Medical Assistant
Certificate Medical Assisting · Antelope Valley College · 2026-2027 Catalog
The Medical Office Assistant program provides comprehensive education and hands-on training for individuals seeking employment in outpatient and ambulatory healthcare settings such as physician offices, clinics, and specialty practices. The curriculum integrates administrative and clinical competencies required of entry-level allied health professionals and reflects current standards of professional practice and patient safety. The program is designed to prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession. Students develop knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology principles, infection control, and legal and ethical responsibilities in healthcare. Administrative instruction includes appointment scheduling, patient reception, electronic health records, billing and coding fundamentals, insurance processing, and communication skills. Clinical training includes patient preparation, vital signs, assisting with examinations and procedures, specimen collection, medication administration (within scope), aseptic technique, and emergency response procedures. The program emphasizes professionalism, cultural sensitivity, confidentiality, teamwork, and patient-centered care. Through supervised laboratory practice and an externship in a healthcare facility, students apply theory to real-world practice while working under the direction of licensed healthcare providers. Successful completion of the program prepares graduates for entry-level employment in medical offices and clinics and qualifies them to pursue nationally recognized credentialing examinations.
Program Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant Cert: Complete all of the following | 36 | |
| Required Courses: Complete all of the following | 32 | |
| BIOL 100 | Elementary Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| BIP 151 | Basic Principles of Coding for the Medical Office | 3 |
| BIP 152 | Beginning Medical Insurance | 3 |
| BIP 205 | Medical Office Procedures | 3 |
| MOA 101 | Beginning Medical Terminology | 3 |
| MOA 102 | Advanced Medical Terminology | 3 |
| MOA 110 | Beginning Medical Office Assisting | 4 |
| MOA 111 | Advanced Medical Office Assisting | 7 |
| NF 100 | Nutrition | 3 |
| Required Course - ENGL Honors Option | 4 | |
| ENGL C1000 | Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
| ENGL C1000H | Academic Reading and Writing - Honors | 4 |
Recommended Pathway
Medical Assistant Cert
Term 1 (10 units)
- BIOL100 - Elementary Human Anatomy and Physiology (3)
- ENGLC1000 - Academic Reading and Writing (4)
- ENGLC1000H - Academic Reading and Writing - Honors (4)
- NF100 - Nutrition (3)
Term 2 (9 units)
- MOA101 - Beginning Medical Terminology (3)
- BIP151 - Basic Principles of Coding for the Medical Office (3)
- BIP152 - Beginning Medical Insurance (3)
Term 3 (10 units)
- BIP205 - Medical Office Procedures (3)
- MOA102 - Advanced Medical Terminology (3)
- MOA110 - Beginning Medical Office Assisting (4)
Term 4 (7 units)
- MOA111 - Advanced Medical Office Assisting (7)