5648 - Medical Assisting (C.C.)

This is a Limited/Selective Access program.

The Medical Assisting 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.

This program prepares students for a career in the multi-skilled field of medical assisting which includes instruction in the performance of basic clerical/medical office duties and clinical skills. The program is designed to prepare students to assist in all aspects of basic healthcare delivery under the supervision of a physician, assist with client care management, execute administrative and clinical procedures, communicate effectively, adhere to ethical and legal standards, and recognize and respond to client needs. Clinical experiences will be provided in physicians’ offices, ambulatory care centers, clinics, hospitals, and hospital outpatient clinics.

A minimum grade of C or higher must be achieved in all professional coursework.

Adult Basic Skills are a major criterion in a student’s completion of the program. In order to earn the Career Certificate, students must achieve or surpass the designated exit score(s) on an approved adult basic skills assessment or qualify for a waiver. Visit the Available Assessments webpage for program exit scores. College Assessment and Certification locations and information can be found at on the Assessment and Certification webpage. For students who need assistance in order to meet the exit requirement(s), the College offers remediation through tutoring, referral to online resources and/or completion of Academic Skills Building (ASB) coursework in Mathematics and Reasoning through Language Arts.

Admission to this program is limited and is based on academic performance and other criteria.

To meet the minimum requirements for consideration and acceptance to the Medical Assisting program, students must complete the following by the application deadline:

1. Complete a Florida State College at Jacksonville application.

2. Complete a Career Certificate Medical Assisting program application.

3. Provide evidence of current CPR certification (adult, child and infant) achieved through an American Heart Association (AMA) 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 one of the following to student records:

   1. An official (unopened) High School completion transcript (no diplomas); or

   2. An official copy of GED® test scores (a copy will be made and the original returned to the applicant); or

   3. 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).

Upon acceptance to the program, students must:

• Successful completion of the background and drug screening process will be required upon acceptance into the program.

• A physical examination will be required upon acceptance into the program. Practicum experience is a required part of the Medical Assistant program. In order to participate in a medical office based practicum, a student will be expected to submit health history information (physical), proof of immunizations, and proof of immunity. To ensure employability in the widest possible manner, all students are required to submit drug screening and criminal background check results and a physical exam upon acceptance into the Medical Assisting 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.

The application deadline is May 15 of each year with classes starting in the fall term.

(904) 997-2526 or elysia.cochran@fscj.edu.

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