Springfield Technical Community College

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Course Number:	MAST 122	Department:	Medical Assisting	
Course Title:	Intro. to Medical Assisting	Semester:	Spring	Year:	1997	

Objectives/Competencies

Course Objective	Competencies	
1.	Medical Assisting as a Profession.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the definition and scope of practice of medical assisting, and will integrate the need to help others with the knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired.

2.	Health Care Settings and the Health Care Team.  In addition to understanding and respecting the role of the various health professionals, the medical assistant must strive to build and maintain harmonious relationships as a member of the health care team.

3.	Therapeutic Communication Skills.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of all the complexities of the communication process.  Communication is the very foundation for every action taken by each team member in the ambulatory care setting.

4.	Coping Skills for the Medical Assistant.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of goal setting, setting priorities, and keeping a balanced perspective to reduce stresses.  This will enable the medical assistant to take pleasure in working with patients and colleagues.
	1.	Identify and discuss nine personal attributes that are important for a professional medical assistant to possess.
2.	Discuss the history of medical assisting.
3.	Describe the American Association of Medical Assistants and list its three major functions.
4.	Explain accreditation, certification, and continuing education as they pertain to the professional medical assistant.
5.	Identify the importance of the accreditation process to an educational institution.
6.	Recall two methods to obtain recertification.
7.	List five means of obtaining continuing education units.
8.	Differentiate amount certification, licensure, and registration.

1.	Analyze the benefits and limitations of working in the different health care settings.
2.	Assess the role and impact of managed care in the health care environment.
3.	Identify and describe the three primary medical management models.
4.	Describe the function of the health care team.
5.	Discuss the role of the medical assistant in the health care team.
6.	List and describe a minimum of twelve physician specialists.
7.	List and describe a minimum of five nonphysician health care specialists.
8.	List and describe a minimum of twelve allied health professionals.
9.	Critique alternative therapies and discuss their role in today’s health care setting.

1.	Identify the importance of communication.
2.	Recall at least four influences on therapeutic communication related to culture and describe four biases/prejudices in today’s society.
3.	List and define the four basic elements of the communication cycle.
4.	Identify the four modes or channels of communication most pertinent in our everyday exchange.

5.	Discuss the importance of active listening in therapeutic communication.
6.	Differentiate the terms verbal and nonverbal communication.
7.	Analyze the five Cs of communication and describe their effectiveness in the communication cycle.
8.	Demonstrate the following body language or nonverbal communication behaviors; facial expression, position, posture, gestures/mannerisms, and touch.
9.	Discuss the use of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in therapeutic communication.
10.	Recall eight significant roadblocks to therapeutic communication.
11.	List and describe seven common defense mechanisms.
12.	List four tools or considerations when communicating on the telephone.

1.	Differentiate between stress and stressors.
2.	Describe Hans Selye’s GAS theory.
3.	Identify seven approaches to coping with stressors in the ambulatory care setting.
4.	List five considerations when setting a goal.
5.	Differentiate between long-range and short-range goals.
6.	Identify seven signs or symptoms of burnout.
7.	List five aspects of personality that promote burnout.
8.	List a minimum of five ways to reduce the risk of burnout.