Medical Assisting

Medical Assisting 

946 HOURS (39 WEEKS - DAY)

The accredited Medical Assisting program is a great way to gain access to this exciting profession in the growing healthcare field.  The Medical Assisting curriculum prepares students to perform administrative and clinical procedures for employment in a physician’s office, clinic or hospital.  The goal of the program is to prepare competent, entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains.  

This program curriculum includes:

• Medical law and ethics
• Medical terminology
• Psychology
• Communication (written and verbal)
• Administration Procedures (functions, accounting, coding, management)
• Electronic health records
• Phlebotomy (including diagnostic testing)
• CPR, First Aid and medical emergencies
• Injections/pharmacology, med conversion and mathmatics
• Urinalysis/microbiology (specimen collections, throat swabs, processing, catheter)
• Vital statistics and anthropometrics
• Electrocardiology
• Assisting w/minor procedures, sterile field, autoclaving, instruments
• Patient care, positioning and history
• Handwashing, aseptic, sterile, gloving
• Special senses (visual acuity snellen testing & ear irrigators)
• Employability skills
• Externship
• OSHA
• Safe practices for the healthcare professional

Students may be required to complete (at the student’s expense), immunizations/titers, drug screening, physical exam and/or background check prior to practicum (work-based activity) placement. Students must complete the Hepatitis B series prior to participation in their practicum (work-based activity).

Medical Assisting students will have the opportunity to gain practical experience through a 160-hour unpaid practicum (work-based activity) which takes place during the program's 946 hours.

A minimum of 90% attendance with a C average (70%) grade or better is required for students to participate in the practicum (work-based activity) opportunity.

The Medical Assisting program at Polaris Career Center has a job placement rate of 75% and Employer and Graduate Satisfaction of 100% from the 2019 graduate cohort from the 2020 ARF report.

The Polaris Career Center Medical Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program, 9355 113th St. N., #7709, Seminole, FL 33775, phone: 727.210.2350. fax: 727.210.2354, email: Mail@caahep.org.

Requirements for Completion:

• A “C” average (70%) or higher
• Attendance rate not less than 90%
• Completion of practicum (work-based activity)
• Payment of all outstanding obligations to the school
• Students must successfully pass all the Psychomotor and Affective Competencies with a 70% or better and an overall overage of 70% or better in cognitive objectives in order to pass the course and/or progress in the program.  Students have two opportunities to pass a competency, with remediation as needed, should they fail the first try.

Certifications:

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
• Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)
• AHA Healthcare Provider CPR and Heartsaver First Aid

Career Opportunities:

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA through AAMA)
• Certified Phlebotomy Technologist (CPT through NHA)
• Clinical Medical Assistant
• Medical Administrative Assistant

Qualifies for One-Year Option College Credit & CT2 College Credit

Fall 2021 – Day
Program Orientation: Monday, September 13, 2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
September 14, 2021 – June 21, 2022 (approximate ending date)
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Fall 2021 – Evening
Program Orientation: Monday, September 13, 2021 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
September 14, 2021 – June 23, 2022 (approximate ending date)
Monday – Thursday: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Total Program Cost $10,995: includes Tuition: $10,211, Books & Supplies: $357, Materials & Assessments: $427

Cost includes textbooks and certification examination fees. Students may expect the following additional costs: uniform, immunizations/ titers and physical exam. At the discretion of the externship (workbased activity) site, a drug screening and background check may be required.

Medical Assisting 2021-2022 Advisory Members

Mr. Travis Berkley, Cleveland Clinic 
Ms. Michelle Braunscheidel, Cleveland Clinic 
Ms. Kristine Dixon,NOMS Southwest Orthopaedics
Ms. Teresa Duncan, Cleveland Clinic
Ms. Ruthann Gavrilescu, Cleveland Clinic
Ms. Jennifer Goode, UH South Primary Care
Dr.   Donald Kammer, Visions Clinics Group LLC
Ms. Linda Klingenstein, Southwest General Health Center
Ms. Casey Kocel, University Hospitals
Ms. Denise Martin, MetroHealth Medical Center
Ms. Bonita Nyerghes, PSI Solutions
Ms. Kiersten Templeton, UH Berea Family Medicine
Ms. Alexandra Tye, Alexandra
Ms. Barbara Williams, SGMG Women's Health OB/GYN Associates