The Medical Assistant is a professional, multi-skilled individual trained to assist physicians in the many aspects of medical practice. Duties of the Medical Assistant vary from performing administrative tasks to assisting with examination and treatment of patients. Students learn to measure and record vital signs, take medical histories, administer medications, sterilize instruments, assist with minor office surgeries, and handle emergencies. Students also learn to obtain blood samples, perform routine office laboratory procedures and electrocardiograms, and instruct patients in preparation for laboratory procedures. In the administrative area, students learn to schedule and receive patients; handle telephone calls; type correspondence, reports, and manuscripts; process insurance forms; and handle office accounts, fees, and collections. Prior to completion of an area of concentration, a 225-hour practicum in a medical setting is required.

The Medical Assisting AAS degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), on the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB), 2339 N. California Avenue #47138, Chicago, Illinois 60647. Contact CAAHEP at 9355 113th Street, North, #7709 Seminole, Florida 33775, (727-210-2350), www.caahep.org.

ADMISSION

Program requirements for health programs offered within the Alabama Community College System may be reviewed and revised between publication deadlines for this and future College Catalog and Student Handbook documents. Admission requirements below were in effect at the time this document was published and may or may not be current. Prospective students should contact the program office to obtain requirement updates. 

Minimum admission standards include the following: 

1. Unconditional admission to Wallace Community College. 
2. Receipt of completed application Medical Assisting program. 
3. Minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale based on the last 24 credit hours for students with previous college coursework OR a 2.5 cumulative GPA at Wallace Community College. 
4. Eligibility for the following courses on or before the program application deadline: 
   1. ENG 101 and MTH116 or higher-level math as determined by college policy 
      1. Students placed into developmental English, reading, and/or mathematics course must successfully complete each required developmental course with a satisfactory grade before applying to the Medical Assisting program. 
5. Good standing with the College, including a minimum 2.5 cumulative WCC GPA for students who have previously completed courses at WCC, permission of registration, and active enrollment status.
6. Ability to meet the essential functions or technical standards required for medical assisting. 
7. Completion of the ACCUPLACER test or ACT test, within three years of the program application deadline. 

Contractual agreements between the College and clinical agencies impose additional requirements on students enrolled in health programs. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the areas of attire, confidentiality, criminal background check, liability insurance, and substance abuse screening. Health insurance coverage is strongly recommended as the expense for treatment of injury suffered during training is the responsibility of the student. Any student denied clinical privileges or having clinical privileges revoked by a healthcare facility due to positive background findings or clinical misconduct is not eligible for program admission or readmission. 

A copy of the essential functions is available from the MAT program office and published on the College website, www.wallace.edu

Admission to the Medical Assisting program is competitive. The number of students accepted may be limited by the number of available faculty members and clinical facilities. Meeting minimal requirements does not guarantee acceptance.

An associate in applied science (AAS) degree in Medical Assisting or a short certificate in Phlebotomy, EKG Technician, or Medical Administrative Assistant may be earned through the Medical Assisting program. To receive an AAS degree in Medical Assisting, students must complete General Education core requirements and all courses in the Medical Assisting field of concentration. Students desiring a short certificate in the area of Phlebotomy, EKG Technician, or Medical Administrative Assistant will be required to meet only the requirements listed in the corresponding fields of concentration. Students who desire to receive an AAS degree in Medical Assisting with a Phlebotomy short certificate must complete all Medical Assisting AAS courses and MAT 239.

On completion of degree requirements for the AAS degree in Medical Assisting, graduates are eligible to apply for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam offered by the National Healthcare Association (CCMA-NHA), Certified Medical Administrative Assistant, (CMAA-NHA), Certified EKG Technician, (CET-NHA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) examination offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants, CMA (AAMA) and the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) examination offered by the America Medical Technologists (AMT). Students completing all courses required for the short certificate in a Phlebotomy concentration are qualified to sit for the Phlebotomy Technician, CPT-NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician through the National Healthcare Association, and Registered Phlebotomy Technician (AMT) certification examinations. Students completing short certificates in concentrations of EKG-Technician and Medical Administrative Assistant are eligible to apply for the Certified EKG Technician (CET-NHA) and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA-NHA) exams, respectively.

PROGRESSION

Each term, students are allowed to progress in the Medical Assisting program as they meet the following criteria:

1. Students must successfully complete all courses in the Medical Assisting Program curriculum with a grade of C or higher to progress through the program and be eligible for graduation
2. Student must successfully achieve 100% of the MAREB core curriculum psychomotor and affective competencies prior to graduating from the Medical Assisting program.
3. Receive a score of 90% or higher on the MAT 216 drug calculation test and the MAT 215 venipuncture test.
4. Withdrawals are allowed according to the College policy. A grade of W will be recorded as a withdrawal. Grades of D and F will be considered unsuccessful attempts. 
5. All students enrolled in the Medical Assisting Program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be ineligible to register for MAT courses until the minimum GPA requirement has been met. Students should meet with their academic advisor to discuss options for improving their GPA and continuing in the program.
6. Any Medical Assisting (MAT) student who accumulates a total of two MAT course failures and/or withdrawals will no longer be eligible to continue in the program. The student must reapply for admission to the Medical Assisting Program and, if accepted, restart the program with the first-semester cohort.

All required health documentation and Essential Functions forms (if applicable) must be submitted during the student's first semester of enrollment in the Medical Assisting Program or certificate program. Failure to submit the required documentation by the designated deadline may result in the student being administratively removed from their registered MAT courses until all required paperwork has been completed and submitted.

READMISSION TO THE MEDICAL ASSISTING PROGRAM

Students who are not enrolled in the Medical Assisting Program for two or more consecutive terms (excluding summer terms) must meet the current admission requirements and comply with the program curriculum and policies in effect at the time of readmission. Previously completed coursework is subject to reevaluation based on the current program requirements.

Students who are not eligible for program reinstatement because they have earned a total of two grades of D, F, and/or W (withdrawal) in MAT-prefix courses may apply for admission as a new student. If accepted, the student will be required to retake all MAT-prefix courses in the Medical Assisting curriculum and begin the program with the first-semester cohort.

REINSTATEMENT

Students who experience non-progression in the Medical Assisting program and who desire reinstatement in the program must apply for reinstatement to the program. A student must request reinstatement within one year from the term of non-progression to be eligible for reinstatement. Students dismissed from the program for disciplinary reasons and/or unsafe client care in the clinical area will not be allowed reinstatement to the medical assisting program. Reinstatement to the Medical Assisting program is based on space availability and is not guaranteed. Selection for reinstatement is based on GPA in Medical Assisting required courses. Students must adhere to Medical Assisting curriculum and program policies and procedures in effect at the time of reinstatement. Reinstatement can be denied due to, but not limited to, any of the following circumstances. 

1.  Space availability
2. Refusal by clinical agencies to accept the student for clinical experiences;
3. Twelve months have elapsed since the student enrollment in the Medical Assisting program. 

CRITERIA FOR REINSTATEMENT

1. Demonstrate a 2.0 GPA in Medical Assisting required courses.
2. Have no more than one non-progression since program admission.
3. Demonstrate acceptable skill proficiency.
4. Meet acceptability criteria for placements at clinical agencies for clinical experiences.
5. Demonstrate ability to meet essential functions for Medical Assisting with or without reasonable accommodations.
6. Demonstrate current CPR at the healthcare provider level.
7. Reinstatement must occur within one year from the semester of withdrawal or failure. 

PROCESS FOR REINSTATEMENT

1. Schedule an appointment with a MAT faculty member or advisor to discuss eligibility for reinstatement.
2. Apply for reinstatement to the Medical Assisting and submit the application by published deadlines. 
3. Apply for readmission to the college if not currently enrolled. College readmission must be accomplished by published deadlines.
4. Update all drug testing and background screening according to program policy. 

AUDIT

Effective September 12, 2012 there shall be no auditing allowed for any Health Science classes.

TRANSFER POLICY

The transfer policy applies only to students desiring to transfer among Alabama Community College System institutions. It does not apply to students who want to transfer from other institutions. 

Criteria for Transfer

1. Meet minimum admission standards for the Medical Assisting program.
2. Possess a grade of C or better in all Medical Assisting required courses taken at another institution and posses a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative GPA at time of transfer.
3. Provide a letter of eligibility for progression from the dean or director if the previous Medical Assisting program. 
4. Comply with all programs policy requirements at accepting institution.
5. Complete at least 25% of the Medical Assisting program required courses for degree/certificate at the accepting institution.
6. Meet acceptability criteria for placement at clinical agencies for clinical experience.
7. Have no more than twelve months elapse from the last Medical Assisting class, in which the student was successful.
8. Acceptance of transfer students into the Medical Assisting program is limited by the numbers of faculty and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal standards does not guarantee acceptance.
9. Student selection for transfer is based on GPA in Medical Assisting required courses.