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Medical Assistant Program Application Checklist

Important Contacts

Lake Land College

5001 Lake Land Blvd

Mattoon, IL 61938

www.lakelandcollege.edu

Josey Hyatt, Academic Couselor

Luther Student Center, Office 430, 217-234-5070

jhyatt@lakelandcollege.edu

  • Assists with the application and registration process.
  • Provides general information and advising regarding Allied Health programs.

Hilary Donley, Allied Health Specialist

Neal Hall, 217-234-5447

hcox@lakelandcollege.edu

  • Maintains all of the program files.
  • Provides general information about the college’s allied health programs.

Molly Yeske, Medical Assistant Instructor/Program Director

Webb Hall 021, 217-234-5055

  • Provides classroom instruction to students.
  • Oversees the medical assisting program and accreditation information.
  • Assists with the application and registration process.

Lake Land College’s Medical Assistant Program is recognized by:

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

9355 – 113th St. N, #7709

Seminole, FL 33775

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs logo

Higher Learning Commission

230 South LaSalle St. Suite 7-500

Chicago, IL 60604

inquiry@hlcommission.org

Higher Learning Commission logo

Testing:

National Healthcareer Association

11161 Overbrook Road

Leawood, Kansas 66211

National Healthcareer Association logo

Application deadline: June 1st of the year you are applying OR until seats are filled. This program is always a fall start.

  • Apply to Lake Land College – Select “CRT.MAP.TRK” as the academic program. This will ensure you are assigned a medical assistant academic advisor. It will also generate a Laker email account; prospective students are expected to check this email account on a regular basis for correspondence. If you are a current student, submit a change-of-major form in the HUB.
  • If applicable, send official college transcripts to the Admissions & Records Office.
  • Submit a Medical Assistant Application from the Lake Land College website. Select Admissions, Special Admission Programs, scroll to find the Medical Assistant (Certificate) and select ‘Learn More’. Select ‘Application Information‘. Receipt of this form will prompt the department to start a file, and correspondence will begin.
  • Send official High School transcript or proof of GED to the Admissions and Records Department prior to the start of the fall semester.
  • Students are considered eligible to apply in one of two ways: through placement testing OR by working in the healthcare field. Medical Assistant applications are reviewed monthly. Students will be notified via Laker email regarding eligibility for the program. Details below.
    1. Must place out of Reading OR complete RDG 039 Reading or ENG 119/120 Comp I Pathway/Comp I or equivalent with a grade of ‘C’ or higher prior to the start of the program. Placement information can be provided in the following ways: ACT, SAT, Laker Land College placement test, High School transcript with proof of a ‘B’ average or higher on file with Admissions, or previous college credit. Email the Allied Health counselor if you have questions. To schedule placement testing, call the Student Success Center at (217) 234-5301.

OR

  1. Currently working as a healthcare professional with verification of certificate/licensure and employment status. Examples include but are not limited to: Certified Nurse Assistant, Phlebotomist, EMT-B, Physical Therapy Assistant, Dental Hygiene, Radiology Technologist, Paramedic. Students must email their current certification/license and completed Employment Verification form to hcox@lakelandcollege.edu. To access the Employment Verification form, go to lakelandcollege.edu, select Admissions, Special Admission Programs, scroll to find the Medical Assistant (Certificate), and select ‘Learn More’. Select ‘View extra resources and special admission application‘ and then select ‘Employment Verification Form‘.

*Please note that College policy requires students who test into developmental reading coursework to take it concurrently with any other college-level coursework. In the event that a MAP applicant obtains satisfactory scores in English and Math, but not Reading, the required Reading course must be taken prior to or concurrently with the Medical Assisting coursework.

Certificate Program Model

First Year: 1st Semester Fall   Semester Hours
MAP070 Med Assist Pathophysiology I 4.0
MAP072 Med Assist Skills I 5.0
MAP074 Medical Office Procedures I 4.0
MAP078 Med Assist Pharmacology I 2.0
  Total 15.0

First Year: 2nd Semester Spring   Semester Hours
MAP076 Medical Office Procedures II 3.0
MAP080 Med Assist Pathophysiology II 4.0
MAP082 Med Assist Skills II 5.0
MAP086 Med Assist Seminar 3.0
MAP088 Med Assist Pharmacology II 3.0
  Total 18.0

First Year: 3rd Semester Summer   Semester Hours
MAP090 Med Assist Externship 3.0
  Total 3.0
  TOTAL HOURS 36.0

If there are more applicants than seats available, a review of files will begin on June 1st to determine students for fall admissions. Admission scores are calculated utilizing the following rubric approved by the department.

Medical Assistant Admissions Rubric

Important note: In the event of a tie, the program will consider in-district applicants first, then applicants with the earliest application date.
Verification of active healthcare certificate/licensure* 10 points
Currently working in the healthcare setting (no certificate/licensure required)** 7 points
Placement information showing no reading course required 5 points
Total Possible Points 22 points

*10 admission points are awarded to students able to verify an active healthcare certificate/licensure. Examples include but are not limited to: Certified Nurse Assistant, Phlebotomist, EMT-B, Physical Therapy Assistant, Dental Hygiene, Radiology Technologist, Paramedic.

**7 admission points are awarded to students currently working in the healthcare setting (certificate/licensure NOT required). Examples include but are not limited to: Medical Office Assistant, Medical Assistant (not certified), Home Health Aide, Medical Office Receptionist, etc.

Reading/English Requirements

In accordance with College policy, a student must have a 2.0 GPA to graduate.
ACT SAT Next-Gen Accuplacer Classic Accuplacer No English Requirement Programs – Required Course English Requirement Programs – Required Course
0 – 17 200 – 470 200 – 250

RDG 20 – 78

ENG 20 – 63

 RDG 039 OR ENG 119 ENG 119
18+ 480+ 251 – 300

RDG 79 – 120

ENG 64 – 120

 NONE Required ENG 120

Cost Estimate for Medical Assistant Program Completion*

Certificate Program

*All prices subject to change
Semester Semester Hours

Tuition and Fees

$159 per Semester Hour

 Course Fees Total
Fall – 1st yr 15 $2,385.00 $375 $2,760.00
Spring – 1st yr 18 $2,862.00 $500 $3,362.00
Summer 3 $477.00 $150 $627.00
Uniform, watch, & shoes       $200.00
Textbooks and Simulation Learning System (from LLC Bookstore)   $500.00   $500.00
Background check, drug screen, and fingerprinting   $150.00   $150.00
Castle Branch & CB Bridges (includes monitoring of program requirements, background check, drug screen, and clinical tracking)       $230.00
**Students will be required to get a physical, immunizations, titers, and CPR certification before summer clinicals. Costs will vary depending on student situations.        
ESTIMATED TOTAL COSTS       $7,829.00

Functional Abilities

Students seeking admission into the Lake Land College Medical Assisting Program must meet the technical requirements and functional abilities of the academic program and must not pose a threat to the well-being of patients, other students, staff, or themselves. An incoming medical assisting student will need, at a minimum, the following skills and abilities, and will need to maintain and demonstrate them throughout the program. The student must have the ability to perform the following with or without reasonable accommodations:

Motor Skills

  • Move within confined space
  • Sit/stand and maintain balance for prolonged periods
  • Reach above shoulders and below waist
  • Sustain repetitive movement
  • Perform client care for an entire length of clinical experience, 8-12 hours
  • Sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, percussion, and other assessment maneuvers

Fine motor skills

  • Pick up objects with hands
  • Grasp small objects with hands
  • Write with pen or pencil
  • Keyboard/type (use a computer)
  • Pinch/pick or otherwise work with fingers (syringe; withdraw blood)
  • Twist (turn knobs with hands)
  • Squeeze with finger (eye dropper)

Critical Thinking Skills

  • Identify cause and effect relationships
  • Plan/control activities for others
  • Synthesize knowledge and skills
  • Sequence information

Sensory

  • The ability to demonstrate visual and auditory acuity within normal range (with correction if needed) in order to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand
  • Auditory interpretation of normal speaking level sound
  • Accurately interpret faint voices
  • Auscultate faint body sounds (BP), bowel sounds, lung sounds, heart sounds
  • Use depth perception and peripheral vision
  • Accurately interpret small print on medication containers, syringes, discriminate color changes, read type at 8 font, and document on college-ruled paper
  • Accurately read monitors and equipment calibrations
  • Detect odors from client
  • Detect smoke, gases, or noxious smells
  • Feel vibrations (pulses)
  • Detect temperature
  • Feel differences in surface characteristics
  • Feel differences in sizes, shapes (palpate vein)
  • Detect environmental temperature

Physical Strength and Mobility

  • Push or pull clients to ensure proper positioning
  • Support client during ambulation
  • Lift clients to transfer
  • Move heavy objects
  • Defend self against combative client
  • Carry equipment/supplies
  • Use upper body strength (CPR, restrain a client)
  • Squeeze with hands (fire extinguisher)
  • Twist and bend
  • Stoop, squat
  • Move quickly
  • Climb (ladder stairs)
  • Physical endurance to complete an 8-hour shift
  • Lift 50 lbs

Emotional Stability

  • Establish therapeutic boundaries
  • Provide client with emotional support
  • Adapt to rapidly changing environmental support
  • Deal with unexpected (crisis)
  • Focus attention on task
  • Perform multiple responsibilities concurrently
  • Handle strong emotions (grief)
  • Maintain behavioral decorum in stressful situations
  • Maintain adequate concentration and attention in client care settings
  • Maintain composure when subjected to high stress

Interpersonal Skills

  • Negotiate interpersonal conflict
  • Respect differences in clients
  • Provide client with emotional support
  • Establish rapport with clients and co-workers
  • Teach and provide information in an accurate and effective manner
  • Report client information to other caregivers
  • The ability to use the English language to communicate effectively in a rational, coherent manner, both orally and in writing, with individuals of all professions and social levels.

Arithmetic Competence

  • Read & understand columns of writing
  • Read digital displays and graphics printouts (I&O)
  • Calibrate equipment
  • Convert numbers to/from metric
  • Read graphs (vital sign sheets)
  • Measure time (duration)
  • Count rates (pulse rate)
  • Calculate medication dosages & IV solution rates
  • Use measuring tools (thermometer)
  • Read measurement marks (scales)
  • Add, subtract, multiply, divide
  • Use a calculator
  • Write number in records

Analytical Thinking Skills

  • Transfer knowledge from one situation to another
  • Evaluate outcomes
  • Problem solve and prioritize
  • Use short- and long-term memory
  • Accurately assess B/P, heart, lung, vascular, and abdominal sounds
  • Identify cyanosis, absence of respiration, and movements of client rapidly and accurately
  • Accurately process information on medication container, physician’s orders, equipment calibrations, printed documents, flow and graphic sheets, medication administration records, and other medical records

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