Major Details
Please Note: At this time, the college is not taking new applications for majors in the Medical Support Careers program. Please consider enrolling in the Administrative Support Careers program instead.
Working with the public and behind the scenes, medical support professionals provide essential services to both patients and health care providers
As the demand for health care continues to grow, the need for expert support staff in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and medical offices will always be increasing. There are many non-clinical medical career opportunities in this area. Whether working behind the scenes or in a public position, these roles provide essential services to both patients and health care providers.
The Medical Administrative Assistant Associate of Applied Science degree is a 2-year comprehensive college education. The degree includes 15 college-level general education credits and 45 credits of technical education in administrative skills specific to the medical field.
Students acquire in-depth office skills specific to medicine and advance to a higher level of critical thinking and problem solving.
Successful graduates have the ability to key accurate, detailed, personal information relating to each patient's medical, surgical, psychiatric, social, and family history. They understand medical terminology and the medical insurance claim cycle. They respect patient safety, privacy, confidentiality, and security.
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Courses
1) Must complete a minimum of 3 different MnTC goals in Liberal Arts and Sciences
2) 1100 or higher Liberal Arts and Sciences courses required unless specified
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
ACCT1218
Spreadsheets Concepts and Applications
This course uses a spreadsheet system for business applications. Procedures used include: document creation, storage, retrieval, major editing, printing, merger of documents, segments and variables, and graph creation. (Prerequisite: None) (3 Credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)
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3 cr
ADMS1417
Word Processing I
This course covers utilization of word processing software to perform basic word processing applications. (Prerequisite: ADMS2410 Keyboarding I or concurrent enrollment) (2 Credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
ADMS1419
Business Communications
This course provides the study and practice necessary to develop competence in using language effectively and appropriately in business communications. Emphasis is placed on providing a practical grasp of the principles of English usage and style that build the framework for effective business communication. This course develops basic writing techniques for use in composing memos, e-mail messages, and letters. (Prerequisite: Writing College Level Placement or ENGL0528) (3 Credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)
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3 cr
COMP1140
Online Communications
This course provides an introduction to communicating online using various social media tools/applications and email. Students will create, communicate, collaborate and network with each other using Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, and Outlook. Database concepts will also be introduced using online search techniques to provide solutions for today¿s relevant applications. (Prerequisite: none) (1 credit: 1 lecture/0 lab)
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1 cr
MEDS1210
Medical Terminology
This course covers word analysis by the study of word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations common to the medical profession. Comprehension is expected concerning combining word parts, recognizing the meaning of the new term, understanding and writing anatomical, diagnostic, radiologic, surgical, and therapeutic terms. (Prerequisite: None) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)
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4 cr
MEDS1212
Medical Office Procedures
This course covers the integration of medical office tasks. It will cover rules and procedures of filing to include inspecting, indexing, coding, sorting, storing, and retrieving documents in alphabetic, numeric, and subject systems. Applications include manual storage and retrieval. This medical office simulation presents tasks as if the students were actually employed. Jobs include maintaining patient files, transcribing medical dictation consisting of a variety of medical reports, using diagnostic and procedural codes, preparing health insurance claim forms, preparing monthly bills, and processing phone messages. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent, MEDS1214 or MEDS1215 or MEDS1216 or concurrent.) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)
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4 cr
MEDS1216
Healthcare Documentation I & II
This course covers the transcription of dictated medical material into a variety of medical documents. Students will be able to describe the content and purpose of the various medical documents transcribed. Students will key challenging dictated medical reports while being introduced to all body systems and specialized procedures. (Prerequisites: MEDS1210 or concurrent, ADMS1417 or concurrent) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)
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4 cr
MEDS1217
Advanced Medical Office Procedures
This course is designed to give the student the necessary skills required to effectively and efficiently maintain the medical office. Students will be introduced to medical office coding as well as basic information for health insurance. (Prerequisite: MEDS1212 or concurrent) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)
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4 cr
MEDS1219
Interpersonal Career Concepts
This course is designed specifically for students in allied health occupations including Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretary, Medical Transcriptionist, and Medical Coding Specialist. Students will learn effective communication skills within a medical setting. The course will cover effective tools needed to establish healthy interpersonal relationships within a students personal life, family life, community, and workplace. Decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, and creative thinking will be introduced. Conflict resolution skills, harassing behavior, resume writing and professional interview techniques will be identified. (Prerequisites: None) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)
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3 cr
MEDS1220
Essentials of Healthcare Documentation
This course presents tasks as if the students were actually employed in a medical center. Students will rotate through various medical units. The text is organized so that the student progresses from a simple to a higher order of planning. Students will edit numerous dictated documents utilizing proper grammar and critical thinking skills. (Prerequisite: MEDS1214, MEDS1215, or MEDS1216) (3 credits: 2 lecture/1 lab)
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3 cr
MEDS1222
Medical Insurance I
This course explains each phase of the medical claim cycle. Insurance payers, basic coding and billing rules, and standard requirements for billing using the CMS-1500 form will be provided. Emphasis is placed on the importance of accurate completion of CMS-1500 forms (electronic or paper) for successful reimbursement. The course will also cover HIPAA and OIG regulations. The focus of this course is to prepare the student to become familiar with each phase of the medical claim cycle within a medical environment. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
MEDS1601
Introduction to Health Information Management
This course will introduce the student to health information management as a work-based, task-oriented function. It will demonstrate the variety of individual functions and professional opportunities as well as explain the number of national and international organizations involved. The course focus will be on healthcare data collection to include the maintenance, use, and preservation of this data in support of patient safety, privacy, confidentiality, and security. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)
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3 cr
MEDS1605
Legal & Ethical Aspects of Health Information
This course introduces students to legal and ethical issues facing professionals in health occupations. Course content will include, but not be limited to, topics such as access to medical care, informed consent, confidentiality of health care information and exceptions to confidentiality, mandatory reporting obligations such as child and elder abuse, privileged communications between health care providers, advance directives, abortion, physician-assisted suicide. This course is intended to expose students to situations with ethical implications. (Prerequisite: None) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
MEDS1610
Pharmacology
This course is designed specifically for students in allied health occupations including Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretary, Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Coding Specialist. Students will learn to identify drugs by classification, characteristics of typical drugs, indications, most common side effects, precautions, contraindications, route of administration, generic and trade names. Students will gain knowledge of drug abbreviations and symbols which is required for accurate interpretation of physicians' orders. Medical terminology is essential to understand the pharmacology terminology introduced. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
Total Credits Required for this Major: 60 Credits
Estimated Costs for this Major
| Approximate Tuition/Fees: | $11,994 |
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| Minimum Tool Cost: | N/A |
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| Books/Supplies: | $2,300 |
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| Estimated Total: | $14,294 |
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Career Opportunities
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Medical Centers
- Outpatient Clinics
- Insurance Companies
- Sports Medicine Facilities
- Extended Care Facilities
- Home Health Agencies
- Government Agencies
Career Information
Outcomes
Program graduates will be able to:
- Produce medical documents using correct English and proofreading skills.
- Understand the impact that prejudice and bias have on personal attitudes, behaviors, and physical and mental health.
- Use systematic, critical, and creative processes to identify problems and make decisions.
- Demonstrate the ability to correctly spell, define, and pronounce medical terminology.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and ethical behavior maintaining appropriate confidentiality according to organization policies in a medical setting.
- Exhibit proficiency in transcribing medical documents that meet professional medical office standards.
Highlights
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Instructors have professional experience in the program fields
- Students work with actual clinic/hospital documents
- Established affiliation agreements have been developed with area clinics/hospitals
- All programs are offered online as well as on campus
Instructors
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Rebecca Korder
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Becky Korder received her AA Degree in the Medical Secretarial Program from Winona State University and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. Becky has taught at MSC Southeast since 2003. Contact Becky at rkorder@southeastmn.edu
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Patricia Watson
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Patty Watson received her AAS Degree as a Medical Administrative Secretary from Western Wisconsin Technical College in La Crosse, WI and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. Patty has taught at MSC Southeast since 1990. Contact Patty at pwatson@southeastmn.edu.