The Shawnee Community College Anna Extension Center offers a new opportunity for those who may be seeking a pathway into the medical profession. The new Medical Assistant Program provides online and face-to-face instruction and internship opportunities for enrolled students. The program, which begins with the fall semester, is a one-year certificate program designed to prepare the student to provide both administrative and clinical services in a medical office setting.
“Medical assistants have a moderate level of patient contact and are a vital part of the medical teams in our local hospitals and clinics,” says Anna Extension Center Director Lindsay Meisenheimer-Johnson. “We are excited to bring this program to the Anna Extension. With so many medical facilities close to our center; it feels great knowing that we can offer programs that can help people move directly into sustainable employment.”
Meisenheimer-Johnson said that profession-specific duties of a medical assistant will vary based on the skill level and capabilities of the medical assistant and may include: managing the flow of patients in and out of the office, updating and filing medical records, filling out insurance information, arranging for hospital admission or laboratory services, and billing. Under the direct supervision of a licensed professional such as a physician, medical assistants also provide direct, hands-on patient care procedures, including monitoring vital signs, explaining treatment procedures, preparing patients for examinations, sterilizing instruments, and performing routine laboratory procedures and electrocardiograms.
The program offers a limited number of slots each semester, so those interested are encouraged to contact the college soon. For more information, please contact the Anna Extension Center at 618-833-3399 or visit the program page.