Program Requirements

• Students must be 18 years of age or older for acceptance into the program.
• Successful passage and completion of a national criminal background check and drug screening is mandatory within both the initial and final quarters of the program.
• All applicants must acknowledge successful completion of a high school diploma or equivalent as part of the certification process through the WA Department of Health.
• Students must complete Admission Requirements before acceptance into the program.
• A grade of 2.0 or better is required in all classes before advancing to the next quarter.
• Students who complete professional requirements with liberal arts requirements will receive an associate in applied science with their certification.
• Students may enroll in liberal arts either preceding or following the professional curriculum.

Technical Standards

Technical standards are the essential benchmarks for admission to and engagement in an educational program. They outline both academic and practical criteria, including skills and performance expectations for those pursuing a career as a medical assistant. Academic standards cover study courses, achieving satisfactory grades, and fulfilling other essential activities. Nonacademic standards encompass physical, cognitive, and behavioral prerequisites crucial for mastering the curriculum and cultivating the professional attributes necessary for a successful career.

It's crucial to meet these technical standards, whether with or without accommodations. Individuals aspiring to join the Medical Assistant Program at Spokane Community College should thoroughly assess the non-academic technical standards outlined below, considering any potential limitations that might impact their ability to meet these requirements. Applicants are encouraged to engage with the program director to discuss any individual situations that could affect adherence to these technical standards.

Physical Standards

• Lifting: Lift and carry equipment and patients up to 50 pounds, supporting and assisting patients in and out of a wheelchair, and on and off an examination table (lifting requirement is 0-25% of the time).
• Pushing: Push a patient weighing up to 200 pounds in a wheelchair.
• Spend an average of 25% of a regular workday walking, squatting, sitting, bending, and reaching, and 75% standing.
• Maneuverability: Perform activities such as kneeling, bending, stooping, crouching to perform CPR, assist patients, and retrieve items from cabinets below waist level.
• Fine Motor Skills: Exhibit adequate dexterity for tasks such as phlebotomy, electrocardiography, administering medications, handling small containers of potentially biohazardous specimens, using measuring devices, and operating various equipment.

Tactile Standards

• Palpation: Ability to palpate pulses, muscle contractions, bony landmarks, and edema.
• Sensory Differentiation: Differentiate between temperature and pressure variations.

Visual Standards

• Acuity: Possess adequate visual acuity for tasks including medication preparation and administration, diagnostic laboratory procedures, and patient assessment.
• Reading: Read accurately numbers, letters, cursive writing, and differentiate shapes and colors.
• Corrective Devices: Standards apply with or without corrective devices.

Auditory Standards

• Perception: Possess adequate auditory perception for verbal communication, including heart sounds, blood pressure sounds, patient distress sounds, instrument timers, alarms, and telephone communication.
• Corrective Devices: Standards apply with or without corrective devices.

Communication Standards:

• Verbal, Nonverbal, and Written Skills: Demonstrate effective communication skills in English for interactions with patients, families, healthcare providers, colleagues, and the community.
• Language: Speak and comprehend oral and written English, including medical terminology.
• Writing: Write clearly and legibly in English for medical record documentation, form completion, and written communication.

Mental/Cognitive Standards:

• Intellectual and Emotional Functions: Possess sufficient intellectual and emotional capabilities to plan and implement duties responsibly.
• Stress Management: Function safely and effectively under stressful situations.
• Alertness: Remain alert to surroundings and potential emergencies.
• Interpersonal Skills: Interact effectively and appropriately with patients, families, and coworkers.
• Ethical Standards: Display attitudes and actions consistent with ethical standards of medical assisting.
• Multitasking: Manage and prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining composure.
• Confidentiality: Communicate an understanding of confidentiality principles.
• Calmness: Remain calm, rational, decisive, and in control, especially during emergency situations.
• Personal Presentation: Maintain cleanliness and personal grooming consistent with close personal contact.
• Medication Influence: Function without causing harm to others if under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter medication.
• Harm Prevention: Function without causing harm to others due to any mental or physical conditions.

Program start: Summer (on-campus/hybrid), Spring (online/hybrid)
Pre-requisites: Yes
Program length: 4 quarters not including prerequisites.
Number of students each start: 16 in Spring, 16 in Summer
Contact: Ryan Taylor at Ryan.Taylor@scc.spokane.edu or 509-533-8138

Students are only admitted into the Medical Assistant Program from an interest list maintained by the Registration Office and after successfully passing a background check and drug screening. Students may request addition to the list at any time, but only students who are in the final quarter of their program prerequisites will be eligible for enrollment in the Medical Assistant Program. Interested candidates should meet with an Allied Health Counselor to verify they’ve satisfied required program prerequisites. Afterwards, contact the Registration office at scc.reg-office@scc.spokane.edu or 509-533-8860 to be added to the interest list for the upcoming cohort start in either spring or summer.

AGE REQUIREMENT: Students must be 18 years of age or older for acceptance into the program. This age requirement is essential to meet the criteria necessary for the clinical externship portion of this program.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT: All applicants must acknowledge successful completion of a high school diploma or equivalent as part of the certification application process done through the WA Department of Health.