Medical Assisting Certificate
Medical assistants are allied health professionals specially trained for the ambulatory care setting. They perform administrative functions such as scheduling, coordinating care with insurances, managing accounts, and documenting patient communications. Their clinical responsibilities include recording vital signs, taking patient histories, administering medications, and performing ECGs. Many medical assistants perform point of care testing such as urinalysis, venipuncture, and screenings. Patient teaching and HIPAA compliance are important aspects for those who choose this career.
With an aging population and more emphasis on preventative care, the demand for qualified medical assistants has dramatically increased. Throughout Belmont’s program, you’ll develop a foundation of knowledge along with the interpersonal and technical skills to be a successful member of a healthcare team. You’ll build confidence and experience through a 160-hour practicum experience at a local healthcare facility.
What you’ll learn
- Learn to apply basics of anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, psychology, and sociology in patient care.
- Develop human relations skills including effective communication, cultural competence, and working with diverse populations, while maintaining confidentiality.
- Learn to follow health and safety policies and procedures to prevent illness and injury.
- Be able to perform CLIA-waived testing in the Physician Office Lab (POL) setting.
- Gain a basic knowledge of medical business practices, including coding and billing procedures.
Possible careers
- Physicians’ offices
- Medical clinics
- Health departments
- Nursing homes
- Dentist offices
- Medical insurance companies
- Hospitals
Program Information
- A 10-panel urine drug test must be obtained by you (the student) and submitted separately to the medical assisting/phlebotomy tech program.
- Drug testing must be submitted by December 1st.
- Hand deliver or email the results to the Nursing Program Academic Specialist at stracy@belmontcollege.edu.
- If your drug test is positive due to prescriptive medications, it is YOUR responsibility to work with your healthcare provider to convert a positive drug test to a negative drug test based upon prescriptive medications.
- You will be removed from the program if the drug screen is positive in the absence of an authorized prescription by a medical provider.
- You understand that at the discretion of the director of the nursing program and/or the medical assisting coordinator, a repeat 10-panel urine drug test can be required. Failure to submit a requested drug test will result in immediate removal from the program.
- You are responsible for all costs associated with drug testing.
Health and immunizations requirements are not a stipulation for entrance to Belmont College (the “College”). However, students seeking entrance to any of the College’s healthcare programs are subject to health and immunization requirements as a direct result of the demands of the healthcare facilities utilized by the programs to achieve student learning outcomes. Those students who are choosing to enter a healthcare profession must sincerely reflect on the personal healthcare requirements that they may face as a student and later as a professional.
Healthcare facilities require College students to demonstrate proof of compliance with their health and immunization requirements prior to entrance into the facility for clinical experiences. Entrance to any healthcare facility by college students is a privilege which can be revoked due to non-compliance with the signed clinical contract which outlines their health and immunization requirements.
The College’s healthcare programs generally require clinical experiences at a wide range of facilities, so choosing not to participate at facilities where vaccines are required limits a student’s ability to achieve the skills required by the program’s learning outcomes and may lead to failure to complete the program.
Many facilities with health and immunization requirements have provisions for exemptions based upon religion or specific medical considerations. Students who receive vaccine exemptions from a clinical facility must follow the facility’s policies pertaining to these exemptions. All exemptions are subject to review and may be rescinded based upon new healthcare guidelines. Any student who receives a vaccine exemption from a clinical facility must follow the facility’s policies pertaining to the exemption and assumes the cost of any additional requirements set by the facility for those who are not vaccinated, including, but not limited to, mask fit testing or additional disease testing. Students must provide a copy of the approved exemption to the College through their healthcare program.
Some clinical facilities require the College to determine exemptions based on religion or specific medical conditions. All exemptions processed by the College will be determined by the individual healthcare program and must also be accepted by the healthcare facility. A student seeking an exemption from the College must submit the required paperwork. All exemptions processed by the College will be valid for the length of the current academic year, unless specified differently by a healthcare facility’s exemption policy. A student must reapply for an exemption each academic year or upon reinstatement or change of program. All exemptions are subject to review and may be rescinded based upon new healthcare guidelines. Any student who receives a vaccine exemption from the College must follow any healthcare facility’s policies pertaining to the exemption and assumes the cost of any additional requirements set by any facility for those who are not vaccinated, including, but not limited to, mask fit testing or additional disease testing.
It is the student’s responsibility to seek exemptions in a timely manner that will not delay his/her scheduled entrance to their assigned healthcare facility. Any absence due to the exemption review process not being completed by the time of planned entry to the healthcare facility is the fault of the student. These absences will not be excused and will be made up only as permitted and outlined by the healthcare program. Students are to obtain the necessary paperwork from their healthcare program. All completed paperwork is to be returned to the healthcare program in a timely fashion.
The College cannot guarantee the availability of an exemption at any healthcare facility. The decision denying an exemption by the College is final and cannot be petitioned. However, a student may reapply for a previously denied exemption based on new and additional information. Refusing to comply with the health and immunization requirements and policies of a healthcare facility may result in failure to meet the requirements of the academic program. Such a choice is at the student’s own personal risk and could prevent the student from successful completion of the academic program. The College is not responsible for providing alternative clinical sites due to a student’s exemption status. The College is not responsible for any illnesses or healthcare expenses acquired by the students in relation to their clinical experiences.
Medical Assisting students will need uniforms for the spring and summer semesters. Phlebotomy students will need uniforms for the spring semester. Uniforms must be purchased from Studio Scrubs in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Students need to go to the store to size and order uniforms, lab jacket, and shoes. The cost for these items will be billed to the College who will post your individual charges to your student account. The cost for ONLY UNIFORMS, LAB JACKETS, AND SHOES can be posted to your student account. Once the uniforms and shoes are ordered the student assumes full financial responsibility, even if the student does not enter the program.
Due to the embroidery of the College’s logo on the tops and lab coats, all uniforms must be ordered ONLY through Studio Scrubs.
Clinical sites require students to be clearly identified.
Students must purchase two black tops, two pairs of black pants, and one black lab coat. These will be worn during spring semesters campus labs and clinical settings.
Please consider the sizing of the uniform to allow for adequate body movement.
Uniforms can take six to eight weeks to come in, so please take this into consideration when placing an order (Studio Scrubs sends the uniform to another vendor to be embroidered). Students cannot attend clinical experience without the proper uniform.
Uniforms are picked up at the store by the student.
Contact information for Studio Scrubs:
Studio Scrubs, LLC
8 Elm Grove Crossing Plaza
Wheeling, WV 26003
Phone: 304.905.0221
Fax: 304.905.0275
Email: vcook@studioscrubsllc.com
Accreditation
The Medical Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (www.maerb.org).
To prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
Upon successful completion of the certificate program, graduates are eligible to take either the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam offered by American Association of Medical Assistants (www.aama-ntl.org) and/or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam, offered by American Medical Technologists (www.americanmedtech.org)