How Long Does the Career Step Medical Assistance Program Take? A Comprehensive Curriculum Overview

Embarking on a career as a Medical Assistant is a rewarding path, and choosing the right certification program is a crucial first step. The Career Step Medical Assistant program offers a comprehensive online curriculum designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge needed to excel in this in-demand healthcare profession. While the specific duration to complete the Career Step Medical Assistant program can vary based on individual learning pace, this overview will detail the extensive curriculum, giving you a clear understanding of the program’s depth and the commitment involved in mastering the material.

Program Orientation: Medical Assistant

The program begins with a thorough orientation to ensure you are fully prepared for online learning. This module covers:

Program Expectations and Requirements: Understand what is expected of you throughout the program and the necessary prerequisites.
Program Navigation: Learn to effectively use the program’s online platform, including pages, menus, and navigation tools.
Utilizing Program Tools: Become proficient in using essential tools like the study planner, gradebook, and completion report to track your progress and stay organized.
Support and Resources: Discover how to access CareerStep support through various channels, including phone, email, forums, chat rooms, and social media, ensuring you have assistance whenever you need it.
Program-Specific Resources: Identify and utilize resources tailored specifically to the Medical Assistant program to enhance your learning experience.

Alt: Screenshot of Career Step Medical Assistant program online learning platform, showing course modules and navigation menu.

Medical Assistant Career Introduction

This module provides a foundational understanding of the medical assisting profession:

Profession Overview: Gain a comprehensive summary of the medical assisting profession, its roles, and responsibilities within the healthcare system.
Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Registration: Understand the importance of these credentials for medical assistants and how they impact career opportunities.

Healthcare Foundational Knowledge and Basic Science

Building a strong foundation in healthcare knowledge is critical. This module includes:

Medical Terminology: Master medical terminology through abbreviations, word building, and essential terms, enabling effective communication in healthcare settings.
Nutrition Knowledge: Explore the relationship between nutrition, health, and disease, understanding its importance in patient care and wellness.
Psychology in Patient Care: Learn about the role of psychology in understanding patient behavior and effective patient interaction.

Anatomy and Physiology Essentials

A deep understanding of the human body is fundamental for medical assistants. This module covers:

Body Systems: Learn to name and explain all the systems of the human body, gaining a holistic view of bodily functions.
Integumentary System: Describe the structure of the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, understanding the complexities of the skin.
Skeletal System: Delve into osteogenesis and identify bones involved in cell formation, grasping the process of bone development and structure.
Muscular System: Describe the overall structure of the muscular system and its crucial role in movement and bodily functions.
Nervous System: Understand the general functions of the nervous system, the body’s control and communication network.
Macronutrients: Describe the major sources of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, essential for energy and bodily functions.
Renal System: List the general functions of the kidney, a vital organ for waste removal and fluid balance.
Fluid Regulation: Identify the mechanisms regulating water input and output, understanding homeostasis in the body.
Reproductive System: Describe fetal stages and the prenatal period, gaining knowledge about human development from conception to birth.

Alt: Anatomical illustration showcasing the major systems of the human body, including skeletal, muscular, nervous, and circulatory systems.

General Patient Care

This module introduces the practical aspects of direct patient care:

Pharmacology Basics: Summarize the essential pharmacology knowledge required for medical assistants to safely assist in medication administration and management.
Examination Room Preparation: Outline the necessary tasks to prepare the examination room and the patient for various medical examinations, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

Pharmacology Basics for Medical Assisting

Expanding on pharmacology, this module delves deeper into medication knowledge:

Drug Classifications: Identify different classifications of drugs, understanding their therapeutic categories and actions.
Drug Effects: Review indications, side effects, and adverse reactions of various drug classifications, crucial for patient safety and monitoring.
Medication Abbreviations: Interpret accepted abbreviations used in medication prescriptions and documentation, ensuring accurate communication and understanding.

Infection Control

Maintaining a safe and hygienic environment is paramount in healthcare. This module covers:

Infectious Diseases: Review the causes and diagnostic methods of various infectious and communicable diseases, understanding disease transmission and prevention.
Protective Measures: Explore the protective measures required to prevent infection in healthcare settings, including sterilization, sanitation, and personal protective equipment.

Testing and Laboratory Procedures

Medical assistants often play a role in basic laboratory procedures. This module includes:

Specimen Collection and Handling: Identify proper procedures for collecting and handling various types of specimens, maintaining sample integrity and accuracy.
Blood and Urine Samples: Explore procedures and processes used in obtaining blood and urine samples, common diagnostic tests in medical settings.
Vision and Hearing Screening: Outline the standard components of vision and hearing screening tests, assisting in preliminary patient assessments.
Common Lab Techniques: Review common techniques and processes frequently used in medical laboratories, providing a practical understanding of lab workflows.

Alt: Image of a medical laboratory technician in a lab setting, processing blood samples and conducting tests.

Externship Readiness Skills

Preparing for your externship and future career is a key component. This module focuses on:

Career Resources: Explore CareerStep Community career resources, gaining access to tools and support for career development.
Time Management: Develop effective time management skills, essential for balancing work, study, and personal life.
Critical and Creative Thinking: Enhance creative and critical thinking abilities, crucial for problem-solving and decision-making in healthcare.
Stress Management: Learn physical and emotional coping techniques to deal with stress, promoting well-being in a demanding profession.
Communication Process: Explore essential elements of effective communication, building interpersonal skills for patient and team interaction.
Verbal, Nonverbal, and Written Communication: Acquire methods to maximize verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills, enhancing clarity and rapport.
Professional Image: Relate the importance of professional image to career success, understanding workplace etiquette and presentation.
Resume Writing: Learn strategies to write a powerful resume that highlights your skills and experience to potential employers.
Interview Skills: Identify key elements of successful interviews, preparing you to confidently present yourself during job applications.
Study Habits: Relate the importance of good study habits to your personal success, establishing effective learning strategies.
Self-Motivation and Self-Esteem: Identify traits related to self-motivation and self-esteem, fostering personal and professional growth.
Professional Attitude: Incorporate a positive and professional attitude in dealing with others, creating a positive work environment.
Learning from Failure: Understand that failures are important learning tools, building resilience and adaptability.

Patient Care Coordination and Education

This module focuses on the broader aspects of patient care beyond direct assistance:

Patient Care Coordination: Review how to administer and coordinate general patient care according to professional best practices, ensuring seamless patient experiences.
Responsibilities in Patient Care: Explore the role and responsibilities in administering patient care, understanding your scope of practice and ethical considerations.
Patient Education: Explore the role and responsibilities in facilitating patient education, empowering patients to actively participate in their health management.

Medical Administrative Assistant

Expanding your skillset to include administrative tasks is valuable. This module covers:

Healthcare Delivery Models: Describe the differences between common healthcare delivery models, understanding the organization of healthcare systems.
Medical Office Services: Describe the types of services typically offered in medical offices, including general and specialty services, broadening your understanding of clinic operations.
Ancillary Services and Alternative Therapies: Define ancillary services and alternative therapies, expanding your knowledge of complementary healthcare options.

Communication and Customer Service in the Healthcare Office

Effective communication is vital for patient satisfaction and positive outcomes. This module includes:

Communication Styles: Identify various types and styles of communication used in a healthcare office, adapting your approach to different situations.
Verbal and Non-Verbal Skills: Review how verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills contribute to patient experience and outcome in a healthcare office, emphasizing patient-centered communication.

Comprehensive Electronic Health Records

In today’s digital healthcare environment, EHR proficiency is essential. This module focuses on:

Patient Record Management: Demonstrate how patient records are used and regulated, understanding legal and ethical considerations in data management.
Patient Scheduling: Complete tasks required for scheduling a patient using EHR systems, streamlining appointment processes.
Clinical Information Reporting: Review clinical information reporting functionalities within EHR systems, understanding data analysis and reporting.
Revenue Cycle and Financial Reporting: Explore revenue cycle and financial reporting within EHR systems, gaining insight into healthcare administration.

Medical Laws and Ethics

Understanding legal and ethical frameworks is critical for responsible practice. This module covers:

Legal Issues in Prescriptions and Medication: Describe common legal issues related to prescriptions and medication administration, ensuring compliance and patient safety.
Healthcare Law and Regulations: Identify key legal and regulatory aspects of the healthcare environment, understanding compliance and risk management.
Ethical and Legal Aspects of the Medical Profession: Analyze key ethical and legal aspects of the medical profession, promoting responsible and ethical decision-making.
Legal Issues in Medical Documentation: Summarize common legal issues related to medical documentation, understanding the importance of accurate and compliant record-keeping.

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy skills are often required for medical assistants. This module provides training in:

Phlebotomy Equipment and Supplies: Identify equipment and supplies used to collect, store, and process blood samples, familiarizing yourself with necessary tools.
Phlebotomy Techniques: Describe common phlebotomy techniques, learning different methods for blood collection.
Steps in Blood Collection: List correct steps in the process of taking blood, ensuring proper procedure and patient safety.
Patient Care in Phlebotomy: Explain patient care before, during, and after blood collection, prioritizing patient comfort and well-being.
Blood Sample Handling: Describe how to prepare and handle a blood sample, maintaining sample integrity for accurate testing.

Venipuncture Labs

This module provides practical lab experience in venipuncture:

Medical History Importance: Describe the importance of taking a medical history before performing invasive procedures, understanding patient assessment and risk factors.
Sterility and Asepsis: Describe the importance of adhering to basic principles of sterility and asepsis, preventing infection and ensuring patient safety.
Venipuncture Principles: Describe the basic principles of venipuncture, reinforcing theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Blood Collection Techniques: Discuss various techniques of drawing venous, arterial, and capillary blood, expanding your phlebotomy skills.
Injection Types: Discuss various types of injections (e.g., local and regional anesthetic injections), broadening your understanding of injection procedures.

EKG and Cardiovascular

Electrocardiography (EKG) is another common procedure for medical assistants. This module covers:

Heart Anatomy: Identify the basic anatomy of the heart, providing a foundation for understanding cardiac function.
EKG Equipment Functionality: List the steps needed to ensure proper functioning of ECG/EKG equipment (calibration, standardization), maintaining equipment accuracy.
EKG Equipment and Supplies: List the equipment and supplies needed to perform an ECG/EKG procedure, preparing you for practical application.

Career Success in Healthcare

Beyond technical skills, career success requires professional development. This module focuses on:

Professionalism and Success: Define “professionalism” and “success” in your own terms, fostering self-reflection and goal setting.
Goal Setting: Differentiate between long-, medium-, and short-range goals, developing strategic career planning.
Time Management Skills Assessment: Assess and develop your time management skills, optimizing productivity and work-life balance.

Medical Assistant Final Exam

This module prepares you for the program’s final assessment:

Exam Eligibility and Preparation: Identify the steps needed to be eligible for and effectively prepare for the final exam, ensuring you are ready for assessment.
Exam Format and Policies: Identify the format, restrictions, and policies of final exams, including scoring, retakes, allowed resources, and time limits, clarifying exam expectations.

Fundamentals of HIPAA

Patient privacy is paramount in healthcare. This module covers HIPAA regulations:

HIPAA Basics: Describe HIPAA basics, providing an overview of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules: Understand the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rules, ensuring compliance in handling protected health information.
HITECH Act: Describe the HITECH Act, understanding updates and expansions to HIPAA regulations.
Business Associate Regulations: Explain regulations for business associates, clarifying responsibilities for third-party entities handling patient data.
HIPAA Documentation and Training: Summarize HIPAA documentation and training requirements, understanding organizational compliance obligations.

Applying For Your Required Externship*

Practical experience is crucial. This module guides you through the externship application process:

Learner Placement Portal Profile: Create your profile in the Learner Placement Portal, initiating the externship placement process.
Externship Preparation Resources: Review externship preparation resources, equipping you with tools for a successful externship experience.
CareerStep Community Career Resources for Externship Search: Explore CareerStep Community career resources to aid in your search for an externship, leveraging available support.
Benefits of an Externship: Understand the benefits of an externship, recognizing the value of practical experience in career advancement.
Externship Eligibility Requirements: Access externship participation eligibility requirements, ensuring you meet the necessary criteria.
Externship Application Process Understanding: Understand the externship application process, navigating the steps to secure an externship placement.

Clinical Externship Experience*

The externship provides invaluable hands-on experience:

Certification Hours: Earn hours of practical experience during your clinical externship, a crucial step towards certification and real-world application of your skills.

Program Completion: Medical Assistant

The final module focuses on your next steps after completing the program:

Post-Program Steps: Prepare to take the next steps after program completion, including certification exams and job searching, transitioning smoothly into your new career.

While the “how long is Career Step medical assistance program” question is dependent on your study pace, the depth and breadth of the curriculum outlined above demonstrate a significant investment in your education. The program is designed to be comprehensive, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for the demands of a medical assisting career. By covering everything from foundational knowledge to practical skills and career readiness, Career Step aims to provide a robust and valuable educational experience.

*CareerStep does not guarantee externships. A learner’s placement in and completion of an externship is solely the learner’s responsibility and may be subject to additional requirements, such as a background check and successful completion of a CareerStep course. This is particularly important for learners seeking to complete their externship in Alabama, District of Columbia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Please note that CareerStep will not sign agreements with sites in the above-referenced states or provide evidence of insurance to those sites.