Degrees

MEDICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT CONCENTRATION
Associate in Applied Science Degree

• Objectives
• Degree Information
• Recommended Course of Study
• Course Descriptions
• Additional Information

Objectives:

Content

1. To prepare students to function professionally as team members in a medical office environment.
2. To enable students to recognize the importance of ethical behavior within the medical office environment.
3. To provide students with the technical knowledge necessary to use correctly the language of medicine as it pertains to a variety of medical documents.
4. To familiarize students with the components of transcribing equipment utilized in the medical office.
5. To prepare students to master a legible writing system that will enable them to develop notemaking skills.
6. To provide students with the mathematical concepts that relate to business activities.
7. To acquaint students with selected word processing application packages.

Essential Skills

1. To develop a mastery of computer skills and word processing software necessary to format a variety of medical reports and correspondence.
2. To transcribe accurately from audiocassettes dictated medical reports and correspondence involving medications, diagnostic procedures, and medical vocabulary.
3. To utilize efficiently various medical references found in the medical office environment.
4. To prepare effective messages for a culturally diverse audience.
5. To develop decision-making skills in carrying out tasks.
6. To prepare students for the Microsoft Office User Specialist tests.
7. To develop job search and interviewing skills including proper formatting of employment documents.

Information Resources

Internet resources can be used to acquire:

• information relating to diseases, drugs, medical procedures and medical tests.
• software used in the medical environment (medical billing, medical records, medical claim processing, patient scheduling).
• information on health career opportunities.
• interactive medical tutorials.
• posting of job resumes.

Library resources (print) can be used for supplemental instructional and reference texts including:

• medical dictionaries (Dorland, Mosby, etc.).
• anatomy texts (Gray’s Anatomy, etc.).
• medication names (Physician’s Desk Reference, Pharmaceutical Word Book, etc.).
• software application packages/office suites.

Library resources (non-print) can be used for computer-based tutorials in software application packages.

Degree Information

The Medical Office Assistant program prepares students to work in hospitals and medical clinics or for physicians and surgeons in private practice. 

Recommended Course of Study

* Developmental courses may be required as prerequisites

** Courses listed in blue are described below. Other course descriptions are listed with Core Requirements.

Course Descriptions - Office Technology

OT 105 - Introduction to Keyboarding
This course stresses a thorough knowledge of the computer keyboard with the development of speed and accuracy. Exercises are provided for the perfecting of techniques and control. Students type business letters, personal letters, tabulations and reports (3 Credits).    Click here to view OT 105 course objectives.

OT 106 - Intermediate Keyboarding
This course builds directly on the competencies developed in the Introduction to Keyboarding course, leading students toward higher speed, greater accuracy, improved communication skills and refinement of formatting ability. Emphasis is placed on features, form letters and memos from a variety of source copy. To provide realism and promote transfer of learning, students prepare documents from script and rough-draft copy (3 Credits). Prerequisite: OT 105  Click here to view OT 106 course objectives.

OT 221 Integrated Computer Applications
This course offers emphasis on the integration of software by utilizing tools that facilitate communication. Students will build on their word processing experience and also learn the basics in a suite of software that includes presentations, word processing, spreadsheet, and database. The combination of software information will enable the student to integrate the knowledge they have gained and apply it in meaningful applications.  (3 Credits).  Click here to view OT 221 course objectives. 

OT 213 - Medical Terminology/Medical Transcription I
Terminology/Transcription is a two-part course designed for the prospective medical secretary/transcriptionist. Students learn 350 medical word elements that are used to form thousands of medical terms. This vocabulary is emphasized in the transcription of histories and physicals, radiology reports and operative reports relating to various medical specialties (3 Credits). Prerequisite: OT 105  Click here to view OT 213 course objectives.

OT 215 - Medical Terminology/Medical Transcription II
This course is designed to strengthen transcription skills through realistic medical office reports. It develops accuracy and speed in transcribing medical dictation pertaining to specialized areas of medicine. A broad knowledge of medical terms, drugs, instruments and procedures is developed as students transcribe histories and physicals, pathology and operation reports, discharge summaries, x-ray reports and consultation findings. The tapes used have been prepared by the American Medical Records Association and have been drawn from actual case histories (3 Credits).  Prerequisite: OT 213          Click here to view OT 215 course objectives.

BI 101 – Human Biology
This course provides a survey of the structure and function of the major body systems and emphasizes the relationship between humans and other living things. Topics include anatomical organization and physiological regulation of the body, reproduction and heredity, and human evolution and ecology (3 Credits). Offered every semester.  Click here to view BI 101 course objectives.

Additional Information

• A medical assistant student will focus on mastering the specialized administrative skills needed to succeed in this profession, such as computerized keyboarding, speedwriting, word processing, medical transcription and terminology, and the development of office administration skills.
• Graduates qualify as medical office managers, administrative assistants and transcriptionists.