Adult Programs

Clinical Medical Assistant

Offered through Elmhurst Partners

The Clinical Medical Assisting Profession
The Clinical Medical Assisting program is designed to prepare students to function as professionals in multiple healthcare settings. Medical assistants with a clinical background perform various clinical tasks including assisting with the administration of medications and with minor procedures, performing an EKG electrocardiogram, obtaining laboratory specimens for testing, educating patients, and other related tasks. Job opportunities are prevalent with physician’s offices, clinics, chiropractor’s offices, hospitals and outpatient facilities.

The Clinical Medical Assisting Program
The purpose of the Clinical Medical Assisting program is to prepare students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office. This course covers the following key areas and topics:

• Clinical responsibilities of the medical office—assisting the physician with patient- related care
• Preparing patients for examination and treatment, routine procedures and diagnostic testing
• HIPAA, patient confidentiality, legal aspects of healthcare and regulatory patient-care issues
• Recording and taking of vital signs, blood pressure, and other patient-care items related to the physician office visit
• Review and administration of medications, allergies and other pharmacology-related items
• Laboratory procedures, phlebotomy and the proper techniques required to collect specimens for laboratory analysis
• Cardiology and the proper placement of leads when taking a 12 lead EKG

Education and Certification

• Clinical Medical Assistants should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED.
• Students who complete this comprehensive course would be prepared to sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national certification examination.
• In addition to facilitating entry-level clinical medical assisting-related positions, this course is ideal for students interested in pursuing a future formal Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Nursing (LPN) or a Nursing (RN) program.

Detailed Course Topics Covered

• Responsibilities of the clinical medical assistant and introduction to healthcare facilities
• Medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, circulation of the heart and blood vessels
• Care and safety of patients, medical and legal aspects of care, confidentiality and HIPAA
• Effective verbal and non-verbal communication, interpersonal skills and human behavior
• Aseptic techniques, infection prevention, universal precautions, proper use and disposal of biohazards and sharps
• Documenting patient medical histories, updating patient medical files, vital signs and documentation
• Appling sterile dressings, preparing patients for x-rays, performing various injections, administering oral medications, instructing patients on the proper usage of medications
• Phlebotomy, venipunctures and capillary sampling, collecting specimens and point of care testing
• Performing 12 lead EKGs and EKG strip analysis (P,Q,R,S,T wave form)

To register for the program and make payment in full at time of registration, go to BlueNet, click on the Prospective Students icon, and then click on the link titled Register and Pay for Elmhurst Partners Classes, and select 'Healthcare' from the Topic Code drop-down menu.

To register for the program and make two equal payments, complete the Registration Form and submit to Anna Locascio or mail to the School for Professional Studies, Office of Adult & Graduate Admission, Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126. For payment, 50% of tuition is due at time of registration, and the final 50% of tuition is due four weeks after the start of class.

For any questions, please contact the Office of Adult and Graduate Admission at (630) 617-3300 or oaga@elmhurst.edu.

Clinical Medical Assistant Information Sheet

Spring Schedule