksheet can be found on the following files:
[ Medical Assistant, A.A.S. Degree , pdf file]
[ Student Planning Worksheet , pdf file]

 

Certificate

• Medical Assistant

Information on the certificate listed above can be found on the following file:

Certificate , pdf file

 

Gainful Employment Information
View information about this program, including estimated cost and employment opportunities.

• Medical Assistant

 

Course Descriptions

If you are considering this program as an area of study, consult with a faculty advisor in this field. To send an email, click on the name of the advisor you wish to reach:

Nancy Feulner , MT ASCPHSC 2207R(630) 942-2124

Diane Gryglak HSC 2207J(630) 942-3507

If you are unable to contact a faculty advisor, messages may be left with the Health and Sciences Division, HSC 8331, (630) 942-2495.