Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Medical Assisting, A.S.


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Mission

The mission of the medical assisting program is to provide a stimulating academic environment that will prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The integration of knowledge and skills will prepare the student so that they may function as contributing members of the health care team, positively impacting their patients, the community and the profession upon graduation.

Program Goals

  • Provide quality instruction in medical assisting with the knowledge, skills/techniques, and professional behaviors to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants.
  • Provide a curriculum that meets the standard of the accrediting agency, fosters professional and ethical attitudes and maintains curriculum flexibility to facilitate the changing needs of the medical community.
  • Provide students with the knowledge and skills to apply the decision-making process, communication, and management skills in the medical assistant profession.
  • Educate the importance of becoming a Certified Medical Assistant and encourage students to take the American Association of Medical Assistants’ (AAMA) National Medical Assistant (CMA) Certification Exam.

Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Degree Requirements

Upon the recommendation of the faculty, the College will confer the degree of Associate of Science in Medical Assisting upon students who have fulfilled the following requirements:

  • Completion of the 60 hours of the required program of study for the Associate of Science in Medical Assisting degree. At least 15 of those MUST be earned from Rockhurst University’s Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences to meet the residency requirement.
  • Completion of the 60 semester hours of coursework within three years of enrollment at Rockhurst University’s Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences.
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 with no grade below C counting towards graduation.

For general education electives, see catalog.

Total Program Credits: 60 credits


Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Completer Program


Students who have completed a certificate or diploma program in medical assisting and have a current certification have the option of completing requirements to earn their Associate of Science in Medical Assisting. In most cases, students would only need to complete approved general education courses and MAST 290 Topics in Medical Assisting. The general time frame for completion is two semesters, but students can opt to go part-time and take longer to complete their degree. Students should meet with an academic advisor for an appropriate plan of study.

Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Program Disclaimer


Graduates of the medical assisting program at Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences will be eligible to sit for the American Medical Technologists (AMT) certification examination. Passing this examination is required to become a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA).

The medical assisting program is not programmatically accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Because the medical assisting program is not programmatically accredited, graduates of the program are currently not eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) examination offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants. The CMA and RMA are both optional and nationally recognized certifications for the medical assistant career.

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