Overview

Prepare for the CCMA Exam
Clinical medical assistants combine clinical and procedural knowledge, working across the domain of health care facilities to aid inpatient treatments and clinical operations. They are tasked with working directly with patients and supporting the work of doctors and other health care professionals. The 100% online course will prepare you to work as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), designated by the National Healthcare Career Association (NHA).

Job Outlook

The healthcare field offers one of the leading areas of opportunities for career growth today. Within healthcare, medical assistants are among the most in-demand professionals. NHA estimates that job openings for medical assistants are increasing by 9-15% each year.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics concurs with the NHA estimate. Its data indicates job opportunities for medical assistants will grow by 23% overall by 2028. This is four times the expected average growth for all jobs.

Medical assistants earn $34,800 per year, or $16.73 per hour on average, according to BLS data.

FAQs

WHAT DOES A CERTIFIED CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT (CCMA) JOB INVOLVE?
According to NHA, certified clinical medical assistants serve in a variety of functions that combine office operations and patient procedures. CCMA's may coordinate patient scheduling, facilitate office visits and manage patient records, including Electronic Health Records (EHR). They may also assist with exams and procedures such as EKG, phlebotomy, and laboratory procedures.

ARE CCMAs THE SAME AS CNAs?
While CCMAs may serve in a variety of roles in the healthcare setting, including office processes, clinical procedures and patient management, Certified Nurses Assistants (CNAs) work full-time with patients and may help with basic care activities such as dressing, bathing, and moving patients while they are under medical care.

DO CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANTS NEED CERTIFICATION?
The healthcare environment operates on the basis of professionalism, precision and dedication to patient welfare. Medical assistant certification may be required for many jobs. Earning a certification such as the CCMA establishes a medical assistant as a caring, responsible professional who has undergone a study and assessment program to validate their credentials.

IN WHAT FACILITIES DO CCMAs WORK?
CCMAs commonly work in hospitals, physicians' offices, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities, according to the BLS.

Course Objectives

• Prepare to take and earn the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam
• Learn the skills necessary to function as a member of the healthcare team in an ambulatory setting.
• Know the standards for ethical behavior, therapeutic communication, protecting the privacy of patient information
• Understand the importance of a first impression and a safe office environment
• Summarize the HIPAA Privacy Rule and HIPAA Security Rule
• Demonstrate basic medical terminology knowledge
• Discuss government and private insurances
• Identify the functions of the major body systems
• Demonstrate how to write a chief complaint and obtain a patient history
• Discuss the importance of medical and surgical asepsis
• Explain the information contained in different types of medical records.
• Identify the three methods used to perform venipuncture

Requirements

There are no prerequisites to take the course. 

Curriculum

Medical Terminology

• INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
• THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
• THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
• THE LYMPHATIC AND IMMUNE SYSTEMS
• THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
• THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
• THE URINARY SYSTEM
• THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
• THE SPECIAL SENSES THE EYES AND EARS
• THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
• THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
• THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
• DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES, NUCLEAR MEDICINE, PHARMACOLOGY

Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

• BECOMING A MEDICAL ASSISTANT
• MANAGING STRESS AND IMPROVING COMMUNICATION
• LAW, ETHICS AND HEALTHCARE
• IMPROVING YOUR MEDICAL OFFICE
• COMPUTERS IN THE AMBULATORY CARE SETTING
• TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND PATIENT SCHEDULING
• ENHANCING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
• MANAGING MEDICAL RECORDS
• WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
• WORKING WITH MEDICAL DOCUMENTS
• MEDICAL BILLING AND OVERVIEW CODING: AN OVERVIEW
• DAILY FINANCIAL PRACTICES
• THE ADMINISTRATIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANT AS OFFICE MANAGER
• MAJOR BODY SYSTEMS
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
• PHARMACOLOGY
• NUTRITION AND SPECIAL DIETS
• THE CHIEF COMPLAINT AND PATIENT HISTORY
• RECORDING VITAL SIGNS
• THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
• SPECIALTY EXAMS AND PROCEDURES
• MEDICAL ASEPSIS AND INFECTION CONTROL
• SURGICAL ASEPSIS AND STERILIZATION TECHNIQUES
• SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
• ASSISTING WITH MINOR OFFICE SURGERIES
• INTRODUCTION TO THE MEDICAL LABORATORY
• BASIC MICROBIOLOGY
• INTRODUCTION TO PHLEBOTOMY
• BASIC HEMATOLOGY
• ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
• ADMINISTERING NONINJECTABLE MEDICATIONS
• BASIC GUIDELINES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF INJECTIONS
• DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING
• REHABILITATION AND TREATMENT MODALITIES
• FIRST AID TECHNIQUES
• EMERGENCIES IN THE MEDICAL OFFICE

Instructors

Nancy Smith
Nancy Smith has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Her clinical experience includes working as a medical assistant for a network of rural health clinics, and as a medical coder, insurance claims specialist, and medical records auditor. She worked as a medical office manager for ten years, where she recruited and trained all medical assistants. Nancy holds a bachelor's degree in vocational education and has developed and taught medical assistant programs.