Medical Assisting Certificate

Program Code:

Degree:

Certificate

This program may be completed at QCC at the Healthcare and Workforce Development Center in downtown Worcester.
This program will require students to travel to clinical sites within the Worcester County area.

Program Contact Email:

medicalsupport@qcc.mass.edu

Additional Information

Goals

Program Goals:

The goal of the Medical Assisting Certificate is to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate proficiency in performing entry-level clinical and administrative procedures of the medical assistant profession.
Work under the direction of a physician in an ethical, legal and safe manner.
Achieve employment as an entry-level medical assistant.
Demonstrate appropriate critical thinking skills including written, verbal and nonverbal communication.
Work effectively as part of a team.
Recognize the importance of continued professional development.
Apply principles of teaching and learning into the delivery of care to patients and families.

Classes

Curriculum:

Course Title	Course #	Semester Offered	Credits	Prerequisites
Semester 1 (Summer) Apply and get accepted to this program (Program Code: ME). Register for and successfully complete all courses to graduate in four semesters.
Introduction to Medical Terminology	ALH 102	F/S/SU	3	ENG 091 with a grade of "C" or higher, ENG 096 with a grade of "C" or higher; or approp place score
		Total	3
Semester 2 (Fall) Complete MSS 151 and MSS 252 with grades of "C" or higher.
Medical Office Administration I	ALH 151	F	3	ENG 091 with a grade of "C" or higher, ENG 096 with a grade of "C" or higher; or approp place score, Coreq: ALH 102
Introduction to Microcomputer Applications	CIS 111	F/S/SU	3
Composition I	ENG 101	F/S/SU	3	ENG 091 with a grade of "C" or higher, ENG 096 with a grade of "C" or higher; or approp place score
Clinical Procedures I	MSS 151	F	4	Coreq: ALH 151
Principles of Pharmacology for Medical Assistants	MSS 252	F	3	Coreq: MSS 151
Introduction to Psychology	PSY 101	F/S/SU	3	ENG 091 with a grade of "C" or higher, ENG 096 with a grade of "C" or higher; or approp place score
		Total	19
Semester 3 (Spring) Meet with a QCC Career Services Representative and attend Workshops. See www.QCC.edu/career-services. Complete BIO 100 with a grade of "C" or higher (BIO 111 and BIO 112 may be substituted in place of BIO 100). Complete MSS 251 with a grade of "C" or higher.
Medical Coding and Billing	ALH 107	S	3	ENG 096 with a grade of "C" or higher; or approp place score, Coreq: ALH 102
Medical Office Administration II	ALH 152	S	3	ALH 151
Principles of Human Biology or	BIO 100	F/S/SU	4	ENG 091 with a grade of "C" or higher, ENG 096 with a grade of "C" or higher; or approp place score
Anatomy & Physiology II	BIO 112	F/S/SU	4	BIO 111
Clinical Procedures II	MSS 251	S	4	MSS 151
		Total	14
Semester 4 (Fall) Meet with a Career Services Representative for Job Search Assistance services. Complete MSS 299 with a grade of "C" or higher. Submit an Intent to Graduate Form, located on The Q.
Fieldwork Experience	MSS 299	F/S	4	BIO 100 or BIO 112, ENG 101, MSS 151, MSS 251, PSY 101
		Total	4
Total Credits Required:			40

Elective Information

Outcomes

Program Outcomes

Program outcomes are defined as performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the purposes of the Quinsigamond Community College Medical Assisting program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented. Program outcomes are measurable, consumer-oriented indexes designed to evaluate the degree to which the program is achieving its mission and goals. Examples include, but are not limited to, program completion rates, licensure/certification examination pass rates, and job placement rates.

Program Statistics

Program Completion

Expected Level of Achievement developed by QCC Medical Assisting Faculty (and reported to MAERB accrediting body) are that 75% of students complete the program.

2015 admission cohort: 92.31% have graduated from the Medical Assisting certificate program
2016 admission cohort: 75.00% have graduated from the Medical Assisting certificate program
2017 admission cohort: 76.92% have graduated from the Medical Assisting certificate program

Medical Assisting certification passing rate:

Expected Level of Achievement developed by QCC Medical Assisting Faculty (and reported to MAERB accrediting body) are 75% of test takers will successfully complete one of these exams: CMA (AAMA), RMA (AMT), NCMA (NCCT), CCMA (NHA), or CMAC (AMCA).

2015 admission cohort: 80% have passed at least one exam
2016 admission cohort: 100% have passed at least one exam
2017 admission cohort: 100% have passed at least one exam

Graduates Obtaining Jobs

Expected Level of Achievement developed by QCC Medical Assisting Faculty (and reported to MAREB accrediting body) are that 75% of graduates seeking employment are employed within one year of graduation.

2015 admission cohort: 70% of graduates have obtained employment
2016 admission cohort: 100% of graduates have obtained employment
2017 admission cohort: 40% of of graduates have obtained employment

Cost & Requirements

Program Admissions Requirements:

Students should note that some first semester courses carry minimum prerequisites. Refer to the program grid.

High School Diploma or GED/HiSET.
Must take the College Placement Test to demonstrate mathematics and English competency at the appropriate level.
Applicants must place into MAT 099 and ENG 101 on the College Placement Test; mathematics must be taken within five years.
Attendance at a Health Information Session.

Admissions Process:

Admissions inquiries should be directed to admissions [at] qcc.mass.edu. Prospective students may apply to the program of their choice by following the enrollment steps at www.QCC.edu/enrollment-steps.

Technical Performance Standards:

See the Technical Performance Standards page. (Note: Not all programs have technical performance standards).

Credit for Prior Learning:

Students enrolled in this program may be able to earn academic credit for prior learning. Please contact Career Services & Credit for Prior Learning (Room 272A) at careerservices [at] qcc.mass.edu or 508.854.4439.

CORI, SORI, Finger Printing & Drug Testing:

Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI), Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI), and National Background checks are required in the program, either annually or every semester. Finger printing and drug testing may be required. Finger printing and drug testing results must meet clinical requirements. An issue with CORI/SORI, National Background, finger printing and/or drug testing could prevent a student from participating in a clinical/field rotation, which could result in dismissal from the program.

Additional Cost:

See the Program Fees page.

Students should anticipate additional expenses for uniforms/clinical wear, textbooks, professional liability insurance, licensing exams, and parking fees at clinical sites.

Additional Information:

Students accepted to the Medical Assisting Certificate must:
- Obtain CPR certification, Healthcare Provider (Red Cross) or BLS for Healthcare Provider (American Heart Association), prior to beginning the fieldwork experience (externship).
- Provide documentation of immunization currency and satisfactory health status and be cleared by the Health Compliance Officer by September 15 or January 15 of fieldwork experience.
The QCC Medical Assisting Certificate program has an average retention rate of 70.37% for the past five years; there are a number of student support services to assist with program completion.

Career

Career Outlook:

Please consult the Massachusetts Career Information System at https://masscis.intocareers.org/ or the Occupational Outlook Handbook at www.bls.gov/ooh/ for specific occupational information.

Gainful Employment:

See the Gainful Employment Section for more information.

Transfer Articulations & Opportunities:

Prospective students may learn more about transfer articulation agreements at www.QCC.edu/agreements. More information regarding transfer opportunities is available at www.QCC.edu/transfer.

The Quinsigamond Community College Medical Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), which can be contacted at: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs | 25400 US Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763 | 727.210.2350 | www.caahep.org. The Medical Assisting program was last granted continuing accreditation upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

Apply for Admission Request Information

Contact QCC Admissions at 508.854.4262 for more information.

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