Overview

UAA’s Medical Assisting program prepares students for employment in physicians’ offices or medical clinics. Students completing the AAS degree in Medical Assisting also complete all the courses required to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant, CMA (AAMA), exam.  The portion of the AAS degree that is required for the CMA (AAMA) exam is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Curriculum Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (AAMAE). Training includes clinical duties such as assisting with examinations, preparing patients for various procedures, sterilizing instruments, and caring for examining rooms. Instruction is given in administrative responsibilities of medical offices, such as completing health insurance forms, scheduling appointments, handling correspondence, preparing medical and financial records, and other office management tasks.

Admission Requirements

Students must complete the following admission procedure:

1. See Certificate and Associate Degree Program Admission Requirements in the University's Catalog.
2. Submit University of Alaska Anchorage Application for Admission and required transcripts.
3. Take UAA approved English and Math placement tests. Call (907) 786-4500 for testing information.
4. Call (907) 786-6928 to make an appointment with a Medical Assisting academic advisor prior to registering for classes.

Additional Information Regarding Externship

1. A recent physical examination is required prior to the beginning of externship. Each student must submit a physical examination that certifies the student is free from infectious diseases and physically able to participate in the externship portion of the program.
2. Current Health Provider CPR (adult/child/infant) certification is required prior to the start of externship, and must be kept current throughout the externship course.
3. Current immunizations, proof of medical insurance, and criminal background checks are required by some medical offices which serve as medical office externship sites. The cost to meet these requirements is the responsibility of the student. Students who are injured while completing externship assignments are responsible for all associated medical costs. Students are strongly encouraged to maintain personal medical insurance.
4. Transportation to off-campus externship sites is the responsibility of the student.

Program Prerequisites

Demonstrate the following, or complete preparatory courses as recommended by the Medical Assisting academic advisor.

• Placement into MATH A055 or above, or completion of MATH A054 with a minimum grade of C.
• Placement into ENGL A111 or above, or completion, with a minimum grade of C, of PRPE A107 AND PRPE A108, OR ENGL A109.
• Recommended keyboarding skill of 45 wpm or completion of keyboarding course(s).

Required Courses

1.  Complete the following required courses (35 credits) with a minimum grade of "C" in each course:

• BIOL A100 - Human Biology - 3
• CIS A105 - Introduction to Personal Computer and Application Software - 3 OR CIOS A130A - Word Processing I: MS Word - 1 AND CIOS A135A - Spreadsheets I:MS Excel - 1 AND one additional credit of CIOS coursework
• PSY A150 - Life Span Development - 3
• MA A101 - Medical Terminology I - 3
• MA A104 - Essentials of Human Disease - 3
• MA A120 - Medical Office Procedures I - 4
• MA A140 - Medical Transcription I - 2
• MA A150 - Clinical Procedures I - 4
• MA A155 - Clinical Procedures II - 4
• MA A220 - Coding for the Medical Office - 3
• MA A230 - Billing and Insurance for the Medical Office - 3

2.  MA A295 - Medical Office Externship - 5

3.  Complete the following 9 credits:

• Oral Communications - 3
• ENGL A111 Methods of Written Communication - 3
• Written Communication Skills (200 level) - 3

4.  Complete 8 to 9 credits in the following courses:

• ACCT A120 - Bookkeeping for Business I - 3 OR
  ACCT A101 - Principles of Financial Accounting I - 3
• DN A101 - Principles of Nutrition - 3 OR
  DN A203 - Nutrition for Health Sciences - 3
• MA A110 - Principles of Radiography - 3
• MA A141 - Medical Transcription II - 3
• MA A320 - Advanced Case Studies in Medical Coding - 2
• MEDT A101 - Phlebotomy Procedures - 3

5.  0-3 Elective Credits

6.  A total of 60 credits is required for the degree