Medical Assistant

Program Overview

Accreditation

“The Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).”

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

Medical Assisting Education Review Board (maerb.org)
American Association of Medical Assistant
20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1575
Chicago, IL 60606
312-392-0155
www.maerb.org

Northwest Kansas Technical College students are satisfied with the education that they receive at the Northwest Kansas Technical College Medical Assisting Program. For the 2019 cohort, the Medical Assisting job placement rate was 80% based on the most recent Annual Report Form submitted to the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) and the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). According to the latest annual report, both graduate and employer satisfaction were 100%.

V. A.2 OCCUPATIONAL RISKS

Medical Assisting is a profession with many rewards, as practitioners can perform both administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in a variety of healthcare environments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly outlines that it is a growth field, with an anticipated 18% growth from 2020 to 2030.

Medical Assistants work directly with providers and patients, with the goal of providing healthcare and ensuring patient safety. It is a position with a great deal of responsibility.

As with any healthcare position, there are certain occupational risks that come into play with being a Medical Assistant, and those hazards include the following:

Exposure to infectious diseases
Sharps injuries
Bloodborne pathogens and biological hazards
Chemical and drug exposure
Ergonomic hazards from lifting, sitting, and repetitive tasks
Latex allergies
Stress

At the same time, there are protections set up with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and those protections are particularly important within a healthcare environment. OSHA has a series of standards that protect the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

Accredited medical assisting programs are required to teach students about the hazards that they face on the job and the protocols that can be put into place to ensure a workplace culture that prioritizes safety.

The Medical Assistant program is designed to provide you with the necessary job skills and related technical information to work as an entry-level medical assistant in a medical facility. You learn to perform clerical functions such as: scheduling and receiving patients, obtaining and maintaining patient data, completing insurance forms, and arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services. Further, you learn medical transcription, telephone etiquette, billing, collection, and bookkeeping. You also learn the correct format for typing and keyboarding of letters, reports and manuscripts.

The clinical functions you learn to perform include: taking and recording vital signs and patient histories; performing height and weight measurements for infants through adults; screening for visual acuity and color vision acuity; assisting with examinations, treatments, and office surgery; collecting of specimens through venipuncture; and performing simple lab tests and electrocardiograms. You also learn about sterilization procedures, instruments and equipment, disposal procedures for contaminated supplies, patient preparation procedures for X-ray and laboratory examination, removing sutures, and performing basic first aid and CPR procedures.

Course Outline Graduate Survey Employer Survey Certificate of Health Program Accreditation

Degree and Certificate Options

Associate of Applied Science
(or Technical Certificate)

Projected Salary

$30,000– $45,000 per year

Estimated Costs

Download the Estimated Program Costs Worksheet

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Faculty

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Admissions Checklist

Below is a list of items Northwest Tech’s Admissions Team will need prior to your acceptance into the Medical Assistant program.

A Northwest Tech Application Completed and Submitted
High School or GED Transcript Submitted
(If Applicable) College Transcript Submitted
ACT or AccuPlacer Scores Submitted (AccuPlacer Testing can be scheduled on-site at the Northwest Tech campus)
Background Check Completed
Certificate of Health Submitted
Immunizations Completed and Record Submitted

Departmental Admissions Stipulation
A Medical Assistant student must be 18 years of age prior to the completion of the program of study.

Required Immunization & Testing
Upon starting the Medical Assistant program, student will be required to submit proof of the following items: Tetanus immunization, Varicella, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) immunization, Hepatitis B immunization and a TB test.

***COVID-19 Vaccine Strongly recommended due to Clinical Site Requirements: Primary Series and Boosters

Required items can be submitted in person at the Northwest Tech campus, via postal mail addressed to: Northwest Tech Admissions, 1209 Harrison, Goodland, KS, or through email communications with admission@nwktc.edu. All listed items must be completed and submitted in-full prior to the first day of class.

Job Placement

In 2021, Medical Assistant placed 80% of its graduates.

Graduate Placement Report

The Medical Assistant program prepares competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skill), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

As one of the fasted growing allied health care careers medical assisting offers terrific opportunities for advancement. Medical assistants can advance to office manager, clinical supervisor, or qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations. Some medical assistants choose to teach medical assisting. Others choose to obtain a bachelor’s degree in human services, health promotion, or health services management, to name a few.

Medical assistants are paid competitive wages and can receive valuable benefits. More importantly, they have the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives.

Learning Outcomes

- - Demonstrate professionalism.
Demonstrate ICD and CPT coding procedures.
Demonstrate phlebotomy and entry-level laboratory testing.
Comply with principles of aseptic techniques and infection control.
Demonstrate proficiency in medical office applications.
Prepare patients and assist physicians with medical procedures.
Perform reception and administrative duties.
Demonstrate knowledge of Pharmacology.
Apply ethical concepts in the field of medicine.
Demonstrate mathematical and reasoning skills.
Demonstrate effective reading, writing, speaking, listening and time management skills.
Construct a Resume/Cover Letter.

Accreditation

The Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Medical Assisting Education Review Board.

Advisory Committee

Scott Focke, Colby Medical Center
Jennifer Mazanec, Job Placement Colby KS
Amy Powell, RN, Goodland Regional Medical Center
Jackie Jorgensen, APRN Goodland Regional Medical Center
Pam Whitson, Community Member
Cassie Brown, Graduate
Jenny Cure, RN Public Health
Robert Whitcomb, Public Member
Asa Bailey, Public Member
Lisa McCombs, Graduate