Medical Assisting: Clinical
Certificate of Achievement Level 3 Medical Assisting · San Jose City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Description
San José City College offers an Associate in Science (AS) and Certificate of Achievement in Medical Assisting: Clinical degree. The Medical Assisting: Clinical program prepares the student for employment as a clinical (back office) medical assistant in a physician’s office, clinic, or hospital setting. The student performs a variety of clinical medical assisting procedures including physical examination, medication administration, electrocardiography, minor surgery assist, medical asepsis, phlebotomy, and laboratory specimen handling, processing, and analysis. An externship in the clinical area of a physician’s office, clinic, or hospital will provide the student with the necessary experience to enter the workforce.
Prior to, or after finishing the certificate classes, the student may complete the General Education requirements for the A.S. Degree. A grade of “C” or better is required in each major course. An advanced course in the major must be taken at San José City College.
CAREER OPTIONS:
- Medical Office
- Medical Clinic
- Hospitals
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Apply principles of anatomy/physiology and medical terminology to clinical protocols and procedures.
- Execute the clinical skills required of a medical assistant.
- Exercise compliance with regard to HIPAA and OSHA regulations, and be able to explain relevant privacy and safety protocols to patients and other health professionals.
- Apply knowledge of clinical medical assisting to passing the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam and/or the Registered Medical Assisting (RMA) exam.
- Communicate effectively with patients and other health care personnel while exercising the highest level of professional conduct.
- Utilize the practical experience acquired during a clinical externship performed in a doctor's office, clinic, hospital, or laboratory to successfully integrate into a similar clinical health care environment upon post-graduate employment.
- Service the community by filling a need for qualified, well-trained clinical medical assistants.
Requirements
Certificate Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| HSCI 008 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| MA 005 | Medical Office Emergencies | 2 |
| MA 006 | Introduction to Medical Assisting | 3 |
| MA 020 | Physical Examination Procedures | 3 |
| MA 021 | Medical Office Laboratory Procedures | 3 |
| MA 022 | Medical Asepsis and Surgical Procedures | 3 |
| MA 023 | Medication Administration for Medical Assistants | 3 |
| MA 024 | Medical Assisting Clinical Practicum Experience | 4 |
| Complete one BUS course from the following | 3 | |
| BUS 007A | Business Language Skills | 3 |
| orBUS 008 | Business Communication | |
| Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| BIOL 020 | Human Biology | |
| BIOL 071 | Human Anatomy | |
| MA 004 | Structure and Function of the Human Body 1 | |
| Total Units | 31-32 | |
- Course meets the A.S. degree lab science general education requirement for the Medical Assisting major only and cannot be used to meet the lab science general education requirement for any other major.