Medical Assistant

Overview

At River Valley, our medical assistant program has small sized classes to create a personalized experience for students. Students can join the medical assistant program at any time and work at their own pace. Medical assisting is one of the nation’s fastest growing careers, with a 29% increase in jobs in the next 6 years! Starting the medical assisting program at River Valley is a great start to a good paying, in demand career that leads to many career pathways!

2021-2022 RVCC MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAM HANDBOOK

Why RVCC?

The medical assistant program at River Valley Community College is created with both part-time and full-time students in mind who need to balance life, work and schooling.  Our medical assistant program is unique in this way, as most programs require a full-time attendance. Many courses are online to help our students to graduate at their own pace.

Career options

Certified Medical Assistant in an administrative or clinical role

Related Degrees

• Medical Administrative Assistant
• General Science
• Healthcare Applications
• Phlebotomy

The mission of the Medical Assistant Program is to provide a balanced education of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning courses to ensure well educated citizens are employable in the healthcare field within the community.

Program Goals

The goal of the medical assistant program is to prepare students for entry level employment, national certification, life-long learning, and a successful career.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Medical Assistant Program will:

1. Be immediately eligible to sit for CMA (AAMA) National Certification Exam.
2. Perform as an entry level medical assistant.
3. Function capably in the areas of competence for medical assistants.
4. Apply fundamental principles and concepts from bio psychosocial sciences in clinical practice.
5. Perform medical assisting administrative and clinical procedures competently and safely within their scope of practice.
6. Display a professional manner and image, communicating effectively with clients and members of the health care team.
7. Perform within legal and ethical boundaries in the scope of practice for Medical Assistants.
8. Recognize and respond effectively to verbal, nonverbal, and written communications.

• Have manual dexterity, hearing, and visual abilities, that meet technical standards for a medical assisting career.

• The minimum visual acuity requirements are 20/40 in at least one eye and no less than 20/70 in the other eye, with or without correction.

• Physical and manual dexterity required of a healthcare worker.

• Drug screening, Criminal Background Check, immunization requirements (will vary based on practicum site and future employment)

• Students will be required to submit documents for practicum that may include: proof of immunizations, a criminal background check, BEAS report, drug screening, and others as requested by the workplace based learning site.

• Students that have been found guilty of a felony, pleaded guilty to a felony, or had a professional license, registration, or certification denied, revoked, suspended, or subjected to probationary conditions by a regulatory authority or certification board are not eligible for the CMA (AAMA) Exam. The Certifying Board may grant a waiver based upon mitigating circumstances.

• Students who have misdemeanor or felony charges involving theft, abuse, or drugs may be prevented from participating in required courses to complete the Medical Assistant Certificate.

• Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” in all required courses to progress within the program, register for Practicum, and graduate.

The River Valley Community College Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs 9355 113th St N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775 (727) 210-2350, www.caahep.org