Medical Assisting
Certificate Program
Program Description:
Medical Assistants are one of the most versatile healthcare professionals. They are crossed trained to perform both clinical and administrative tasks within provider practices and various hospital settings. The Medical Assistant works alongside the provider gathering and maintaining comprehensive and accurate electronic health records. The medical assistant will provide direct patient care and education, obtain and perform diagnostic tests, and assist with a variety of in-office clinical procedures.
The Medical Assistant Certificate program includes lecture and laboratory experience that is competency-based (hands on learning). Students master their skills in a state of the art Provider Practice Simulation Lab. During their final semester, students are provided with practical experience in the clinical setting, including rotations in a physician’s office and hospital laboratory.
The mission of the Medical Assisting Certificate program is to prepare students for employment in physicians’ offices, clinics, and hospitals. The curriculum provides students with current knowledge in both clinical and administrative procedures. The program is committed to providing students with a foundation of knowledge, skills and behaviors that will carry them into the work force and lifelong learning.
More Medical Assisting Information
Accreditation
Course of Study
The Medical Assisting Certificate Program provides a great deal of flexibility, consisting of courses offered in class, hybrid and on-line.
Criteria for Medical Assisting Certificate Program
Students must complete 36 credits in the Medical Assisting Certificate program and achieve a minimum grade of “C” in all courses. Students must attain a final GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Additional Program Requirements
Students must assume responsibility for transportation and/or other living costs to and from statewide clinical sites.
Admissions Checklist
In addition to your application to KVCC you will need to complete the items in the checklist.
Career Opportunities
Medical Assisting is at the heart of healthcare. Employment opportunities include but are not limited to:
- Family Practice
- Express Care
- Family Planning Centers
Specialty Practices: Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Behavioral Health, Cardiology, Urology, Neurology, Wound Care, Nutrition, Rheumatology, Dermatology, and Dentistry
Clinical and administrative responsibilities may vary depending on the practice. Clinical responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Vitals
- Patient Education
- Electronic medical record documentation
- Exam Preparation
- Assist with minor office surgery
- Phlebotomy
- Injections
- EKG’s
- Obtain and perform diagnostic tests
Administrative responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Scheduling appointments
- Billing & Coding for insurance
- Prior authorizations
- Managing multiple computer applications
- Professional correspondence
Goals and Outcomes
To prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior), learning domains.
Upon completion of the program all students will:
I. Be prepared and eligible for the American Association of Medical Assistants certification examination.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will achieve passing grade on three mock certification exams which will be equal or greater than the national average for the first time takers.
II. Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills within the boundaries of professional practice.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will gather factual information and apply it to a given problem.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will analyze logical connections among the facts relevant to a given situation.
III. Demonstrate effective communication with patients, families, and other health care professionals.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate oral communication within a medical setting.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate written communication skills within a medical setting.
IV. Empathize and employ ethical principles and by showing respect for diversity of culture, age, and gender.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate empathy and respect for all patients.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate ethical decision making within a medical setting.
V. Demonstrate technical proficiency on all skills necessary to for fill the role as a medical assistant.
- Student Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate proficiency on all skill as a medical assistant.
Program Success
Every year the Medical Assisting Program surveys their graduates and employers to determine the overall satisfaction regarding KVCC’s Medical Assisting program. The surveys evaluate the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains to determine the graduate’s strengths and weaknesses. These surveys also allow feedback from employers that helps improve the quality of the program. Rated statements within the survey included but are not limited to:
1.) The amount of support available to students
2.) Employer satisfaction with the graduates knowledge and skillset
3.) The students overall satisfaction with the program
4.) The students pass rate on the certification exam (Certified Medical Assistant – CMA, AAMA)
The results over the last five years (2012-2016) are summarized below:
| Graduate Satisfaction with Program | Employer Satisfaction with KVCC Students | Rate at which KVCC Students Pass Credentialing Exam | ||
| 2017 | 100% | 100% | 95.24% | |
| 2016 | 100% | 100% | 85.71% | |
| 2015 | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
| 2014 | 100% | 100% | 94.44% | |
| 2013 | 100% | 100% | 70.59% | |
| Average over 5 years | 100% | 100% | 89.16% |
Students must complete 64 credits in the Medical Assisting program and achieve a minimum grade of “C” in all courses. Students must attain a final GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Criteria for Graduation
Advisory Committee
This committee is made up of physicians, area employers, industry leaders, sponsor administration, community members, current students and past graduates, and KVCC faculty members. The primary purpose is to help the College ensure that the program is relevant to the community, addresses current industry standards, meets workforce needs, and has appropriate resources to support high quality student outcomes. To accomplish this purpose, the advisory committee focuses on the specific functions of program development, curriculum review, program evaluation, instructor guidance, student recruitment, retention, and job placement.
Medical Assistant Advisory Committee Members
|
|
| Ann Walker – Director & Faculty
KVCC
|
Sarah Roberts PA – Physician
Maine General Hospital
|
| Brittany Newby – Coordinator & Faculty
KVCC TAACCCT IV
|
Paula Dube – Employer
Health Reach
|
| Marilyn Kenyon – Retired Employer
|
Jessica Moody – Graduate
KVCC Graduate |
| Laurie Alexander – Employer
Stacy Hubel-Employer Sebasticook Valley Hospital
|
Clay Landry-Public Member
|
| Robin Doody – Employer
Inland Hospital |
Lila Myers – Graduate
|
| Belinda Fletcher – Employer
Inland Hospital
|
Barbara McCutcheon – Public Member
|
| Shea Gilbert – Employer
Redington Fairview Hospital
|
Kurt Klappenbach – Sponsor Administrator
KVCC TAACCCT IV
|
| Courtney Daggett PA-C – Physician
Redington Fairview Hospital
|
Roberta Santilli – Student Navigator
KVCC TACCCT IV
|
| Karen Dostie– Employer
Susan McLeod-Employer Maine General Hospital
|
Samantha Gayton– KVCC Student
|
| Thomas Beard – Employer
Maine General Hospital
|
Kathy Englehart – Sponsor Administrator
KVCC Academic Dean
|
| Richard R Hopper – Sponsor Administrator
KVCC President |
|
Professional Partners and Organizations
The Medical Assisting Program’s Professional Partners:
- HealthReach
- Inland Hospital
- Maine General
- Redington Fairview General Hospital
- Sebasticook Valley Health
Links to Professional Organizations:
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Ann Walker
(207) 453-5005
awalker@kvcc.me.edu
Brittany Newby
(207) 453-5851
bnewby@kvcc.me.edu
Advisory Committee
This committee is made up of physicians, area employers, industry leaders, sponsor administration, community members, current students and past graduates, and KVCC faculty members. The primary purpose is to help the College ensure that the program is relevant to the community, addresses current industry standards, meets workforce needs, and has appropriate resources to support high quality student outcomes. To accomplish this purpose, the advisory committee focuses on the specific functions of program development, curriculum review, program evaluation, instructor guidance, student recruitment, retention, and job placement.
Medical Assisting Advisory Committee Members
Ann Walker
Program Chair & Faculty KVCC
awalker@kvcc.me.edu
Kathy Englehart
Sponsor Administrator
KVCC Academic Dean
Brittany Newby
Coordinator & Faculty
KVCC TAACCCT IV
bnewby@kvcc.me.edu
Paula Dube
Employer
Health Reach
Marilyn Kenyon
Retired Employer
Clay Landry
Public Member
Laurie Alexander
Employer
Northern Light Hospital
Barbara McCutcheon
Public Member
Robin Doody
Employer
Northern Light Hospital
Samantha Gayton
KVCC Student
Belinda Fletcher
Employer
Northern Light Hospital
Jessica Moody
Graduate-KVCC Medical Assisting
Shea Gilbert
Employer
Redington Fairview Hospital
Holly Vanadestine
KVCC Medical Assisting Student
Courtney Daggett PA-C
Physician
Redington Fairview Hospital
Lila Myers
Graduate-KVCC Medical Assisting
Karen Dostie
Employer
Maine General Hospital
Thomas Beard
Retired Employer
Susan McLeod
Employer
Maine General Hospital
Richard R Hopper
Sponsor Administrator
KVCC President
The Next Medical Assisting Advisory Committee Meeting is:
April 4th, 2019 at 8am
Frye Conference Room
Kennebec Valley Community College
Past Meeting Minutes
November 2018
April 2018
October 2017
April 2017
November 2016
April 2016
November 2015