PowerPoint Presentation

MEDICAL ASSISTING INFORMATION session

El Centro College

The Center for Allied Health and Nursing

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In order to gain the most knowledge about our program, please download Medical Assisting information packet from the following website and review it thoroughly before viewing this online information session. This online presentation is about 40 minutes in length.

http://www.ElCentroCollege.edu/Programs/Health-Information-Packets

MEDICAL ASSISTINGHelpful hints regarding our online information session.You may exit this online information session by pressing the Escape key; however, you are required to view the entire information session from the beginning and in its entirety to receive credit for your attendance. As you view our information session, you will see links to various webpages which will be of interest to you. You may click on those links which will open another window then simply close that window to return to the information session. The presentation will resume where you left initially. You may view this online information session as many times as you desire.Lets begin!

MEDICAL ASSISTINGHello and welcome to the El Centro College Medical Assisting Program. I am Sandra Alexander, the program coordinator, and am happy that you have an interest in this allied health career.

This online information session will provide answers to many of your questions regarding the profession, the application process, and the program curriculum.

I hope you enjoy it. Sandra AlexanderM.S., CMA (AAMA)Program Coordinator

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat is Medical Assisting?Medical Assistants are multi-skilled health care professionals specifically educated for administrative and clinical duties in ambulatory settings such as physicians offices and clinics. The administrative or front office duties include scheduling appointments, insurance coding and filing, and maintaining patient records. The clinical or back office duties include assisting the physician with taking patient histories, vital signs, administering medications, and routine lab procedures such as blood tests, etc.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhere are Medical Assistants employed?Medical Assistants are employed primarily in physicians offices and out-patient clinics. Employment opportunities may be full-time or part-time.

Entry level salaries vary depending upon the facility and the individuals experience. For salary ranges in the DFW area, see this link for the Bureau of Labor Statistics:http://www.bls.govSee these links for professional organizations and more information on the Medical Assisting profession: http://www.aama.org www.mytsma.org

MEDICAL ASSISTINGA few facts about our Medical Assisting program:

A class of twenty (20) students is selected from qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis each fall and each spring semester. Forty credit hour curriculum leading to a Certificate of Completion in Medical Assisting.Graduates of this Level I Certificate program are eligible to take the certification exam administered by the AAMA for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential. The program is accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation of the Curriculum Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (CRB-AAMAE).

MEDICAL ASSISTINGAs a student in the Medical Assisting program, what will I learn? Administrative Skills such as:

Medical Billing and Coding Insurance filing and processing Maintaining medical records HIPPA compliance

Patient Care Skills such as:

Obtaining patient histories and vital signsMedication administration and injectionsCollecting and preparing specimens for laboratory testingDocumenting physicians notes and observations

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhen and where are the Medical Assisting lecture classes and clinical externship?

Program lecture and lab classes are daytime hours during the week. The clinical externship is a four-week clinical in the final semester of the program and is assigned at an area physician office or out patient clinic in the DFW area.

LECTURE CLASS (Paramount Bldg): Lecture class: 3-4 days per week Lab: 2-3 days per week

EXTERNSHIP: 5 days per week for 4 weeks

MEDICAL ASSISTING What is the cost of the Medical Assisting program?

The cost of the Medical Assisting program is primarily based upon your residency status for tuition purposes. Please see the current tuition schedule in the El Centro College catalog at the following link: https://www1.dcccd.edu/catalog/tuition/schedule.cfm?loc=ECCThe estimated cost of the Medical Assisting program below includes tuition for all program courses, textbooks, uniforms, etc. Dallas County resident Out of County TX residentOut of State/Country resident $ 3,294.00 $ 4,704.00 $ 6,510.00Please see the Medical Assisting information packet for cost estimates itemized per semester for the program.

MEDICAL ASSISTING How do I get started?

Apply for college admission either online or in person at the El Centro College Registrars Office or at one of the Registrar/Admissions Offices at any Dallas County Community college.

Speak with an academic advisor in regard to any assessment testing needed for placement and registration into your basic courses such as English and speech, or any developmental courses as needed to prepare you for college level coursework.First time college student?

MEDICAL ASSISTINGRequest an Educational Plan from the Health Occupations Admissions Office to evaluate your previous coursework for possible transfer toward a health occupations program. Are you new to El Centro but have coursework from colleges (other than Dallas County Community colleges)?Apply for college admission either online or in person at the El Centro College Registrars Office or at one of the Registrar/Admissions Offices at any Dallas County Community college.Submit all official transcripts to the El Centro College Registrar/Admissions Office or at another Dallas County Community college. Consult an academic advisor in regard to any assessment testing you may need for registration.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGThe Educational Plan Request form is found on the blue Resources for Potential Applicants link at: www.ElCentroCollege.edu/HealthOccAdmissions.What is an Educational Plan?

The educational plan is an unofficial degree plan listing the courses you have completed (including transferred courses) toward the program. Educational plans are not necessary if you have attended only Dallas County Community colleges.The educational plan is usually processed within 2-3 weeks of submission; however, during peak times the process may take up to one month to complete.We suggest that you request an educational plan at least one semester prior to an application deadline.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGAre there prerequisite courses for the Medical Assisting program?

Currently, there are no prerequisite courses which must be completed in order to apply to the Medical Assisting program.

However, a potential applicant who has not completed the courses below with a minimum grade of C in each must be eligible to take those courses with the first semester of the Medical Assisting curriculum in order to apply for admission to the program:

ENGL 1301 Composition I

SPCH 1311 Intro to Speech Communications or SPCH 1321 Business & Professional Communication

MEDICAL ASSISTINGHow do I know if Im eligible to enroll in English and Speech? Consult an academic advisor regarding the Accuplacer test. After you have completed the tests, the advisor will review your scores with you to determine whether you are eligible to enroll in English and speech, or whether you need developmental courses in reading or writing or both.Applicants to the Medical Assisting program must also meet a minimum score in a math assessment test as well. The Accuplacer Math assessment tests can be used or other math assessment tests are also acceptable. The minimum scores which are accepted for the various math assessment tests are shown here:Accuplacer Math 1 66 or higher THEA Math 206 or higherAccuplacer Math 2 63 or higher SAT Math 500 or higherHESI A2 Math 70 or higher ACT Math 19 or higherNOTE: Previous math coursework does not substitute for math assessment testing.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGMy assessment scores indicate that I must enroll in developmental coursework. If your reading, writing, or math assessment scores indicate that you need development courses in one or more of those areas, the academic advisor will assist you in enrolling in the correct level of developmental courses. You may be required to complete more than one level of developmental courses in any of the three areas (reading, writing, or math). Please work closely with the academic advisor while completing your developmental courses to determine when you are eligible to enroll in the English and speech classes. You do not have to complete the English and speech before you apply to the Medical Assisting program. If developmental math courses were required, you must retest after completing the developmental courses and meet the required minimum score in order to apply to the Medical Assisting program.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat else will I need before I apply to the program?PHYSICAL EXAM

All applicants must obtain a basic physical exam dated no more than one year before the program application deadline.

The physical exam can be performed by their personal physician or at an immediate care clinic.

The physical exam form is available for download and print at the blue Resources for Potential Applicants link on the following website:

www.ElCentroCollege.edu/HealthOccAdmissions

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat about immunizations? Applicants are required to present documentation of a current tuberculosis screening with their application materials. A chest x-ray exam is required if:

The TB screen shows a positive result

The applicant has had a history of positive TB screens

The applicant has received the BCG inoculation

The date of the tuberculosis screening (PPD skin test) must be less than one year before the anticipated program entry date.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGIn addition, the following immunizations are also required:One dose of Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap) within the last 10 years (NOTE: A T/d booster without Pertussis is NOT accepted.)Two doses of varicella (chickenpox) at least one month apart (NOTE: A statement of disease history of chickenpox is NOT accepted.)Three doses of Hepatitis B on this recommended schedule:

1st Dose 2nd Dose one month after the 1st dose 3rd Dose five months after the 2nd doseTwo doses of measles (rubeola) and one dose each of mumps and rubella (two doses of the MMR measles/mumps/rubella combination received at least one month apart will also meet this requirement)Detailed guidelines for immunization requirements and the Physical Exam form found on the blue Resources for Potential Applicants link at: www.ElCentroCollege.edu/HealthOccAdmissions.

MEDICAL ASSISTING If your doctor is administering these immunizations, the date of the injection and the doctors signature must be indicated on that specific line on the immunization section of the physical exam form. IMPORTANT NOTE:

A statement of immune by history of disease, dates of illness such as measles, chickenpox, mumps, etc., or a general statement of immune is not acceptable documentation for the immunizations required for application to the program.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGYou may have separate records for some of your immunizations on a printout from a clinic or a card with childhood immunizations. You may submit a photocopy of that documentation attached with your physical exam form. These documents do not necessarily need a signature. See examples below.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat if I cant find any of my immunization records?We can accept documentation of a blood tests known as a titers in lieu of these immunizations: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox) and Hepatitis B. Titer results are not accepted for Tdap.IMPORTANT! If a titer result does not indicate immunity, you must complete that specific immunization as required before submitting your application packet. Therefore, titers should be ordered at least six weeks prior to an application filing deadline. This would allow you to receive two injections at least one month apart for MMRs, or varicellas, or the first two Hepatitis B injections prior to the application deadline.Titer documentation must show positive immunity and/or numeric lab values .

MEDICAL ASSISTINGExamples of titer reports indicating positive immunity/lab values are:

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat CPR training do I need? CPR CERTIFICATION AT THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER level (sometimes known as BLS-Healthcare Provider) is also required for our programs. This training includes a hands-on check off procedure for one-man and two-man CPR for adults, children, and infants in addition to choking and the AED (portable defibrillator). This training also includes a written test, either online or with the hands-on check off. CPR classes are available through the El Centro College Continuing Education Division. NOTE: Online CPR training is not accepted for health occupations programs.A photocopy of your current CPR card must be submitted with your application materials and must not expire before the first day of program classes.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat do I submit as my application packet?

Compile these materials for your envelope:

The completed Medical Assisting Application and signed Statement of Students Responsibility form

Photocopy of your assessment scores

Photocopy of your high school diploma or transcript

The completed physical exam form and immunization documentation

Photocopy of your Healthcare Provider level CPR card

A Checklist to help you gather your materials in found in the information packet.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGRemember All official transcripts from colleges other than El Centro College and Dallas County Community colleges must be on file at the Registrars Office before you submit your application materials!

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhen do I submit my application packet?

The official application filing periods for the Medical Assisting class is found below:

Fall entry: January 1 May 31Spring entry: August 1 October 31

Applications may be submitted at any time during a specific filing period. Late application filing (if necessary):Fall: June 1 July 15Spring: November 1 December 15It should not be assumed that late applications will be considered for every Medical Assisting class.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhere do I submit my application packet?

You may submit your application packet in person or by mail:

In person:By mail:

Medical Assisting Admissions Medical Assisting Admissions Health Occupations AdmissionsHealth Occupations Admissions Paramount Building, Room P-101El Centro College/Paramount 301 North Market Street801 Main Street Dallas, TXDallas, TX 75202-3604

BE SURE YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS ARE COMPLETE AND RECEIVED IN HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ADMISSIONS IN PERSON OR POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN THE APPLICATION FILING DEADLINE.

INCOMPLETE APPLICATION MATERIALS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGHow are applicants selected for the program?Selection for the Medical Assisting program is on a first-come, first-served basis for each fall and each spring class.Applicants who submit complete application materials during the official filing period will be prioritized according to the date their application materials were received.If any spaces remain for the class, applications received during the late application filing period will be also be prioritized according to the date their application materials received.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGHow are students notified of acceptance?Applicants to the Fall 2013 Medical Assisting program receive a notification letter postmarked by July 1, 2013 informing them of their status.

Students who receive an acceptance letter must return a confirmation form to the Health Occupations Admissions Office by a specified date to confirm their space in the class.

If late applications are considered, those students, if selected, will receive a notification letter postmarked by July 30th.

Applicants who are not offered acceptance to the program may re-apply during the next application filing period.

There is no waiting list for our health occupations programs.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGNew Medical Assisting Student Registration/OrientationPrior to the start date of the Medical Assisting classes in August, newly accepted students to the program will meet for an orientation with the Program Coordinator at the Paramount Building.

Health Occupations Admissions personnel will register the students for their Medical Assisting courses during the orientation.

Health Occupations Admissions personnel will also formally assign the students to their Medical Assisting degree plans.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGWhat will a sample class schedule look like?Semester I FallLecture MWR9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.

Semester II - SpringLectureM9:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m.T1:00 p.m. 4:50 p.m.F9:00 a.m. 12:50 p.m.

Lab M1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. ORR9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

Semester III SummerLecture M9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.W9:00 a.m. 11:50 a.m.

LabT/W/F12:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

Semester IV Fall (4 weeks)Lectureselected MondaysExternship (4 weeks)MTWRFTBA

MEDICAL ASSISTING At what clinics would I do my externship?Externships will vary among selected Metroplex area clinics and physicians offices.

Students are assigned to their specific externships and may be required to wear the scrub uniforms for their particular clinics or physicians office.

Students are usually at only one externship location for the full four weeks.

It is important to have reliable transportation to your externship site as not all are on the DART system.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGCriminal Background Checks / Drug Screen After acceptance to the program and before their externship, students will undergo a criminal background check and drug screen as required by our hospital affiliates for all health occupations programs.Students will be responsible for this charge (approximately $86.00). All results of these screenings will become the property of the Health and Legal Studies Division and will not be released to the student or another third party.More information on the background check/drug screen requirement is available at the blue Resources of Potential Students link on our website at www.ElCentroCollege.edu/HealthOccAdmissions.

MEDICAL ASSISTING Criminal Background Checks / Drug Screen IMPORTANT NOTE

Students with a previous felony or misdemeanor are not prohibited from applying to a health occupations program.

However, the result of the background check and drug screen after acceptance may prevent the student from attending their externship, resulting in the student being dismissed from the program.Therefore, potential applicants should contact the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) prior to applying to the program to determine their eligibility to take the CMA exam. See more information at the following links:

http://www.aama-ntl.org/resources/library/CMA-Exam-request-waiver.pdfhttp://www.aama-nlt.org

MEDICAL ASSISTING A Few Frequently Asked Questions.

I have a full-time job. Can I work while Im in the Medical Assisting program?Currently, the Medical Assisting program courses are held during daytime hours Monday through Friday. However, an evening option may be available.

Many Medical Assisting students do work while in the program if their work schedules are flexible. Most students who do choose to work while in the program do so part-time on the weekends.

Students in the Medical Assisting program are not paid while doing their externship.

MEDICAL ASSISTING A Few Frequently Asked Questions (cont.)

I am going to apply for financial aid. May I use it for the Medical Assisting program?Yes! To apply for financial aid, please see the guidelines on the El Centro website at http://www.elcentrocollege.edu/paying-college.

Students should apply for financial aid well in advance of program application.

See the Health & Legal Studies Division Office in Room P-713 at the Paramount Building for available scholarship information.

MEDICAL ASSISTING A Few Frequently Asked Questions.

Are there advancement opportunities after completing the El Centro College Medical Assisting program?Yes! El Centro College collaborates with Dallas Baptist University in offering an articulation from our Medical Assisting program to DBUs bachelor degree in Health Care Management. See this link for more information:

http://www3.dbu.edu/professional/health_care_management_cr.html

Graduates may also continue their education in healthcare programs such as:

NursingRadiographyRespiratory Careand a variety of other allied health fields

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFrequently Asked Questions (cont.)

I earned a C in my English course several years ago. I would like to repeat it to earn a higher grade. Which grade will be used for my grade point average and will repeating the course count against my application?You may certainly repeat a course; the last grade earned will be the grade of record. (Ws or withdrawals from the course do not count in grade point average calculation.)

Please note, however, that if you earn a grade of D or F in your second attempt in the course, THAT will be the grade of record and we will not honor the C you earned in your first attempt.

Repeating a course to earn a higher grade does not count against your application as long as you complete the course with a C or higher on your last attempt.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFrequently Asked Questions (cont.)

How do I calculate my grade point average (GPA)? A grade point average is calculated by dividing the number of total grade points earned in a group of courses by the total number of credit hours those courses are worth.For example, a letter grade earns so many grade points per credit hour for that course:

A = 4 grade points X the number of credit hours for the course B = 3 grade points X the number of credit hours for the courseC = 2 grade points X the number of credit hours for the course

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFrequently Asked Questions (cont.)

Add the grade points: 16 + 9 + 6 = 31 grade pointsAdd the number of credit hours: 4 + 3 + 3 = 10 credit hoursSCIT 1407 AA = 4 grade points X 4 credit hours for the course = 16 grade pointsENGL 1301 BB = 3 grade points X 3 credit hours for the course = 9 grade pointsSPCH 1311 CC = 2 grade points X 3 credit hours for the course = 6 grade pointsHeres a sample of courses, grades earned, and the grade points for each:

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFrequently Asked Questions (cont.)

Where do I park at El Centro and the Paramount Building?Although El Centro College does not have reserved parking for students, staff, or visitors, parking is available at meters and various lots adjacent to the Paramount Building. The average cost of parking per day is $3 - $5. We are conveniently located near the West End DART Rail Station and the West Bus Transfer Center. Students who are enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours in Fall or Spring semesters, or 3 credit hours in Summer are eligible for a FREE DART PASS for that semester! The pass is valid on DART trains and buses. See the guidelines on the El Centro College website at http://www.elcentrocollege.edu/students/free-dart-passes.

DART schedules and route maps can be found at http://www.dart.org.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFrequently Asked Questions (cont.)

I dont have a Social Security Number. Can I still apply to the Medical Assisting program?A Social Security Number (SSN) is not required to apply to the Medical Assisting program. However, some of our clinics and physicians offices require students to have an SSN in order to perform their externship assignments at that facility. Therefore, clinical opportunities may be limited for students without an SSN.Although an SSN is not required to apply to the program, an SSN is required to take the CMA examination. Therefore, students who are accepted to the Medical Assisting program are strongly encouraged to contact the El Centro College International Center for information on obtaining an SSN well in advance of graduation from the program.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Should a externship opportunity not be available for a student who has no SSN, the student may not be eligible to continue in the Medical Assisting program.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFrequently Asked Questions (cont.)

Do I need healthcare insurance to apply to the Medical Assisting program?Proof of coverage is not required to apply to the Medical Assisting program. However, if you are currently covered by a personal health care insurance policy, we encourage you to include a photocopy of that documentation with your application materials. If you are accepted to the Medical Assisting program and did not include your insurance documentation with your application materials, you mustsubmit proof of personal health insurance coverage priorto registration in your externship. Please note that personal healthcare insurance is not the same as the fee for student liability insurance coverage which is paid in conjunction with your tuition.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGFor additional assistance. and one-on-one advisement for El Centro Colleges health occupations programs, you may wish to make an appointment with one or our academic advisors, Mr. Tolentino and Mr. Peschka. Their email addresses and telephone numbers are found in the back of the General Information section of the Medical Assisting information packet. You may be interested in health care and would like more information on the different health care career opportunities. We suggest that you visit the Health Careers Resource Center. Their counselors will provide you with information on the variety of health care programs at El Centro College and other colleges in our area. The Health Careers Resource Center is located on the 7th floor of R Building.

Telephone: 214-860-2283 Email: HCRC@dcccd.edu Website: www.dcccd.edu/hcrc

MEDICAL ASSISTINGQ & A Session

However, if you still need additional clarification about what we have already covered in this presentation, we will hold general Q & A sessions at the Paramount Building which will be open only to individuals who have previously viewed our online information sessions. We trust that this online session has answered most of your basic questions about our Medical Assisting program and application requirements. For Q & A session dates and times, please email us at ECCHOAO@dcccd.edu and type Q&A (no spaces) in the subject line of your email. IMPORTANT NOTE: The Q & A sessions are not intended to replace the online information sessions.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGTHANK YOU for viewing our online information session!

We hope that it has been an enlightening and pleasant experience for you.

You will now be asked to record your attendance by completing a brief questionnaire as verification.

Once you have completed the questionnaire, you may expect to receive the Medical Assisting Application and Students Statement of Responsibility Forms via email in 1-2 business days.

MEDICAL ASSISTINGEducational opportunities are offered by El Centro College without regard to race, color, age,National origin, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation.

Copyright 2013Health Occupations Admissions OfficeEl Centro CollegeImagine possibilities..

The Health Occupations Admissions OfficeThe Center for Allied Health and NursingEl Centro Collegehttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bOWlr5UE4LKSLI5b5DhbFX5WybqfofRCxiOS4Gb_F6U/viewformPlease click on the link below to access, complete, and submit the questionnaire. You may then return to this slide and press the Escape key to exit the online information session.