Medical Assistant - A.A.S. Degree - Dakota County Technical College | DCTC - a 2-Year Minnesota School Offering Associate Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs to the Twin Cities, MN

Medical Assistant - A.A.S. Degree

This is a suggested sample course sequence.
Please contact your program advisor regarding your academic plans

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2023-2024 Required Courses

First Year - Fall Semester

Course Title	Credits
HEAL 1101 Anatomy and Physiology HEAL - 1101: Anatomy and Physiology Description HEAL 1101 This four-credit lecture course is designed for students preparing for a career in the medical field. Emphasis will be on anatomical terminology and structure and function of the following components of the human body: cells, tissues, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, senses, cardiovascular, blood, digestive, reproductive, urinary, endocrine, lymphatic, and respiratory systems. Credits: 4 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Summer 2024 Course Outline: HEAL1101 — PDF	4
HEAL 1502 Medical Terminology HEAL - 1502: Medical Terminology Description HEAL 1502 This course introduces students to medical terms and their meanings. Students will learn combining forms, word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and how these word parts apply to building medical terms. Students will also learn common medical abbreviations and symbols. Credits: 2 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Summer 2024 Course Outline: HEAL1502 — PDF	2
MDAS 1125 Laboratory Skills I MDAS - 1125: Laboratory Skills I Description MDAS 1125 This course introduces the medical assistant student to the clinical laboratory. Topics covered in this course are laboratory safety, regulations, microscopes, quality assurance, blood collection, basic math, and spirometry. The student will learn to perform evacuated tube, syringe, and butterfly needle venipuncture, as well as capillary puncture. Performance will be on adults only; infant and child methods will be simulated. Students will be expected to participate as both a phlebotomist and as a patient. Credits: 4 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: MDAS 1132 Clinical Procedures I Future Offering: None Course Outline: MDAS1125 — PDF	4
MDAS 1132 Clinical Procedures I MDAS - 1132: Clinical Procedures I Description MDAS 1132 This course introduces the medical assistant student to the clinical skills required for the health care setting.? Topics covered in the course are patient intake, documentation, vital signs, medical asepsis, sterilization of instruments, federal regulations, legal and ethical considerations, assisting providers with exams, sterile technique, first aid and CPR, and coping skills.? Students will obtain First Aid/CPR certification.? Students must participate as a medical assistant and as a patient. Credits: 4 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: MDAS 1125 Laboratory Skills I Future Offering: None Course Outline: MDAS1132 — PDF	4
MDAS 1151 Health Care Essentials MDAS - 1151: Health Care Essentials Description MDAS 1151 This course provides a foundation for the knowledge and skills required for medical assistant students, as well as other health care career areas. Students will learn about communication, electronic health records, professionalism, medical documents, the health care team, medical documentation, and health care professions. Credits: 2 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Course Outline: MDAS1151 — PDF	2
Total Semester Credits:	16

First Year - Spring Semester

Course Title	Credits
MDAS 1223 Laboratory Skills II MDAS - 1223: Laboratory Skills II Description MDAS 1223 This course expands on the skills learned in MDAS 1125 Laboratory Skills I. The student will participate in waived and moderately complex laboratory collection and testing in the areas of chemistry, immunology, microbiology, hematology, coagulation, and urinalysis. Students will also learn how to apply a Holter Monitor and perform electrocardiography. Credits: 4 Prerequisites: MDAS 1125 Laboratory Skills I Corequisites: MDAS 1232 Clinical Procedures II Future Offering: Spring 2024 Course Outline: MDAS1223 — PDF	4
MDAS 1232 Clinical Procedures II MDAS - 1232: Clinical Procedures II Description MDAS 1232 This course broadens the skills learned in MDAS 1132 Clinical Procedures I and is paired with MDAS 1702 Pharmacology and Math for Medical Assistants to allow for hands-on medication administration skills.? Other topics include: assisting providers with exams and procedures, patient specimen collection, rehabilitation and therapeutic modalities, and medical specialties gerontology, ophthalmology, cardiology, gastroenterology, ENT, endocrinology, reproductive, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, pulmonology, and urology. Students will be expected to participate as a medical assistant and as a patient.? Participation in a service learning project is also required Credits: 4 Prerequisites: MDAS 1132 Clinical Procedures I Corequisites: MDAS 1223 Laboratory Skills II MDAS 1702 Pharmacology and Math for Medical Assistants Future Offering: Spring 2024 Course Outline: MDAS1232 — PDF	4
MDAS 1271 Administrative Procedures MDAS - 1271: Administrative Procedures Description MDAS 1271 This course builds on the skills and content learned in MDAS 1251 Health Care Essentials and focuses on the administrative responsibilities of a medical assistant. Topics covered will be medical appointments, scheduling procedures, telecommunications, medical coding, medical insurance, electronic health records, written communications, medical documentation, clinic management, human resource management, resumes, and interviewing. Credits: 3 Prerequisites: MDAS 1151 Health Care Essentials Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Course Outline: MDAS1271 — PDF	3
MDAS 1702 Pharmacology and Math for Medical Assistants MDAS - 1702: Pharmacology and Math for Medical Assistants Description MDAS 1702 The objective of this content only course is to introduce the medical assistant student to the study of medications, their uses, drug actions, and administration safety in the health care setting. Mathematical skills in relation to calculations of medication dosages will be taught. Medication administration techniques will be explained with demonstration of techniques in MDAS 1232 Clinical Procedures II.?? Credits: 4 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: MDAS 1232 Clinical Procedures II Future Offering: Spring 2024 Course Outline: MDAS1702 — PDF	4
Total Semester Credits:	15

Second Year - Summer Session

Course Title	Credits
MDAS 1211 Disease Condition and Medical Treatment, Incl. Nutrition MDAS - 1211: Disease Condition and Medical Treatment, Incl. Nutrition Description MDAS 1211 This course covers the disease process, childhood diseases, infectious/communicable diseases, cancer, congenital diseases, and mental health disorders, as well as disease conditions that affect all body systems. Etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatment options will be presented. This course also includes basic nutritional concepts. Credits: 4 Prerequisites: HEAL 1101 Anatomy and Physiology Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Summer 2024 Course Outline: MDAS1211 — PDF	4
MDAS 2970 Practicum MDAS - 2970: Practicum Description MDAS 2970 The practicum experience provides the student with an opportunity to broaden the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom.The student will be placed in a healthcare setting for a total of six weeks, five days a week, eight hours per day, or the equivalent, for a total of 240 unpaid hours. The practicum experience will be supervised. Prerequisites: Completion of all required MDAS courses and recommendation to practicum. Credits: 6 Prerequisites: MDAS 1125 Laboratory Skills I MDAS 1132 Clinical Procedures I MDAS 1151 Health Care Essentials MDAS 1223 Laboratory Skills II MDAS 1232 Clinical Procedures II MDAS 1271 Administrative Procedures MDAS 1702 Pharmacology and Math for Medical Assistants Corequisites: None Future Offering: Summer 2024 Course Outline: MDAS2970 — PDF	6
MDAS 2990 Capstone MDAS - 2990: Capstone Description MDAS 2990 This course focuses on preparing for the national American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) certification exam.? Time will be spent reviewing all areas of the AAMA Content Outline and reinforcing the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. Prerequisites: Completion of all Medical Assistant course and recommendation to Practicum. Credits: 1 Prerequisites: MDAS 1125 Laboratory Skills I MDAS 1132 Clinical Procedures I MDAS 1151 Health Care Essentials MDAS 1223 Laboratory Skills II MDAS 1232 Clinical Procedures II MDAS 1271 Administrative Procedures MDAS 1702 Pharmacology and Math for Medical Assistants Corequisites: None Future Offering: Summer 2024 Course Outline: MDAS2990 — PDF	1
Total Semester Credits:	11

Second Year - Fall Semester

Course Title	Credits
COMS 1020 Interpersonal Communication COMS - 1020: Interpersonal Communication Description COMS 1020 This course is intended to increase student's awareness of the processes, models, and theories of interpersonal communication relative to relationships that impact people's personal and professional lives. Through self-analysis and reflection, case studies, practical application, and critical thinking, students will examine the influence of communicative behaviors on themselves, their personal relationships, groups, and society. Concepts include self-esteem, self-fulfilling prophecies, perception, ethics, emotion, conflict, cultural awareness, language, nonverbal communication, social media, and listening. Meets Goal 7. Meets MNTC Goal 1 Fall 2016 and after. Credits: 3 Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Summer 2024 MNTC Goals: 1,7 Course Outline: COMS1020 — PDF	3
ENGL 1150 Composition I ENGL - 1150: Composition I Description ENGL 1150 This course emphasizes the process of writing expository and persuasive essays using effective writing skills and a variety of research techniques. Also included in the course content are critical reading and logical reasoning. Meets MnTC Goal 1. Prerequisites: See course details in eServices for prerequisite information. Credits: 3 Prerequisites: Please go to E-Services to see Pre-requisites for this course Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2024 Summer 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025 MNTC Goals: 1 Course Outline: ENGL1150 — PDF	3
General Education Credits (Any MnTC Goal Area) ‡ (Any MnTC Goal Area)" aria-hidden="true"> GENE - 0000: General Education Credits (Any MnTC Goal Area) Description GENE 0000 Credits: Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None Course Outline: GENE0000 — PDF	3
Total Semester Credits:	9

Second Year - Spring Semester

Course Title	Credits
General Education Credits (Any MnTC Goal Area) ‡ (Any MnTC Goal Area)" aria-hidden="true"> GENE - 0000: General Education Credits (Any MnTC Goal Area) Description GENE 0000 Credits: Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None Course Outline: GENE0000 — PDF	6
General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 3) ‡ (MnTC Goal 3)" aria-hidden="true"> MNTC - 3: General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 3) Description MNTC 3 Credits: Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None Course Outline: MNTC3 — PDF OR General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 4) ‡ (MnTC Goal 4)" aria-hidden="true"> MNTC - 4: General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 4) Description MNTC 4 Credits: Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None Course Outline: MNTC4 — PDF	3
Total Semester Credits:	9

Total Credits:	60

‡ Select General Education electives from specified MnTC goal area or from any MnTC goals if none specified.

* Medical Assistant students are required to obtain a C or higher on all MDAS, HEAL 1101, and general education courses.