The Healthcare Assistant Program is your ticket to launch your healthcare career in a medical office.

In one semester, the Healthcare Assistant certificate will give students the concepts, skills, and techniques to work efficiently in the healthcare setting. Basic concepts such as infection control, patient scheduling, patient interviewing electronic health records, and medical supply inventory are introduced.

Program location

Why Heathcare Assistant at SCC?

Prep for an In-Demand Career: The healthcare industry is booming, and there's a high demand for skilled healthcare assistants. Secure your future in a field that's always growing.

Get In, Get Out: In one semester, you can have a rewarding job in health care. Apply your skills in the medical office and interact with patients who need your care.

Learn Hands-On, High-tech: Learn by doing! Our curriculum is crafted to provide hands-on experience, ensuring you're ready to work in a medical office.

Join a Supportive Community: Join a community of healthcare professionals on the same journey as you. Our experienced faculty and staff will guide you every step of the way.

What you’ll learn

Clinical Skills: Master the essential medical office procedures that make you an indispensable part of a healthcare team.

Administrative Proficiency: You will be introduced to administrative and clinical-based skills in the medical clinic setting. The program will incorporate competency-based learning outcomes.  Students will learn to develop communication and interpersonal skills to interact with patients effectively, obtain knowledge on general office policies and procedures,  confidentiality, and legal concepts.

Patient Care: Rooming patients, obtaining medical history, height, weight and checking vital signs.

Technology Integration: Stay ahead with training on similar technology and software used in healthcare settings.

Skills you'll learn

• Communication and customer service
• Rooming patients
• Checking patients to record vital signs, height, and weight

Key classes you’ll take

• Medical Terminology
• Medical Law and Ethics
• Human Relations
• Healthcare Assistant

What you can do after finishing this program

• Medical Assistant
• Medical Office Assistant
• Patient Services Associate  

Contact Us

Schedule an Appointment

Admissions standards apply to this program. Please contact the Student Support Center for more details.

Admission Requirements

• Complete and attain minimums in standardized scores within 24 months of review for acceptance into the program:
  • ACT
    • Reading: 19
    • Math: 19
  • SAT
    • Reading/Writing: 330
    • Math: 510
  • Next-Gen ACCUPLACER:
    • Reading: 248
  • ALEKS:
    • Math: 14

Additional Requirements

• Students will be required to pass a mandatory background check.
• Students will be required to submit (at their own expense) a completed physical examination form and immunizations for health care providers.
• Current certification in CPR-Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers**.
• Current certification in Mandatory Reporter-Adult & Child Abuse**.
• Satisfy "Essential Functions" guidelines.
• Return of Handbook consent forms as directed in orientation.

**Certifications may be obtained at Southeastern Community College. Students should work with a Student Success Advocate for the appropriate courses and dates to obtain these certifications.

All health career programs require students to earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or above in all coursework within the program. All other eligibility requirements must be met.

Summary Sheet

The summary sheet provides a program overview and other information.

Download the Summary Sheet.

Curriculum Sequence

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Fall I	Course Title	Credit
HSC-114	Medical Terminology	3
MAP-401	Medical Law and Ethics	1
MAP-431	Human Relations	1
MAP-101	Healthcare Assistant	3
	TOTAL CREDITS	8

HSC-114 - Medical Terminology

Lecture: 2

Lab: 2

Credit: 3

This course is designed to study the basic language related to medical science with emphasis on word analysis, construction, definitions, pronunciations, spelling and standard abbreviations.

MAP-401 - Medical Law and Ethics

Lecture: 1

Credit: 1

This course is designed to familiarize the student with legal concepts of standard of care, scope of employment, criminal and civil acts, contracts, negligence and ethical concepts.

MAP-431 - Human Relations

Lecture: 1

Credit: 1

This course includes fundamental principles related to human relations. Basic psychological and developmental theorists, factors that influence behavior, professional attitudes and behavior, self-improvement, and communication in the health care setting are emphasized.

MAP-101 - Healthcare Assistant

Lecture: 2

Lab: 1

Credit: 3

The Healthcare Assistant Course will give the student the concepts, skills and techniques to work
efficiently in the healthcare setting. The student will learn the basic concepts of medical asepsis and
infection control. The student will learn to schedule patient appointments, techniques on answering the telephone, entering data in the electronic health record accurately, and maintain inventory of
supplies in both administrative and clinical areas.  Assisting the medical provider and staff by learning the skills on rooming and interviewing the patient regarding the office visit, and performing accurate height, weight, and vital signs will also be introduced. The course will incorporate competency-based learning outcomes. Student will reinforce and incorporate medical terminology, communication skills,
and legal, as well as ethical concepts in this course.

Anne Abel - Instructor - Medical Coding & Billing

Email: aabel@scciowa.edu
CPC Certification of American Academy of Professional Coders
CPC-I Certification of American Academy of Professional Coders

Megan Massner - Instructor - Medical Assistant

Email: mmassner@scciowa.edu
Diploma, Southeastern Community College

Debra Shaffer - Instructor - Medical Assistant/Program Coordinator

Email: dshaffer@scciowa.edu
AAS, Mount St. Clare College
ADN, Southeastern Community College