Medical Assisting

Medical Assisting – at the Heart of Healthcare!

Medical Assistants (MAs) work alongside licensed healthcare providers, primarily in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics, performing administrative and/or clinical duties.

Medical Assisting careers are growing at a faster than average rate for all occupations according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This job growth is attributed to the following factors:

  • Predicted surge in the number of healthcare provider offices and outpatient care facilities
  • Technological advancements
  • Growing number of elderly Americans who require medical treatment

MAs are cross-trained to perform a broad spectrum of administrative and clinical duties.

Administrative Duties
Clinical Duties
Patient Liaison
Patient Liaison

Entrance and Program Requirements

Grade Requirements:  Students must earn a ‘C’ or higher in the Medical Assisting core courses. MA core courses may not be attempted more than twice. Students must pass the core course with a ‘C’ or higher on the second attempt in order to continue in the MA Program.

Physical Requirements:  Students must be able to alternately stand and sit for long periods of time (up to 10 hours per day), lift up to 50 pounds regularly, possess excellent vision (with or without correction), possess excellent hearing (with or without correction), and possess excellent manual dexterity. Students are encouraged to maintain overall good health through healthy lifestyle choices to ensure they can safely and competently perform the various duties within the Medical Assistant Scope of Practice.

Lab Requirement:  Prior to beginning AHMA 201 Clinical Procedures 1,  students will complete a variety of requirements to ensure student safety during  courses and the administrative/clinical externship experience. These requirements include up-to-date immunization status (Tdap, varicella, hepatitis B, MMR), PPD testing, a clear background check, and CPR/AED certification.

Externship:  The Medical Assisting Externship is the capstone course of the MA Program and is completed during the student’s final semester in the program. It is a 200-hour administrative (front office) and clinical (back office) experience which provides the MA student the opportunity to apply their medical assisting skills in a fully functioning medical office. The Medical Assisting program director coordinates the externship experience for all MA program students.

Degree-specific Requirements

The University of Montana catalog details degree specific credits and course requirements.

Subject

Medical Assisting Catalog

Medical Assisting Scope and Sequence (Curriculum)

Contact US

Michelle Boller, Program Director
Email: Michelle.Boller@umontana.edu
Phone: 406-243-7877
Office: MC 409