Clinical Medical Assisting
Get the Advantage
Medical Assistants are cross-trained with skills and knowledge in front office administrative, clinical, and limited laboratory procedures that are designed to assist healthcare practitioners in administering to the needs of patients. Physicians appreciate the versatility of medical assistants and their role as vital partners in ambulatory settings.
Upon Completion of the Program Students will Learn:
- To assist with medical examinations, vital signs, administering medications and injections (under supervision), sterilizing instruments, and electrocardiography.
- Laboratory skills will include venipuncture (under supervision) and performing selected CLIA-waived laboratory tests.
- Become acquainted with the laws and regulations governing medicine in the ambulatory setting, as well as ethical issues being confronted in the health care arena.
- Perform computer-based tasks such as electronic health records and scheduling
- Effectively communicate with provider and patients
- Triage messages between patients and physicians
Certificate Requirements
Offered Autumn, Spring, and Summer. Introduction to a medical word building system using Greek and Latin word roots, combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes.
*This requirement will be waived for students who have completed Project Lead the Way's Principles of Biomedical Science (PBS) course.
A one semester course with laboratory focusing on learning scientific principles and a general understanding of human functional anatomy and physiological processes.
In place of BIOH 104/105 students may enroll in either BIOH 112 Human Form and Funciton I or BIOH 113 Human Form and Funciton II.
*This requirement will be waived for students who have completed Project Lead the Way's Human Body Systems (HBS) course.
An introduction to the necessary skills and qualities required to function successfully in the medical arena. Emphasis on medico-legal and ethical responsibilities, records management and financial management of the medical practice, and interpersonal communications to include patient reception, telephone techniques and appointment scheduling.
Skill development necessary to assist health care practitioners in all aspects of patient care in the medical office clinical setting. Includes achieving competency in prepping patients for a physical examination, charting, medication administration, basic medical laboratory skills.
During the AHMA 201 Medical Assisting Clinical Procedures I course students should expect to spend 4 hours a week in a local clinical setting. Lessons online will be reinforced with hands on training by a preceptor at the clinic.
Schedules
Admittance into the program is available each semester. The semester you enter will determine the cohort/group you are in. Juniors can space the classes out more if they would like. Current Groups/Cohorts:
Autumn 2023 Entry
Summer 2023 Entry
For more information contact: Jordan Patterson at jordan.patterson@umontana.edu or schedule an advising appointment.
How to Enroll
New students should fill out our online application, Apply Now. Current UM Dual Enrollment students should submit a Course Selection.
Apply Now
- Respond to the first question Are you a Montana High School/Home School student seeking to earn college credit through the UM Dual Enrollment Program before you graduate High School? by selecting Yes. This will initiate an email.
- Open the email that was sent from the University of Montana (BeAGriz@umontana.edu) with your application login details.
- Create an application account password (record this password for later).
- Under Your Applications click on Dual Enrollment Application and click Open Application.
- Complete all application sections.
- If you are under 18 years old then you will need to add a Parent/Guardian under the Approvals section. To do this you will click on Add Additional Reference and fill out your parent/guardians information. Please let your approver know that they should expect an email from BeAGriz@umontana.edu.
- The final step is to Review and press Submit Application. If there are any errors this is where you will see them. You will need to fix those errors before you will be able to submit your application. Next you will fill out the course selection.
Course Selection
- Login to the course selection form using the same login information you created for the application portal.
- Enter the number of classes you are signing up for (you can add additional classes using this form too)
- For AHMS 220 (this is the first class you take) add the following:
- Where are you taking this course? Online
- Course Title - AHMS 220
- CRN - Leave blank
- After you are all done press 'Submit'!