Medical Assisting Courses
MEDIC-099 Occupational Work Experience
1-4 Units: 60-360 hours of work experience, per term, SC, DG
Prerequisite: Employment in health/career related field.
For more information on this course, refer to Cooperative Education. Units are determined by number of hours worked.
This course offers on-the-job learning experiences for employed students, whether paid or volunteer, in cooperation with their employers. If students’ career goals are directly related to their work, they can earn credit for jobs they hold during the term. Students must be enrolled in at least seven units, including their cooperative education units (proportionately fewer in summer session). Students who volunteer for this assignment will earn 1 unit for every 60 hours of volunteer work experience and 1 unit per 90 hours of paid work experience. Petition to repeat for a maximum of 16 units.
MEDIC-100 Topics in Medical Assisting and Office Technician
.5-4 Units: 9-72 hours of lecture and/or 27-216 hours of laboratory, per term, SC, DG
This course covers topics in medical assisting and office technician. Topics will be chosen to supplement and serve as additions to current offerings in the area, and will be announced each term in the current schedule of classes.
MEDIC-114 Introduction to Health Professions
1 Unit: 18 hours of lecture, per term, P/NP, DG
This course offers the student an opportunity to survey health professions and is designed to provide a foundation for making career decisions within the healthcare industry.
MEDIC-150 Medical Terminology
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Advisory: ENGL-001A
This course presents terminology relevant to many allied health care fields. The construction, pronunciation, spelling, definition and common usage for all medical terms in anatomy, physiology, pathology and health care will be covered.
MEDIC-151 Medical Terminology II
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Prerequisite: MEDIC-150
This course offers additional study of complex medical words, including prefixes, suffixes, root words, combining forms and plurals; pronunciation, spelling and definitions of medical terms; emphasis on building an advanced professional vocabulary required for working in the medical field.
MEDIC-205 Administrative Medical Assisting
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Advisory: BOT-200
This course provides instruction for the student to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for carrying out administrative tasks as a medical assistant. The student will be introduced to responsibilities such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance, front-office interpersonal skills, supply management, scheduling appointments in person and by telephone, records and file management, written communications, and financial duties.
MEDIC-206 EHRs and Computer Applications
2 Units: 18 hours of lecture, 54 hours of laboratory, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Advisory: BOT-200
This course navigates through the operations of a web-based Electronic Health Record (EHR)/Total Practice Management program. Topics include, but are not limited to: scheduling appointments, applying patient check-in procedures, managing health/follow-up data, and managing payment procedures.
MEDIC-208 Clinical Skills I
4 Units: 54 hours of lecture, 54 hours of laboratory, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Prerequisite: MEDIC-150
This course provides instruction in the clinical aspects of the ambulatory healthcare setting. Includes vital signs, injections, asepsis, sterilization, and treatment room procedures.
MEDIC-209 Clinical Skills II
4 Units: 54 hours of lecture, 54 hours of laboratory, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Prerequisite: MEDIC-208
This course provides a continuation of clinical skills and theory, which allows the student to become familiar with the following clinical duties: venipuncture, office surgery set-up, pulmonary function testing and other technica
MEDIC-210 Medical Law, Ethics and Economics
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG, CSU
This course introduces medical law, including legal relationships of physician and patient; creation and termination of a contract; and professional liability. Orientation to prepaid health insurance plans and types of medical law will be included.
MEDIC-223 Life Skills for the Healthcare Student
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG
This course aids medical assisting and other allied health students in the completion of their educational goals. Discussions include, but are not limited to: self-exploration in the context of personal development and vocational goals in the healthcare field; time, stress, and money management as healthcare students; and the practice of holistic health that will inform the provision of healthcare and patient education as healthcare professionals.
MEDIC-224 Communication Skills for the Healthcare Professional
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG
Prerequisite: MEDIC-150
Challenge Policy – A “C” or better on a challenge exam or equivalent course taken
This course offers an opportunity to learn and apply in daily life and work the principles of effective interpersonal communication. Content is based on psychological, social, cultural and linguistic factors that affect normal person-to-person interaction. Special attention is given to the application of effective communication skills in the workplace as a professional in the healthcare field.
MEDIC-226 Clinical Experience I
4 Units: 9 hours of lecture, 189 hours of laboratory by arrangement, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Prerequisite: HHS-114, MEDIC-218, 222, 223, 224, BOT-200
Challenge Policy – A “C” or better for equivalent courses or challenge exams
This course is the first in a sequence of two courses offered to provide practical experience as a medical assisting student under supervision in hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. Departments in participating healthcare sites include areas such as: OB-GYN, Surgery, GI Special Procedures, Adult Medicine, and Pediatrics. The lab portion of this course requires students to attend 16 hours per week at a healthcare facility under the supervision of the clinical supervisor/staff. The lecture portion of this course consists of a seminar to coordinate and discuss the assigned activities performed at these sites.
MEDIC-227 Clinical Practicum Experience II
3 Units: 9 hours of lecture, 135 hours of laboratory by arrangement, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Prerequisite: MEDIC-226
Challenge Policy – A “C” or better for equivalent courses or challenge exams
This course is the second in a sequence of two courses offered to provide practical experience as a medical assisting student in hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. The lab portion of this course requires students to attend 16 hours per week at a healthcare facility under the supervision of the clinical supervisor/staff. The lecture portion of this course consists of a seminar to coordinate and discuss the assigned activities performed at these sites.
MEDIC-231 Introduction to Healthcare Careers
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG
This course provides an overview of health care careers and their respective career paths, educational requirements, and professional responsibilities. It also covers basic skills needed for health-related careers in general, such as personal qualities, professionalism, teamwork, and communication. The purpose of this class is to assist the student in making educational/career decisions.
MEDIC-235 Pharmacology and Dosage Calculations for the Medical Assistant
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG
Advisory: MATH-115, or higher
This course studies the basic principles of pharmacology and discusses the most common medications in current use with emphasis on classifications, uses, routes or administration, dosages, interactions, incompatibilities, and side effects. Addresses special precautions, legal aspects, and patient education and dosage calculation, preparation and administration of medications.
MEDIC-236 Human Disease Conditions
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG
Prerequisite: MEDIC-150
A study of the pathological process, imparting basic knowledge to Medical Assisting students. The student will study the basic concepts, terminology, etiology and characteristics of pathological processes. Diseases are classified according to both causative agents and the body system to which they relate.
MEDIC-237 Health Insurance
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG
This course provides an overview of medical health insurance plans and the skills needed to complete and submit
insurance claims for third party reimbursement.
MEDIC-238 Introduction to Medical Coding
3 Units: 54 hours of lecture, per term, LR, DG, CSU
Prerequisite: BIOSC-132 and MEDIC-150
This course provides an introduction to current diagnostic and procedural coding manuals and applications. This course teaches the process of deciphering medical reports to select appropriate codes for billing claims and the process for code selection from the appropriate coding manual.