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  Sep 24, 2023
 
2023-2024 Catalog [Aug. 2023-Aug. 2024] 
  
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2023-2024 Catalog [Aug. 2023-Aug. 2024]

Medical Assisting Specialist (6015) (T.C.)

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Technical Certificate

This is a Selective Access program.

Mission/Purpose

The Medical Assisting Specialist program is designed to educate and train students to assist licensed health care practitioners to deliver safe, competent, and ethical medical care in various health care settings. The Medical Assisting Specialist program provides personalized instruction and hands-on training, preparing students for clinical practicum externship and employment. The program is current with industry standards and responsive to the demonstrated needs and expectations of the communities of interest served by the program.

The Program

The Medical Assisting Specialist program prepares students to perform medical assisting duties under the direction of a physician/practitioner, including preparing examination rooms, taking vital signs, assisting in minor surgical procedures, giving injections, performing venipuncture, assisting in laboratory operations, taking x-rays, and administering electrocardiograms. Medical assistants also learn to function in an administrative capacity, including patient communications, patient record maintenance, billing, scheduling appointments, ordering supplies, and processing insurance claims.

The Career

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations.”

Upon completion of coursework, Florida State College at Jacksonville does not guarantee employment or salary in a given field of study. Any jobs or salaries mentioned are given as examples of potential employment not a representation of guaranteed income. Graduates may need to seek employment outside the local area.

Internships/Externships/Rotations/Fieldwork

In order to be eligible for the practicum externship, students must:

  • Have a CGPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Be CPR certified and have training in Universal Precautions (OSHA).
  • Possess a HIPPA compliance certificate.
  • Have a satisfactory status with the College’s Bursar’s and Financial Aid offices.
  • Provide proof of health insurance coverage.

Note: Some practicum externship sites will require students to pass a background check and/or drug screening prior to placement. 

Practicum externship hours are as follows:

  • Students are required to complete 40 hours per week for 5.6 weeks on their practicum externship. The total number of hours for the practicum externship is 225 hours. Practicum externship hours are usually accrued 8 hours per day, 5 days a week at a physician’s office. 
  • Physician’s offices are usually open during normal business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) and are usually closed evenings and weekends. Students are expected to be at their practicum externship site Monday through Friday during normal business hours. 
  • As part of the program, the student cannot receive compensation from the practicum externship site.

Application Procedure

Admission to the program is selective and based on academic performance and other criteria. It is recommended that students meet with the program advisor prior to applying for program acceptance. To meet the minimum requirements for consideration and acceptance to the program, students must:

  1. Complete a Florida State College at Jacksonville application. 
  2. Complete a Medical Assisting program application.
  3. Provide evidence of current CPR certification (adult, child, and infant) achieved through an American Heart Association approved Basic Life Support BLS course for Health Care Providers that includes hands-on simulated experiences. Find AMA-approved courses at bit.ly/AMA-cpr.
  4. Submit their College transcript (a minimum of 12 college credits must have been completed if using college GPA). Note: Florida State College at Jacksonville transcripts can be unofficial. Transcripts from outside colleges must be official (unopened).

Applicants will be ranked based on the following criteria:

  1. Completion of recommended coursework HSC 1531 .
  2. Previous healthcare experience. Note: Verification must be on company letterhead and signed/dated by the designated verifying person.
  3. Submittal date of application.

A physical examination and successful completion of a background and drug screening process will be required upon acceptance to the program.

Note: Admissions preference is given to fully qualified candidates who have met all entrance criteria, including the satisfaction of prerequisite courses. Should seats remain available in the program cohort, applicants who fulfill admissions criteria prior to the start of the program will be considered next.

Need More Information? Contact:

The Health Career Information Center, (904) 646-2300 or hcic@fscj.edu

More Information Online

Curriculum

Professional Coursework

Credit Hours: 44

A minimum grade of C or higher is required in all Professional coursework.

Total Credit Hours: 44 / Program Length: 18 Months

Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen

Most clinical agencies require students to undergo drug screen and criminal background checks prior to placement in the agencies for clinical experiences. Students whose drug screening and criminal background checks are deemed unsatisfactory may be denied access to clinical experiences by the clinical agencies. Failure to qualify for and meet clinical requirements at clinical sites may prevent completion of the program. Withdrawal from the program may be necessary if students cannot be placed for clinical experiences.

Some practice settings may have additional requirements including health insurance, a volunteer application, references, additional fingerprinting and background check (e.g. the Jessica Lunsford Act for school environments), drug testing, flu shot, Covid-19 testing/vaccine and/or an interview prior to the start of the clinical experience. The additional requirements are the responsibility of the student, including expenses.

The cost of the background check(s) and drug screen(s) is borne by the student. Additionally, it is the student’s responsibility to have all paperwork completed by the program’s published deadline.

Students who are unable to complete the clinical requirements after acceptance into Limited Access or Selective Access programs are not eligible for refunds of tuition and fees.

A physical examination will be required upon acceptance to the program.  It is the students’ responsibility to renew their annual physical examination as well as tuberculosis (TB) test.

Graduation Requirements

In order to be awarded a technical certificate, students must have met the following requirements.

  1. Fulfill all academic requirements for the chosen program of study as outlined in the Florida State College at Jacksonville catalog and curriculum.
  2. Earn minimum prescribed semester hours for the chosen program of study with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) on a 4.0 scale on all courses that apply to the chosen program of study.
  3. Complete a minimum of 25 percent of the total hours required for the program in residence at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Credit by examination and credit for prior learning do not count toward this residency requirement.
  4. Fulfill all obligations, financial or otherwise, to the College before graduating. 
Note: Students are cautioned to pay particular attention to the following statements.
  • A student’s graduation date will be the date of the end of the College term in which the student has fulfilled all academic requirements (The removal of an incomplete grade does not affect students’ graduation dates since the grade change is effective at the end of the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned rather than the term in which the incomplete work was made up).
  • Students who enter under the (2023/2024) catalog will be assigned to the degree or certificate requirements in effect during the 2023/2024 academic year. The student’s assigned catalog year will remain in effect as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment. Changes to requirements as mandated by law or by rule of the District Board of Trustees may supersede this provision.
  • Many courses in this catalog have prerequisite requirements and/or corequisite courses listed in the course descriptions. Students are advised to be guided by these requirements.
  • Students who place into developmental education courses are required to complete designated developmental education courses with a grade of C or higher regardless of program of study.
     

Articulation

This certificate articulates directly into the Medical Assisting Advanced (2315) (A.S.)  degree. Students may pursue this certificate to develop or upgrade their skills, or pursue the A.S. degree and earn the certificate while completing the requirements for the degree. Contact an advisor to determine the career education path that is best for you.

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