Medical Assisting Admission Packet Criteria

Transcription

1 Medical Assisting Admission Packet Criteria CENTRAL GEORGIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE www. Centralgatech.edu Effective Fall Semester 2013/ Revised June 2013 *Macon Campus *Milledgeville Campus *Warner Robins Campus 3300 Macon Tech Drive 54 Highway 22 West 80 Cohen Walker Drive Macon, GA Milledgeville, GA Warner Robins, GA (478) (478) (478)

2 MEDICAL ASSISTING INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Central Georgia Technical College Medical Assisting Program. This handbook was prepared by the Medical Assisting faculty to provide the student with a resource for information regarding the policies and procedures of the Medical Assisting department. This handbook does not replace the policies and procedures for the general student population of Central Georgia Technical College; therefore, students are expected to be knowledgeable regarding the contents of each. The program incorporates learning opportunities for development of academic, technical and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. The program emphasizes a combination of didactic and clinical instruction to develop skills necessary for successful employment. Graduates of the program will be prepared to enter the profession and work in virtually any ambulatory health care setting. Program graduates receive a Medical Assisting diploma and have the qualifications of an entry level medical assistant. Graduates of the Medical Assisting program will be eligible to take the National Medical Assistant Certification Exam through National Center for Competency Testing. A student who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be admitted into the program but may prohibit one from taking the certification exam. For more information, please visit NCCT s webpage at There are various options available to students who decide to follow a career in medical assisting. The student will need to decide if they want to enroll in the diploma or associates degree program. The diploma and degree level will both take about three semesters after the completion of the required core classes. Both programs will afford the student entrance into the program, core classes for diploma are usually 2 semesters and core classes for the degree is 3 semesters. Externship will be assigned at local physician s offices, clinics, hospitals and outpatient facilities. The staff and administration of the clinical affiliates provide support and assistance in maintaining the quality of the educational program. An adverse finding on a student s background check may keep them from participating in externship and Central Georgia Technical College does not guarantee the student a site. The clinical site has the right to refuse a student based on an adverse background check or drug screen.

3 The Profession of Medical Assisting The Medical Assisting program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for positions in various settings within health care. Medical Assistants can work in ambulatory care settings, ancillary health care facilities, and related businesses and industries. However, most medical assistants work in ambulatory settings, such as clinics and medical offices. The duties of medical assistants can vary quite a bit depending on the location, type and size of office in which they are employed. In some offices, medical assistants perform a combination of administrative and clinical duties and report directly to the physician, office manager or health practitioner. In other offices, they may specialize in a particular area, either clinical or administrative, and work under a supervisor or department administrator. Due to the versatility, medical assistants are sometimes floated, which means they are temporarily moved from one area to another within a facility in order to help where they are most needed. Administrative Medical Assistant Complete insurance claim forms Enter data into the computer Answer telephones Perform manual or electronic bookkeeping Identify and record codes related to diagnoses and procedures Handle mail and correspondence Schedule appointments Greet patients Gather insurance data and determine coverage Clinical Medical Assistant Duties can differ depending on State Law, but generally include recording vital signs and taking medical histories, preparing patients for examinations, explaining various procedures to patients, and assisting the physician during a medical examination. Medical assistants also collect, prepare, and sometimes even perform basic laboratory tests as well as sterilizing medical instruments and disposing of contaminated supplies. A physician may also direct a certified medical assistant to instruct patients regarding special diets or medication regimens or to prepare and administer medications, authorize prescription refills, and phone prescriptions in to pharmacies. A certified medical assistant may also prepare patients for x-rays, remove sutures, change dressings, draw blood, and take electrocardiograms. The purchase and maintenance of supplies and equipment, housekeeping of waiting and examining rooms and arranging examination room equipment and instruments also fall within a Clinical Medical Assistant s scope.

4 PURPOSE Medical Assisting is a program of study which is compatible with the policies of The Technical College System of Georgia and encourages each Medical Assisting program student to benefit and contribute as a partner in the economic development and stability of Georgia. The purpose of the Medical Assisting program is founded on the value attributed to individual students, the medical assisting profession, and technical education. The Medical Assisting program of study is consistent with the philosophy and purpose of the institution. The program provides academic foundations in communications, mathematics and human relations, as well as occupational fundamentals. Program graduates are well trained in the underlying fundamentals of medical assisting and are well prepared for employment and subsequent upward mobility. The Medical Assisting program is a training program that provides the student with the knowledge and skills to become a qualified medical assistant. Important attributes for success of program graduates are critical thinking, problem solving, and the application of the training to the work requirement. This field has presently experienced rapid expansion and the trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The program structure acknowledges individual differences and provides opportunities for students to seek fulfillment of their educational goals. The program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicapping condition, academic disadvantage, or economic disadvantage. To assist each student to attain his or her respective potential within the program, both the instructor and the student incur an obligation in the learning process. The instructor is a manager of instructional resources and organizes instruction in a manner which promotes learning. The student assumes responsibility for learning by actively participating in the learning process. This is a dynamic field which requires attention to current curriculum and up-to-date instructional equipment. The Medical Assisting program promotes the concept of change as the profession evolves. The need for nurturing and spirit of involvement and lifelong learning is paramount in the medical assisting field.

5 Medical Assisting Program Selection Admission to the college and selection into the Medical Assisting program are two distinct processes. Students are responsible for understanding both processes. Questions regarding admission to the college should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Macon Campus: (478) Warner Robins Campus: (478) Questions regarding the Medical Assisting program selection should be directed to: Macon Campus: Linda Gerlock, RN (478) Or Ashley Ray, NCMA, AAS, BS (478) Milledgeville Campus: Norma Jackson, NCMA, RN (478) Warner Robins Campus: Judy Fannon, RMA (478) As set forth in its Student Catalog, Central Georgia Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam Era, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the administration of the College nondiscrimination policies: Linda Hampton Executive Director of Conduct, Appeals and Compliance 3300 Macon Tech Drive Macon, GA Building J, Room FAX

6 CGTC ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MEDICAL ASSISTING PROGRAM Applicants must be at least 17 years old and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Submit an application for college admission, along with a $20 non-refundable application fee. Schedule to take the COMPASS placement exam (offered in the Testing Center) in order to be admitted to the college. There is no charge for initial administration of the COMPASS exam. (Other placement exam scores may be acceptable, for example, SAT or ACT.) Request transfer credit for courses completed at accredited college(s) or other educational institutes, if applicable. Complete a Request for Transfer Credit prior to admission, and submit official transcripts to the Registrar s Office. ADMISSION FILE CHECKLIST An applicant s official student record must contain the following items in order to be accepted for admission: Application for admission High School/GED or College Transcript Proof of age Placement Exam Scores (COMPASS, SAT, ACT) PSB (Psychological Services Bureau) Health Aptitude Examination, 3 rd Edition *The PSB exam is not required for admission to CGTC; however, it is required prior to selection into the Medical Assisting Program. For this program, there is not a minimum score that must be met. The student has two opportunities to take the PSB exam and the higher score of the two attempts will be used. This exam should be taken prior to completion of the required core courses. More information about the PSB exam may be obtained in the college Testing Centers or Media Centers or on-line at

7 SELECTION PROCEDURE Students are admitted to CGTC s Medical Assisting Program through a process of competitive admission that includes three steps. Only those students who meet the minimum academic eligibility requirements (outlined below) will be considered for selection. 1) Successfully complete the first six of the eight required core courses (minimum 2.00 GPA of these courses required). Diploma level: ENGL 1010 (Fundamentals of English) - successful completion - in lieu of ENGL 1010, ENGL 1101 or ENGL 191 are accepted. MATH 1012 (Foundations of Mathematics) successful completion in lieu of MATH 1012, MATH 1111(College Algebra), MATH 1101 (Mathematical Modeling) or MATH 1013 (Algebraic Concepts) are accepted ALHS 1040 (Introduction to Health Care) - successful completion within the last three (3) years. ALHS 1011 (Anatomy and Physiology) successful completion within the last three (3) years. Associate degree-level A&P courses will be considered provided all body systems are covered and previously mentioned requirements are met. ALHS 1090 (Medical Terminology for the Health Sciences) successful completion within the last three years. BUSN 1440 (Document Production) - successful completion within the last five (5) years. **The following two classes are not calculated in the student s GPA for selection. These classes must be taken before entrance into the program and successfully completed with a grade of 70 or higher. PSYC 1010 (Basic Psychology) -successful completion in lieu of PSYC 1010, PSYC 1101 or PSYC 191 are accepted. COMP 1000 (Introduction to Computers) successful completion within the last five (5) years SCT 100 will be accepted in lieu of COMP Degree level: 1) Successfully complete the first seven of the eleven required core courses (minimum 2.00 GPA of these courses required). ENGL 1101 (Composition and Rhetoric) - successful completion - in lieu of ENGL 1101, ENGL 191 is accepted. MATH 1100 (Quantitative Skills and Reasoning) - successful completion OR MATH 1101 (Mathematical Modeling) OR MATH 1111*(College Algebra) * Only one math is required. ALHS 1040 (Introduction to Health Care) - successful completion within the last three (3) years.

8 BIOL 2113 & 2113L (Anatomy and Physiology I & Anatomy and Physiology Lab I) successful completion within the last three (3) years. Other associate degree-level A&P courses will be considered provided all body systems are covered and previously mentioned requirements are met. BIOL 2114 & 2114L (Anatomy and Physiology II & Anatomy and Physiology Lab II) successful completion within the last three (3) years. Other associate degree-level A&P courses will be considered provided all body systems are covered and previously mentioned requirements are met. ALHS 1090 (Medical Terminology for the Health Sciences) - successful completion within the last three (3)years. BUSN 1440 (Document Production) - successful completion within the last five (5) years. **The following four classes are not calculated in the student s GPA for selection. These classes must be taken before entrance into the program and successfully completed them with a grade of 70 or higher. PSYC 1101 (Introduction to Psychology) -successful completion COMP 1000 (Introduction to Computers) successful completion within the last five (5) years SCT 100 will be accepted in lieu of COMP Humanities or Fine Arts Elective- successful completion General Education Core Elective (area I-IV) - successful completion Transfer Credit: Core courses requested for transfer credit from another institution must meet the above criteria in order to be accepted by CGTC. Other courses requested for transfer credit will be accepted as follows: ALHS courses successfully completed within the last three (3) years and MAST courses successfully completed within the last year (any specific grade requirements mentioned later in this pamphlet are applicable). The student requesting transfer credit into MAST courses must have taken the PSB Examination, 3 rd Edition as outlined in the next step of this procedure. Additionally, the student must be able to successfully perform all competencies of the MAST course(s) for which transfer credit is requested. 2) Complete the PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Examination, 3 rd Edition. Students may take the exam at any time while taking their required core courses. This PSB procedure is also applicable to students requesting to transfer into MAST courses. Students may take the test two times in a year. The exam is administered in the CGTC Testing Centers. There is a $20 testing fee. PSB scores are valid for only one year from date of test. Students will be eligible to retest in one year. There is not a minimum score for the PSB exam. * Only PSB Examination, 3 rd Edition scores will be considered in the selection process. Students who took the 2 nd Edition PSB (prior to February 1, 2011) must take the PSB Aptitude, 3 rd ed.

9 3) Submit Progression/Application Form to the Admissions Office. a. Students will not be considered for selection for any given semester unless his/her name is on the list at the campus of their choice. The Progression form must be submitted and all requirements for selection (except currently enrolled courses) must be completed and official documents submitted (including all items listed on the Admission File Checklist) by midterm of the semester prior to the semester for which the student wishes to be considered for selection. In the event that the student is not selected for the program and wishes to be considered for the following semester selection, it is the student s responsibility to ensure that his/her application remains active by submitting a progression form/application again and that all required course grades and timeframes are still applicable. b. To submit the Progression Form go to the CGTC home page at page Current Students Student Affairs Registrar Progression Form Request log in to your BannerWeb account. This will automatically open the form. You will then just fill in the form and submit it electronically. Please make sure you print a copy of the form for your records. Selection Criteria Upon successful completion of the required core courses and having taken the PSB test, students will be considered for selection into the Medical Assisting program based on the following criteria: 1. GPA will be calculated according to the following guidelines: a. A GPA below 2.00 will not be considered for selection. Scoring: GPA X 100 plus highest PSB score. b. In the case of multiple attempts at a course(s) to achieve the required course grade or improve a grade, only the two most recent attempts will be calculated in the GPA. In the event that a student previously attempted coursework at institutions other than GGTC, official transcripts will be evaluated to include the two most recent attempts, and grades from any applicable coursework will be calculated in the GPA accordingly. c. Only courses taken within the required timeframe will be calculated in the GPA. In the case of English, course grades for courses taken over five (5) years will not be computed in the GPA, unless it is the student s only grade for the specific course. d. In the event that the student has achieved equivalent course credit at both the degree and diploma level (e.g., ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1010), only the higher of the two course grades will be calculated. 2. Selection consideration will be given to the student who was previously selected into the CGTC Medical Assisting Program and did not successfully complete any MAST course and to the student who has previously taken coursework at another TCSG College as follows: *In addition to the guidelines for GPA calculation as listed above, grades for all other ALHS and MAST courses within the curriculum will be calculated into the competitive

10 GPA, including those taken at institutions other than CGTC (by transcript verification). The program s minimum course grade requirements and time limits will apply. 3. Semesters of acceptance and the number of students selected varies as follows: Macon Campus accepts 20 students fall, spring and summer semesters Milledgeville Campus- accepts 12 students fall and spring semesters Warner Robins Campus- accepts 20 students spring semester Tiebreaker: In the event of a tie in the ranking, the student s current PSB score will be used as the tiebreaker. In the event that a student has taken the PSB exam more than once, the current PSB scores will be averaged and the average of the scores will be used in the tiebreaker process. Students will receive notification from the Admissions Office by phone or regarding selection results. At that time, instructions will be given as to registration for the upcoming semester and Program orientation. Post-selection Requirements Following selection, in order to progress in the program, the student must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all required MAST courses or a minimum grade of C in each course. In the event that a student achieves a course grade below C but maintains a minimum GPA of 2.0, the student will be allowed to continue in the program and retake the class. Only 2 course failures are allowed regardless of the student s GPA. In the event that a student has two course failures, the student will not be allowed to continue in the program and will not be eligible for re-entry. Transfer, re-entry (any break in successive semester enrollment), and transient students will be accepted into the program based on clinical slot availability. In order to receive transfer or reentry credit, MAST courses must have been taken within the last year. If MAST courses are older than one (1) year, they will not be accepted for credit, and the student must compete for selection (as previously outlined in this packet) and begin the program with new first semester students (see below). Before any student s first clinical experience in the program, proof of required immunizations, a drug screen and background check are required (re-entry students will fulfill the drug screen/background check requirements upon the first clinical experience).

11 MEDICAL ASSISTING CURRICULUM Required Core Courses for Competitive Admission All previously mentioned requirements apply for selection eligibility. These courses can be taken in two or more semesters, depending on the student s schedule and course availability. Diploma Level CREDIT CONTACT HOURS COURSE HOURS ENGL 1010 Fundamentals of English 3 45 MATH 1012 Foundations of Mathematics 3 45 ALHS 1040 Introduction to Health Care 3 75 ALHS 1011 Anatomy and Physiology 5 75 ALHS 1090 Medical Terminology for Health 2 30 Sciences COMP 1000 Introduction to Computers 3 75 PSYC 1010 Basic Psychology 3 45 BUSN 1440 Document Production Total Hours Degree Level CREDIT CONTACT HOURS COURSE HOURS ENGL 1101 Composition & Rhetoric 3 45 MATH 1100 or MATH 1101 or MATH 1111 Quantitative Skills & Reasoning Mathematical Modeling College Algebra 3 45 ALHS 1040 Introduction to Health Care 3 75 ALHS 1090 Medical Terminology for Health 2 30 Sciences COMP 1000 Introduction to Computers 3 75 PSYC 1101 Introduction to Psychology 3 45 BUSN 1440 Document Production XXXXXXX Humanities/Fine Arts Elective 3 45 XXXXXXX General Core Elective (from areas I-IV) 3 45 BIOL 2113 Anatomy & Physiology I 3 45 BIOL 2113L Anatomy & Physiology I Lab 1 45 BIOL 2114 Anatomy & Physiology II 3 45 BIOL 2114L Anatomy & Physiology II Lab 1 45 Total Hours

12 Suggested Course Progression for Students Selected into the Medical Assisting Program In each of the semesters listed below, the student must successfully complete all listed courses prior to progressing to the following semester. Student s Expected Progression (Diploma & Degree) 1 st Semester MAST 1030 Pharmacology in the Medical Office MAST 1060 Medical Office Procedures MAST 1080 Medical Assisting Skills I MAST 1100 Medical Insurance Management 2 nd Semester MAST 1010 Legal & Ethical Concerns in the Medical Office MAST 1090 Medical Assisting Skills II MAST 1110 Administrative Practice Management MAST 1120 Human Pathological Conditions in the Medical Office 3 rd Semester MAST 1170 Medical Assisting Externship MAST 1180 Medical Assisting Seminar Graduate APPROXIMATE COST EXPECTATIONS (AFTER MA SELECTION) Textbook expense for the first semester is approximately $300- $400, and approximately $200 more for the last two semesters combined, for a total of approximately $600 - $700 book expense. Other expected expenses (not including tuition) are: * The semester in which these expenses occur varies by campus. Physical Examination: approximately $60 (plus possible additional immunizations or titers) Drug Screen: approximately $35- $45 Criminal Background Check: approximately $50 Technology Fee: approximately $55/semester

13 Liability Insurance: payable with MAST 1170 tuition $15.00 Uniforms: approximately $50 each; 2 required (most students purchase 3-4 over their clinical experience) There may be additional uniform requirements based on campus student is attending. CPR: If the student s CPR certification will expire before the end of their clinicals, the student is responsible for costs to update their certification. Graduation Application Fee: $35 National Medical Assistant Certification Application and Test: $90 This expense is due around midterm of the semester when the student is enrolled in MAST 1170 & 1180 (last semester). Costs above may vary, and students will be given detailed information about requirements in program orientation, but the intent is to give the prospective student an idea of the financial obligations that the student will incur. Financial Aid may assist with these costs, but may not cover all of the costs of the program and supplies. The above expense list does not include costs for housing, food, and mileage to travel to and from campus and clinical sites. CGTC s Medical Assisting program is supported by area physicians offices, clinics and hospitals which serve as clinical sites for the program. In order to obtain the required clinical practice for designated courses, the student is required to meet certain employment criteria for these clinical sites including, but not limited to, health clearance through physical examination, negative drug/alcohol screening, and negative criminal background history. The clinical sites (independent of the CGTC program) determine those students who meet their criteria for clinical practice. The statements in this publication are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as the basis of a contract between the student and the College. For more information about the Medical Assisting Program, please contact the campus advisor or instructor mentioned.