AS, Advanced Medical Assisting

Launch your career in the heart of healthcare.

Designed to build experts in clinical and administrative roles, FSW's AS in Advanced Medical Assisting is your gateway to becoming a pivotal part of medical teams in Southwest Florida, enhancing patient care and operational efficiency.

Careers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average for all occupations” with the median annual wage for medical assistants in the U.S. at $38,270 annually ($18.40 per hour) in May 2022. Medical Assistants are one of the fastest growing occupations in Florida with the 2023 – 2031 projected growth for Medical Assistants at 20.4%.

Medical Assistants can find employment in industries such as:

• Physician Practices
• Hospitals
• Ambulatory Care Centers
• Diagnostic Centers
• Urgent Care Centers
• Rural Health Clinics
• Federally Qualified Health Centers
• And more

Other Occupations/Job Titles

Students who have completed the AS, Advanced Medical Assisting may also find employment as:

• EKG Technician/Aide
• Patient Care Attendant
• Phlebotomist
• Customer Service Representative
• Medical Office Receptionist
• Insurance Claims Specialist
• Billing and Coding Specialist
• EHR Support Specialist
• Medical Office Administrator

Upon completion of coursework, Florida SouthWestern State College does not guarantee employment or salary in a given field of study. Any jobs or salaries mentioned are given as examples of potential employment not a representation of guaranteed income. Graduates may need to seek employment outside the local area.

Skills

Applicants interested in the Advanced Medical Assisting Program should possess:

• a passion for healthcare
• a strong desire to help others
• strong communication skills
• an aptitude for both administrative and clinical tasks
• attention to detail
• a desire to support patient care in a fast-paced environment

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

Medical assistants are essential allied healthcare professionals who support medical staff by performing both administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments, managing patient records, and billing, as well as clinical duties like taking patient medical histories, measuring vital signs, assisting with examinations and procedures, and administering medications. They play a crucial role in ensuring the efficient operation of healthcare facilities, providing patient care, and facilitating effective communication between patients and medical professionals. 

What We'll Teach You

The curriculum focuses on teaching:

• routine administrative and clinical duties
• patient care
• laboratory procedures
• EHR management
• office administration

Hands-on training in health science laboratory facilities ensures readiness for the healthcare workforce. 

Program Goals

To prepare graduates who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the Medical Assistant profession.

Program Student Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge and skills of the legal and ethical scope of practice for the Medical Assistant.
• Apply standard practices in safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control to facilitate the delivery of quality patient care in the clinical setting.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills of clinical procedures and patient care techniques within the scope of practice for the Medical Assistant.
• Engage in effective and professional communication with patients, their families, and other members of the healthcare team.
• Apply knowledge and skills of medical office administrative practices in the medical office setting.
• Promote professional certification and the medical assistant profession.

Degrees & Certifications

Associate of Science in Advanced Medical Assisting College Credit Certificate (CCC) in Medical Assisting Specialist

Embedded Certifications & Stackable Professional Credentials

Upon successful completion of the second semester, students are eligible to take the exams for the following certifications

• Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• Certified EKG Technician (CET) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Upon successful completion of the third semester, students are eligible to take the exam for the following certification

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

In addition to the above certifications, graduates of the AS in Advanced Medical Assisting degree program are eligible to sit for the following certifications

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
• Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Continuing Toward A Bachelor's Degree?

FSW offers several bachelor's degree programs for AA and AS graduates. Learn more about FSW's bachelor of science and bachelor of applied science programs.

In addition, courses from this program may transfer to other colleges and universities that allow students to transfer into a four-year program. For more information, contact the college or university to which you wish to transfer.

Program Information

AS, Advanced Medical Assisting, CIP 1351080103, is a Limited Access program.

Program Mission

The mission of the Advanced Medical Assisting program at Florida SouthWestern State College is to educate and prepare medical assistants, empowering them to play a vital role in supporting licensed health care practitioners in providing quality healthcare to the citizens of Florida, especially those in rural and underserved communities.  

Program Overview

The Associate in Science Advanced Medical Assisting degree will provide students with the skills and knowledge to perform administrative and clinical duties in ambulatory care settings. Graduates are prepared clinically to assist with taking vital signs, minor surgical procedures, examination room preparation, medication administration, phlebotomy, laboratory operations, electrocardiogram administration, and various other clinical tasks. Graduates also learn to function in an administrative capacity, including but not limited to patient communication, electronic health records, processing incoming/outgoing patients (scheduling, collecting fees, or arranging for payment), medical coding and billing, processing insurance claims, and performing managerial and supervisory functions in a clinical setting. This program includes general education courses that build a strong foundation for the health sciences as well as specialty courses that assist with leadership and health information management. 

Curriculum Sequence Advanced Medical Assistant, AS – 65 Credits

This program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of 65 credit hours that includes 16 credit hours of General Education Requirements, 19 credit hours of Program Specific Requirements, and 30 credit hours of Advanced Medical Assisting (AMA) Program Requirements. The program is completed in five semesters by college-ready students; completed all developmental coursework. Students will progress through the program as a group/cohort and courses must be taken in sequence. This is a full-time program and some courses are only offered one time per academic year. 

Fall Semester One – 16 Credits

Spring Semester Two – 16 Credits

Summer Semester Three – 12 Credits

Fall Semester Four – 12 Credits

Spring Semester Five – 9 Credits

How to Apply

Prospective students should visit FSW's application portal, review the program requirements below, and submit their application along with any necessary documentation. 

While it is a limited access program, admission to the Advanced Medical Assisting program is selective and determined by the following criteria.

To be considered for acceptance, students must

• Be admitted to FSW.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Complete and pass a college-approved criminal background check and drug testing at the applicant’s expense.
• Complete the Advanced Medical Assisting Program Application.
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.00 cumulative.

After acceptance to the program and before enrollment in the second-semester courses, students must provide the following

• Provide documentation of a health physical and functional evaluation from a healthcare provider including all required immunizations.
• Provide evidence of tuberculosis (TB) screening.
• Provide proof of personal health insurance.
• Provide evidence of current Basic Life Support Provider Certification (CPR and AED)

The program is to be completed in 5 semesters by college-ready students (i.e., who have completed all developmental coursework). Students will progress through the AMA program as a full-time cohort and courses must be taken in sequence. Withdrawing from a course will result in removal from the program unless granted AMA Program Director approval.

Contact

Helpful Links

• Apply to FSW
• Bureau of Labor Statistics data for Medical Assistants
• FSW Catalog
• FSW Bachelor's Degree Programs
• AMA Program Cost Sheet (coming soon)
• Medical Assisting Specialist CCC
• Student Handbook (coming soon)
• National Healthcareer Association
• American Association of Medical Assistants