The Medical Assistant program prepares students for employment as a medical assistant in a physician’s office or clinic. The curriculum is designed to provide training in administrative (front office) and/or clinical (back office) medical assisting skills. Instruction is given in basic medical office procedures (including appointment scheduling, billing, and insurance), assisting with examinations, surgical and laboratory procedures (including venipuncture, pharmacology, and injections), electrocardiography, electronic health records, public relations, supervision, and practice-building techniques. An externship experience helps provide the student with the skills necessary to enter the field.
Program Requirements and Road Maps
Students will be required to complete a background/drug test, physical and health clearance, obtain professional liability insurance, hold valid BLS card through the American Heart Association (no other providers), proof of medical health insurance, COVID-19 vaccine and booster, and more prior to registering for MA 217 (externship). These courses are reserved only for students ready to enter their externship and students will not be cleared to register until all of the requirements have been completed. Contact Chelsey Tyson at ctyson@saddleback.edu with any questions.
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Fall | ||
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 282* | Fundamentals of Medical Practice Coding (16 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Spring | ||
| MA 224A^ | Basics of Medical Insurance, Billing and Reimbursement (16 wk) | 3 |
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| CIM 112 or HSC 230 | Microsoft Office or CPC Exam Prep | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Summer | ||
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 107 | Human Body Fundamentals (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Spring | ||
| MA 217A | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience - Administrative (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Spring | 3 | |
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 224A^ | Basics of Medical Insurance, Billing and Reimbursement (16 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Summer | ||
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| CIM 112 or HSC 230 | Microsoft Office or CPC Exam Prep | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Fall | ||
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 282* | Fundamentals of Medical Practice Coding (16 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 107 | Human Body Fundamentals (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Spring | ||
| MA 217A | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience - Administrative (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Summer | 3 | |
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| CIM 112 or HSC 230 | Microsoft Office or CPC Exam Prep | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Fall | ||
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 282* | Fundamentals of Medical Practice Coding (16 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Spring | ||
| MA 224A^ | Basics of Medical Insurance, Billing and Reimbursement (16 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 107 | Human Body Fundamentals (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217A | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience - Administrative (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
* - only offered in Fall
^ - only offered in Spring
MA 217 - only offered in spring and summer
Medical Insurance Billing Occupational Skills Award automatically earned after taking, MA 224A, MA 280, MA 282, HSC 104, and HSC 106
Earn a Medical Scribe Certificate by adding: HSC 108 (or BIO 45 or BIO 112) and CIM 121B
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Fall | ||
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Spring | ||
| MA 218B^ | Electrocardiography for the Medical Assistant (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Fall | ||
| MA 211B* | Physical Examination Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 213B* | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 4 - Spring | 3 | |
| MA 212B^ | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (8 wk) APC required | |
| MA 214B^ | Medical Administration Procedures (8 wk) APC required | |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217B | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience Clinical (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Spring | 3 | |
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Summer | ||
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Fall | ||
| MA 211B* | Physical Examination Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 213B* | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 4 - Spring | ||
| MA 212B^ | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 214B^ | Medical Administration Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 218B^ | Electrocardiography for the Medical Assistant (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217B | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience Clinical (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Summer | 3 | |
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Fall | ||
| MA 211B* | Physical Examination Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 213B* | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Spring | ||
| MA 212B^ | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 214B^ | Medical Administration Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 218B^ | Electrocardiography for the Medical Assistant (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217B | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience Clinical (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
* - only offered in Fall
^ - only offered in Spring
MA 217 - only offered in spring and summer
Earn a Medical Scribe Certificate by adding: HSC 107, 108 (or BIO 45 or BIO 112) and CIM 121B
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Fall | ||
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 107 | Human Body Fundamentals (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 282* | Fundamentals of Medical Practice Coding (16 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Spring | ||
| MA 224A^ | Basics of Medical Insurance, Billing and Reimbursement (16 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| CIM 112 or HSC 230 | Microsoft Word or CPC Exam Preparation (in the summer) | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Fall | ||
| MA 211B* | Physical Examination Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 213B* | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 4 - Spring | ||
| MA 212B^ | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 214B^ | Medication Administration Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 218B^ | Electrocardiography for the Medical Assistant (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217C | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience - Comprehensive (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Spring | ||
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 224A^ | Basics of Medical Insurance, Billing and Reimbursement (16 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Summer | ||
| HS 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| HS 107 | Human Body Fundamentals (8 wk) | 3 |
| CIM 112 or HS 230 | Microsoft Word or CPC Exam Preparation | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Fall | ||
| MA 211B* | Physical Examination Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 213B* | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 282* | Fundamentals of Medical Practice Coding (16 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 4 - Spring | ||
| MA 212B^ | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 214B^ | Medical Administration Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 218B^ | Electrocardiography for the Medical Assistant (8 wk) | 3 |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217C | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience - Comprehensive (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
| Course | Title | Units |
| Semester 1 - Summer | 3 | |
| MA 206 | Introduction to Medical Assisting (8 wk) | 3 |
| HSC 104 | Medical Terminology (8 wk) | 3 |
| CIM 112 or HSC 230 | Microsoft Office or CPC Exam Preparation | 3 |
| Semester 2 - Fall | ||
| HSC 106 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 280 | Healthcare Organization Practices (8 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 3 - Spring | ||
| MA 218B^ | Electrocardiography for the Medical Assistant (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 224A^ | Basics of Medical Insurance, Billing and Reimbursement (16 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 4 - Fall | ||
| MA 211B* | Physical Examination Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 213B* | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures (8 wk) | 3 |
| MA 282* | Fundamentals of Medical Practice Coding (16 wk) | 3 |
| Semester 5 - Spring | ||
| MA 212B^ | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| MA 214B^ | Medical Administration Procedures (8 wk) APC required | 3 |
| Externship - Summer | ||
| MA 217C | Medical Assisting Clinical Experience - Comprehensive (160 hours) APC required | 3 |
* - only offered in Fall
^ - only offered in Spring
MA 217 - only offered in spring and summer
Medical Insurance Billing OSA automatically earned after taking MA 224A, MA 280, MA 282, HSC 104, and HSC 106
Earn a Medical Scribe Certificate by adding: HSC 108 (or BIO 45 or BIO 112) and CIM 121B