Home / Medical Assisting / FAQs

Medical Assisting (College Credit Certificate)

FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long is the program and when can I begin?

It is a one year, 3 semester program and the student may begin in any semester

2. What requirements are there to enter the program?

To be eligible for admission to the Medical Assisting Program, you must complete the following steps:

1. You are 18 years old and have earned, or will earn at the time of enrollment into the program, a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma (GED).
2. If you have not been enrolled at Miami Dade College during the past 12 months, complete an Application for Admission or Readmission to Vocational Credit Courses.
3. Register for and complete the Tests of Adult Basic Education (T.A.B.E.) through Testing Services, Room 1303, Medical Center Campus, 305-237-4275, or through the testing center at any of the other MDC campuses.
4. Applicants must have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Students who have earned an A.A., A.S., or higher degree or have passed the C.P.T. on their first attempt are exempt from the T.A.B.E. Test.

To enroll in the program, student may have a score of 8 in all parts of the T.A.B.E.

For the Medical Assisting Program the scores that are required to graduate are:

READING - 10.0

MATH – 10.0

LANGUAGE - 10.0

1. Request former school and/or non MDC colleges to forward transcripts (including high school and degree) to the Admissions Office, before the admission review deadline.
2. Complete the Program Application process by submitting an application for Program Admission. Turn in to New Vocational Student Resource Center, Room 1115. 
3. Have taken and passed HSC 0001 before beginning of the program or take it in the first semester. (Note: If the student is doing the 2 year option/part-time, this would not be required on the first semester or to begin the program, since HSC 0001 is only a prerequisite for the externship which many students to on the 2 nd year of their 2 year part-time program)
4. Physical Exam (including vaccinations-for Externships)
5. CPR Certification (for Externships)
6. Background check (for Externships)

3. May I work in any area of study with my MA certificate from MDC, and if so, how can this be done?

The Medical Assistant profession is a multi-skilled profession. The student, after graduating, has many options. It is recommended, but not required, to take the examination to become a Registered Medical Assistant which is the equivalent of a Certified Medical Assistant. They may also sit for other certifications to work in more specialized areas:

1. Basic X-Ray Technician

2. Pharmacology Technician

3. EKG Technician

4. Phlebotomy Technician

Apart from all of the above, the student may, after having met the Nursing Department prerequisites, apply to the Transitional Nursing Program at MDC

4. When I graduate, where can I work?

1. Private physician’s office

2. Clinic

3. Hospital (At hospitals, Medical Assistants may also work as Patient Care Technicians)

5. Can I do this program part-time?

Yes. Many students opt to do the program in 2 years

6. What is the approximate cost of the program?

As of August 2005, the cost of tuition is $54.20 per vocational credit for in-state students and $209.80 per vocational credit for out-of-state students. Here are estimates for total tuition, based on 43.3 vocational credits at these per-credit rates. In-state students: $2,347.00. Out-of-state students: $9,084.00. Tuition is due at the beginning of each term and can be determined by multiplying the number of credits by the cost per credit hour. Additionally, over the course of the program, students should expect to pay approximately $840 for books, name tags, uniforms and footwear, $15.50 for malpractice insurance and $10.50 for health insurance annually (these insurances are usually part of a fee with the courses). All costs are subject to change.
The approximate cost of the program is: $3,187 Total

7. Can I apply for financial aid?

All students at the Medical Center Campus should apply for financial aid, which includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study, and Federal Subsidized loans. The Campus also offers emergency short-term loans and a variety of scholarships.

Application can be made in the Financial Aid Office (Room 1201) on the Medical Center Campus. Those who apply before April 1st for the following academic year are given priority. Only courses in which students have registered before the 100 percent refund date qualify for financial aid. For additional information, call the Financial Aid personnel at 305-237-4160.

8. Where Do I Send My Application Materials?

Send your Application for Program Admission or visit the Vocational Certificate Student Resource Center, at the address below:

Miami Dade College
Medical Center Campus
New Student Center
950 N.W. 20th Street
Miami , FL 33127

You must also send the following:

1. official high school transcript and official college transcripts (if available) to the Admissions Office.

9. Is Miami Dade College accredited?

Miami Dade College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). For further information contact:

SACS
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur , Georgia 30033
Phone: 404-679-4500
Fax: 404-679-4558
http://www.sacs.org/
Note:   You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site


10. What kind of Licensure can I get after I graduate?
Upon completion of the Medical Assisting program, graduates are eligible to apply to the American Medical Technologies Certification Board for permission to participate in the examination process. The credentialing process associated with this profession is considered voluntary. Upon passing the examination, the student becomes a Registered Medical Assistant which is the equivalent of Certified Medical Assistant (CMA from AAMA). For further information, contact:

AMERICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES

710 Higgins Road

Park Ridge , IL 60068-5765

1-800-275-1268

(847) 823-5169

www.amt1.com

mail@amt1.com

11. Where can I go on the internet if I want to see more information about the program?

Visit the Medical Center Campus on the Web at http://www.mdc.edu/MEDICAL/academic_programs/medical_assisting/medicala.htm

12. If I want to speak to someone about the program, where can I call?

Important Phone Numbers

13. If I have a disability, can I still be in the program?

ADA Standards Americans With Disabilities Act

In keeping with its mission and goals, and in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Medical Center Campus promotes an environment of respect and support for persons with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodations. The definition of individuals with disabilities are those who currently have, have a record of having, or are regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. Major life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, and working.

Individuals applying for admission, progression to clinical courses, and graduation from a program in Nursing and Allied Health Technologies must be able to meet the physical and emotional requirements of the academic program. In addition, students admitted to the programs in Nursing and Allied Health Technologies must possess the following qualities:

• The emotional maturity and stability to approach highly stressful situations in a calm and rational manner.
• The ability to make clinical judgment using critical thinking
• The ability to adhere to ethical standards of conduct as well as applicable state and federal laws
• The ability to provide effective written, oral, nonverbal communication with colleagues, health care providers, and the public

An individual who poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or themselves may be denied admission, progression or graduation. The college’s determination that a person poses a direct threat will be based on an individualized assessment that relies on current medical evidence or on the best available evidence to assess the nature, duration, and severity of the risk and the probability that the potential injury will actually occur.

For specific Performance Standards associated with the Medical Assisting program, please contact the Program Coordinator.

Because of the unique responsibilities involved in all Health professions, each department reserves the right to require that the student who appears to be unsuited for any program therein withdraw from the program and be guided into another curriculum of study at the college.

14. What is the curriculum going to include?

Students are admitted to the Medical Assisting Program in Fall, Spring or Summer semester. HSC 0001* - Introduction to Health Care must be completed prior to program enrollment or with first semester. It is recommended, however, to take HSC 0001 before beginning the program. Entering students will enroll in the courses being taught that semester and will continue with subsequent courses the following semester.

Registered Nursing | Medical Assisting | Midwifery | Practical Nursing