Medical Assisting

The Modesto Junior College Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

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

The program prepares students to take the national certification exam offered by the AAMA to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA). Medical assisting students at MJC receive transferable college credit for coursework. Many of the program graduate further their education by obtaining an A.S. Degree I Medical Assisting.

1. Provide competent medial assisting care, in variety of settings, based on the Entry-level Competencies for the Medical Assistant.
2. Communicate effectively with colleagues, patients/clients and other members of the health care team.
3. Establish and maintain professional working relationships with men and women from diverse backgrounds.
4. Understand the legal implications of health care, and use critical thinking skills to make ethical decisions.
5. Set and achieve professional goals.
6. Make a substantial contribution to the quality of health care by representing the medical assisting profession with pride and dedication.

In accordance with Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) 2022 Standards and Guidelines below is an outline Sample Institution Medical Assisting Program’s preparedness plan. This preparedness plan is in place to assure continuity of education services in the event of an unanticipated interruption. (I.B.3)

Emergency Closings
The college recognizes the need to prepare for unexpected situations or respond to weather that may require the closure of all or part of a campus or to reduce operations, to identify the decision-making hierarchy for such closures, to ensure timely notification to students, staff, faculty and visitors, and to confirm employee responsibilities in the event of a closure or reduced operations.

MODESTO JUNIOR COLLEGE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Definitions
Adverse Conditions: Adverse conditions include severe inclement weather conditions (such as snow, ice, high winds, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, etc.) that pose serious risk to the health or safety of college personnel and/or students.
Campus Closure: All functions and operations are suspended due to imminent threat or danger to life or safety of individuals.
Emergency/Disaster Situations: Emergency/Disaster situations may exist as a result of a natural or human-caused disaster, a civil disorder that poses an imminent threat of serious injury to persons or property, public health emergency or other seriously disruptive events where extraordinary measures are required immediately to avert, alleviate or repair damage to college property or to maintain the orderly operation of the campus. In emergency situations inclement weather, power outages or any other conditions constituting an emergency situation – the college may delay opening or close campuses for the day.

•  If college campuses are closed, classes at all sites are canceled; however, online classes continue as scheduled, and on-campus instruction may be transitioned to online. All students should check their online course site Canvas for class-specific information and assignments.
•  If there is a delayed opening, any in-person class with 30 or more minutes of instructional time remaining will meet on campus. Students should check Canvas for information about their courses.
•  A campus-specific emergency may result in only one campus being closed, while others remain open. Campus-specific information will be clearly communicated.
• Modesto Junior College classes and events held at community sites, including community public schools, will follow the protocols enacted at that site.

Notification
Delays and closings will be announced via the MJC Warn emergency alert system. All MJC student and employee email addresses are automatically registered to receive MJC alerts. To add other email addresses, or phone numbers for voicemail and text message alerts, go to the Modesto Junior College Emergency Preparedness website page
Delays and closings will also be posted on the Modesto Junior College website. An announcement will also be recorded on the college switchboard, East Campus (209) 575-6615 West Campus (209) 575-6351. In the event that an emergency situation occurs after the opening of the college, announcements about class dismissals and closings will come from the administrative officer in charge.
Students
When college campuses are closed due to inclement weather or other adverse conditions, students are expected to check their online course site Canvas for class-specific information and assignments. Students who are unable to participate in online instruction due to a power outage or other circumstances are responsible for contacting their instructor and making up class assignments.
If Canvas becomes inaccessible or power outages occur, assignment due dates will be clearly posted when service resumes. Due dates may also be extended on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of instructors, and announcements will be posted accordingly.
Employees
When college campuses are closed due to inclement weather or other emergency conditions, employees who can work remotely should do so. The college does not expect employees to work in any environment that is unsafe. Employees who are not able to work remotely due to a power outage or other emergency situation should contact their supervisor. Employees who are not able to work remotely may be required to take annual leave or arrange to make up the time. Depending on the circumstances, the time lost may be counted as an excused absence at the discretion of the supervisor.
Contact Information:
Medical Assisting Session Plan
The following plan is in place to assure continuity of educational services when key personnel within the Medical Assisting department are absent for a prolonged period of time.
Department head/program director
↓↑
Clinical Coordinator
↓↑
Faculty member/s
↓
Support staff
Disruption of on campus instruction
If there is any disruption of on campus instruction, the medical assisting faculty members will utilize Zoom to assist with live virtual instruction.

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.

1. Admission to Modesto Junior College.
2. High school graduation or equivalent (GED or college degree) is highly recommended, but not required.
3. Transcripts on file in MJC Enrollment Services.
   All transcripts (high school or equivalent and other colleges) must be on file in MJC Enrollment Services, Student Services Building 102, (209) 575-6853 prior to the Program application deadline.  Enrollment Services will accept hand-carried transcripts that are in a sealed envelope with a school seal.
4. Please refer to the Medical Assisting Program Technical Standards for success in the Medical Assisting Program.
5. In addition to the Medical Assisting courses taken during the program, there are four required courses that must be completed in order to complete the Certification or Associate in Science Degree in Medical Assisting. In order to be accepted into the Medical Assisting Program you must have completed at least three of the four required courses listed below with a grade of C or better. Applicants who have completed all four courses will be accepted first. If the required coursework is in progress at time of application, you may be considered for acceptance, on a space available basis, at time of successful course completion.
   
   
6. Submit a Medical Assisting Program Application to Allied Health during the application period

1. Students who have met/completed the requirements above may complete and submit a Medical Assisting Program Application to Allied Health within the application period. Please note, if the spring-start program is not full, applications will continue to be available on the website and accepted through October 15. 

   Applications are available from the Allied Health website during the application period listed above.

   In addition, accepted applicants must provide proof of:

Practicum (Clinical) Clearance:

• Health Clearance
  1. A medical history and physical examination completed by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner within three months prior to the start of second semester of the Medical Assisting Program. The physician must state that the applicant does not have any health conditions that would create a hazard to self, employees, or patients.
  2. Documentation of required immunizations.
  3. A negative PPD skin test must be obtained. If a positive reaction is obtained, or has previously been obtained, a chest x-ray must be taken unless medically contraindicated. 

• Background Check
  All students participating in practicum assignments are required by practicum sites to complete a background check and be cleared by the practicum site in order to participate in the practicum experience.

• Drug Screen
  All students participating in practicum assignments will be required to pass a drug screen.

BLS Certification
BLS certification must be from the American Heart Association; for the Healthcare Provider (infant, child, and adult); eligible for recertification; and current throughout the program. Here are the current BLS Healthcare Providers:

• Advantage Medical Training Centers
• Professional CPR
• First Lady Permanente

Applicants who have completed all four of the required courses with a grade of C or better will be accepted first. Applicants who have completed three of the four required courses with a grade of C or better will be accepted next. If there are more qualified applicants than space available, a random selection process will be used. Applicants who have required coursework in progress at time of application will be considered for acceptance, on a space available basis, once the in-progress coursework has been completed with a grade of C or better on transcript. 

Continuation in the Medical Assisting Program is dependent upon completion of all program required courses with a grade of C or better. If a student receives less than a C in any required course, that course must be repeated with a grade of C or better in order to complete the Medical Assisting Program and be eligible for the National Certification Examination.  

 Beginning with the January 2001 administration of the Certification Examination, felons are no longer eligible for the Certification Examination unless the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Certifying Board grants a waiver based on one or more of the mitigating circumstances listed in the Disciplinary Standards. Any student considering a career in medical assisting, who has a criminal record, is advised to contact the AAMA for advisement prior to entering the Medical Assisting Program.

American Association of Medical Assistants
20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1575
Chicago, IL 60606-2903
1-800-228-2262

 The Yosemite Community College District and Modesto Junior College have made every effort to determine that everything stated in this document is accurate.  Courses and programs are subject to change without notice by the administration of the Yosemite Community College District or Modesto Junior College for any reason at the discretion of the District and the College. 

Technical standards are requirements for admission to or participation in an educational program or activity. The academic & nonacademic standards, skills & performance requirements are demanded of every participant in an educational program. Academic standards include courses of study, attainment of satisfactory grades and other required activities. Nonacademic standards include those physical, cognitive and behavioral standards required for satisfactory completion of all aspects of the curriculum and development of professional attributes required at graduation.
Technical standards must be met with or without accommodations. A student seeking admission into the Medical Assisting Program should carefully review these non-academic technical standards and decide if he or she has any limitations that may restrict or interfere with the satisfactory performance of any of these requirements. The applicant should consult with the program director to discuss any individual situation that would prohibit the applicant from meeting any of these technical standards. The applicant may also contact the Accommodations and Support Center (ASC), with any concerns.
The medical assistant specializes in the application of scientific knowledge and theory in the skillful performance of their profession. Therefore, all applicants should possess:
Physical Standards:
• Lifting Requirements: 50 pounds. Lift and carry equipment and patients up to 50 pounds. Support and assist patients in and out of a wheelchair, and on and off an examination table. Frequency of the lifting requirement is 0-25% of the time.
• Pushing requirement 300 pounds. (Push a patient weighing 300 pounds in a wheelchair).
• Average percent of time during a regular workday spent walking, squatting, sitting, bending reaching is 25%.
• Average percent of time during a regular workday spent standing is 75%.
• Kneel, bend, stoop and/or crouch to perform CPR, assist patients, and to retrieve items from cabinets located below waist level.
• Bend, reach above shoulder height, and or twist to position examination table, adjust equipment, or obtain supplies.
• Fine motor dexterity should be adequate to grasp with both hands, pinch with thumb or forefinger, to manipulate equipment and delicate instruments such as microscopes, sphygmomanometers, and perform tasks such as phlebotomy, electrocardiography, drawing up and administering parenteral medications,
handling small containers of potentially biohazardous specimens (one inch by one inch), using sample measuring devices such as capillary tubes, setting up and maintaining a sterile field, putting on personal protective equipment, and operating controls on instruments and equipment, operating multi-line telephone systems, computer keyboards, and ten-key adding machines, and have the ability to talk on the telephone and write simultaneously.
Tactile Standards
• Palpate pulses, muscle contractions, bony landmarks and edema.
• Differentiate between temperature and pressure variations.
Visual Standards
• Adequate visual acuity, such as is needed in the preparation and administration of all forms of medication, the performance of diagnostic laboratory procedures, and for observation necessary in-patient assessment and care.
• Read accurately numbers, letters, and cursive writing on instruments, equipment, computer screens and paper.
• Discriminate shapes and color in order to identify reagents and other materials such as laboratory media, stained preparations and the physical properties of various body fluids.
• All the above with or without corrective devices.
Auditory Standards
• Adequate auditory perception to receive verbal communication from patients and members of the health care team either in person or over the telephone.
• Hear heart sounds, blood pressure sounds, patient distress sounds to assess health needs of patients.
• Hear instrument timers and alarms.
• Hear over the telephone, paging systems or intercom in order to communicate with patients and other members of the health care team.
• All of the above with or without corrective devices.
Communication Standards
• Adequate communication skills (verbal, nonverbal, and written) to interact effectively with individuals.
• Speak in the English language in a clear, concise manner in order to communicate with patients’ families, healthcare providers, other members of the healthcare team and the community such as interviewing and taking patient history, obtaining a chief complaint, and providing patient education regarding treatment plans, disease prevention, or health maintenance.
• Comprehend oral and written language including medical terminology in order to communicate with patients, families, healthcare providers, other members of the healthcare team and the community.
• Write in English clearly, legibly, for documentation in the medical record, completion of forms, and written communication.
Mental/Cognitive Standards
• Sufficient intellectual and emotional functions to plan and implement assigned duties in a responsible manner.
• Function safely, responsibly and effectively under stressful situations.
• Remain alert to surroundings and potential emergencies.
• Interact effectively and appropriately with patients, families and coworkers.
• Display attitudes and actions consistent with ethical standards of medical assisting.
• Maintain composure while managing and prioritizing multiple tasks.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of confidentiality, respect, tact, politeness, collaboration, teamwork and discretion.
• Handle difficult interpersonal situations in a calm and tactful manner.
• Remain calm, rational, decisive, and in control at all times, especially during emergency situations.
• Maintain cleanliness and personal grooming appropriate for close personal contact.
• If under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter medication, function without causing harm to others.
• Function without causing harm to others. This would include situations that may result from mental or physical conditions.
Web Accessibility Statement
In addition to Medical Assisting Technical Standards, the Accommodations & Support Center (ASC) is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are in the process of revising our website in conjunction with the Department of Education to make our website more accessible and have adopted the WCAG 2.1 standard for accessibility. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers on the ASC website:

Phone: (209) 575-6362

Email: mjcalliedhealth@mjc.edu