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Medical Assistant

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2022-2023 Edition

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(Also see Basic Nurse Assistant Training, Nursing, and Person-Centered Elder Support)

Department Chair: Margaret Gas, 847.635.1833, mgas@oakton.edu

The Medical Assistant Certificate prepares students for careers in a medical office or ambulatory care setting. The medical assistant performs a variety of administrative and clinical skills to assist physicians or other health professionals. Students will learn skills in accordance with the standards and guidelines recommended by the Medical Assistant Education Review Board. Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate is eligible to take a national certification exam.

Admission Requirements:

  1. High school graduation or High School Equivalency Certificate.
  2. Overall GPA of 2.0 or better.
  3. Placement in EGL 090 or EGL 097 or higher
  4. Placement in MAT 060 or higher
  5. Limited Enrollment Health Career Reading Assessment test, taken at Oakton’s Testing Center, with a minimum score of 250. Please contact a health career advisor for more information.
  6. Foreign high school graduates or students with foreign college credits need to send English translated copies of their transcripts to Education Perspectives, www.edperspective.org/oakton. Students with foreign college credit should request a catalog match.

This is a limited enrollment program. All Oakton Community College Health Career students in nursing, physical therapist assistant, medical laboratory technology, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, health information technology, cancer registry management, and medical assistant programs must have “clear” criminal background checks and drug screens in order to participate in any and all clinical components of any health career program courses. To  comply with state statutes and clinical affiliation agreements, and to provide a safe environment for students, employees, and patients cared for by students, those accepted into Oakton’s health career programs will be required to complete a criminal background check and  drug screening through a company contracted by the College. Health Career students will be charged a fee for this service. An additional drug screening may be required prior to the student’s practicum experience.

Health Career curricula are governed by specific objectives, rules and regulations formulated by the College, accrediting bodies, and participating clinical facilities. Students should familiarize themselves with these standards. Each student’s right to participate in the clinical portion of the curriculum is also contingent upon compliance with the rules of the clinical facility. The clinical facility has sole discretion to determine when its rules have been violated. Clinical placements require a health assessment, certain immunizations, yearly flu vaccine, substance abuse testing, criminal background check, specific skill certification (i.e., CPR), and health insurance. The requirements represent an additional cost to the student.

Below is a suggested sequence of courses:

  • First Semester: MAP 120, MAP 180, HIT 104, MLT 105, MLT 107
  • Second Semester: MAP 185, MAP 230, HIT 105, MLT 204
  • Third Semester: MAP 260

Medical Assistant Certificate

28 Semester Credit Hours; Curriculum: 0329

Course List
Code Title Hours
Courses for a Certificate
HIT 104Medical Terminology3
HIT 105Pharmacology for Health Record Documentation1
MLT 105Introduction to Health Care Issues1
MLT 107Phlebotomy4
MLT 204Phlebotomy Practicum2
MAP 120Basic Healthcare Skills For The Medical Assistant2
MAP 180Healthcare Office Procedures for the Medical Assistant3
MAP 185Medical Billing and Coding For the Medical Assistant3
MAP 230Clinical Skills for the Medical Assistant6
MAP 260Medical Assistant Practicum3
Total Hours28

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate entry-level clinical and administrative skills based on the recommended standards and guidelines of the Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB).
  2. Practice legal and ethical standards within the scope of a medical assistant.
  3. Model professionalism and cultural sensitivity when interacting with patients, staff and healthcare providers.
  4. Apply principles of effective communication when interacting with patients, staff and healthcare providers.
  5. Employ time management and prioritization skills in an ambulatory healthcare setting.
  6. Compose electronic health record documents following legal guidelines and using appropriate terminology.
  7. Utilize standards and best practices for office accounting and insurance billing in an ambulatory healthcare setting.
  8. Be eligible to apply for and take a national certification exam.

Medical Assistant Certificate Pathway

The following pathway is recommended for students pursuing the Medical Assistant Certificate.

For more information on recommended courses or program specific advising, contact the Health Career Advisor at 847.635.1266 or the Division of STEM and Health Careers at 847.635.1684.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Semester OneHours
MAP 120 Basic Healthcare Skills For The Medical Assistant 2
MAP 180 Healthcare Office Procedures for the Medical Assistant 3
HIT 104 Medical Terminology 3
MLT 105 Introduction to Health Care Issues 1
MLT 107 Phlebotomy 4
 Hours13
Semester Two
MAP 185 Medical Billing and Coding For the Medical Assistant 3
MAP 230 Clinical Skills for the Medical Assistant 6
HIT 105 Pharmacology for Health Record Documentation 1
MLT 204 Phlebotomy Practicum 2
 Hours12
Semester Three
MAP 260 Medical Assistant Practicum 3
 Hours3
 Total Hours28

Medical Assistant Courses

MAP 1202 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Basic Healthcare Skills For The Medical Assistant  

Course introduces basic techniques and knowledge required to perform fundamental healthcare skills. Topics to include infection control, hand hygiene, vital signs, body mechanics, patient transfers, and oxygen therapy. Professional communication to obtain health history/ patient information and medical documentation will also be included.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Medical Assistant Program  
Delivery mode: Face-to-Face | Hybrid | Online

Fee: $25

MAP 1803 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 1)
Healthcare Office Procedures for the Medical Assistant  

Course introduces the Medical Assistant student to administrative and general healthcare office functions. Topics included are patient reception, appointment scheduling, clerical functions and bookkeeping procedures, phone etiquette, professional communication and correspondence, preparation and maintenance of medical records and an EHR, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity in client interactions.

Prerequisite: Admission to Medical Assistant Program  
Delivery mode: Face-to-Face | Hybrid | Online

Fee: $25

MAP 1853 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 4)
Medical Billing and Coding For the Medical Assistant  

Course concentrates on application of guidelines and requirements for accurate medical diagnosis and procedure coding for medical office along with efficient and compliant healthcare claims filing. Course provides instruction in insurance processing procedures in the medical office as well as bookkeeping, collection, banking, and financial procedures vital to medical office.

Prerequisite: Completion of HIT 105 with minimum grade of C or concurrent enrollment.  
Delivery mode: Face-to-Face | Hybrid | Online

Fee: $10

MAP 2306 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 6)
Clinical Skills for the Medical Assistant  

Course combines lecture and clinical skill instruction for the medical assistant student. Emphasis is on practical application of all clinical aspects in the medical/ healthcare office setting. Topics will include patient assessment and documentation, medical and surgical asepsis, assisting with minor office procedures, performing an EKG, injections, specialty office and first aid procedures. Includes an observational clinical rotation at a health care office/ ambulatory facility.

Prerequisite: Completion of MAP 120, MAP 180, HIT 105, MLT 107, all with minimum grades of C, or concurrent enrollment.  
Delivery mode: Face-to-Face | Hybrid | Online

Fee: $75

MAP 2603 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 0)
Medical Assistant Practicum  

Course provides the Medical Assistant student 160 supervised hours of unpaid externship at an affiliated clinical site. Emphasis will be on achieving competency of entry-level administrative and clinical skills in a healthcare office setting.

Prerequisite: MAP 180, MAP 230, MLT 107, with minimum grades of C.  
Delivery mode: Face-to-Face | Hybrid | Online
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Des Plaines, IL 60016

847.635.1600
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Skokie, IL 60077

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