Medical Office Assistant Program Curriculum

Our Medical Office Assistant program curriculum preps you for certification by introducing you to essential topics like medical terminology, laws and ethics, medical office administration skills, records management, coding, and billing. Lessons also touch on basic clinical procedures and patient relations.

Medical Office Assistant Orientation

In this course, you’ll examine the goals and values of Ashworth College, time management, creating a realistic weekly and monthly study schedule, the nature and purpose of assessments, how to study effectively to prepare for and take an online examination, and developing the skill sets necessary for success in the twenty-first century. You’ll also learn more about the allied health career options that are available to you and the necessary information you’ll need to be ethical, professional, and successful in those roles.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

Identify skills needed to be a confident and independent online learner.
Describe the various available allied health professions and the legal and ethical issues that each may face.

Lesson Group 1: Medical and Body Systems Terminology

In this course, you’ll learn how to define basic medical terms and describe the anatomy and physiology of different body systems. You’ll also review the terminology associated with surgical procedures and chronic and infectious diseases.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

Explain how to build, define, and analyze medical terms.
Define terms and abbreviations associated with different body systems.
Identify the characteristics of various surgical treatments and major chronic and infectious diseases.

Lesson Group 2: Introduction to Medical Assisting

This course opens with a description of medical assisting, its history, and the skills, responsibilities, and opportunities associated with medical assisting. You’ll also learn how laws and ethics impact medical care, review medical terminology, and discover the best methods for communicating in the medical office under a variety of circumstances.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

Summarize the role and responsibilities of the medical assistant.
Recognize how ethics and the law impact medical care.
Define common medical terms.
Identify common issues concerning communication and safety in the medical office.

Lesson Group 3: Administrative Medical Assisting

In this course, you’ll learn how medical assistants schedule and greet patients before exploring the different technologies, equipment, procedures, and tasks commonly seen in the medical office. Additionally, you’ll review medical records, financial management, insurance and claims, and coding.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

Describe how to schedule and greet patients.
Differentiate between types of medical records.
Summarize the medical billing and reimbursement process and the roles that insurance, claims, and coding play.
Identify the technologies, equipment, processes, and policies seen in medical office management.

Lesson Group 4: Clinical Medical Assisting

This course identifies common situations and tasks that medical assistants encounter. You’ll learn how to control infection, check vital signs, assist with a wide array of medical examinations, administer medication, and educate patients. You’ll also familiarize yourself with a variety of specialties, including microbiology, urinalysis, phlebotomy, radiology, rehabilitation, and more. Finally, you’ll review the professional skills that medical assistants require and their various career opportunities.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

Explain how to communicate with and educate patients.
Describe how to assist with medical procedures in a variety of settings and specialties.
Recognize the professional skills needed by medical assistants.

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Program description

The Medical Office Assistant certificate program is designed to provide you with the knowledge of the basic skills required of medical office assistants. You’ll review medical terminology, explore medical law and ethics, and learn about the responsibilities associated with both administrative and clinical medical assisting.

Medical Office Assistant Program objectives

After completing the Medical Office Assistant certificate program, you’ll be able to do the following:

Outline the typical responsibilities of a medical office assistant, describe the personal and professional ethics required for success in this profession, and explain how medical office assistants are impacted by HIPAA and other healthcare-related regulations.
Describe how a medical front office is typically managed, focusing on administrative processes and procedures.
Explain the procedures to follow to create and maintain accurate medical documentation, especially with regards to patient records, procedural and diagnostic coding, insurance claim forms, and other healthcare documentation.
Demonstrate knowledge of medical insurance by outlining typical claims-processing procedures and explaining the difference between government and commercial health insurance plans.
Using standard medical terminology, explain the structures and functions of the human body, including the senses and body systems.
Identify and describe the medical office assistant's role in standard patient interactions in the medical office, including in-office diagnostic tests and procedures, specimen sampling, medication administration, and the preparation of patients for examination.
Describe universal precautions and explain how to maintain a safe environment in the medical office, even during emergency situations.

Organizing your skills into a career path

Ashworth College's API Program Name Career Diploma program helps you develop the confidence you need to reach for your career goals because we integrate job search prep into your studies. With the online tools at the Ashworth College Central Network, you’ll get step-by-step guidance as you create polished, professional resumes and letters. After you graduate, you’ll keep your Ashworth College Central Network account so you can revisit the tools any time you need to make a good impression on a potential employer. Learn more about it at the Career Services page.