The Medical Assisting program at will prepare you for a wide
range of career opportunities. Our faculty draw on their knowledge and
experience to ensure student success.
Developing Skills for Success
Because this profession is very people-centered, Medical Assisting courses
are not offered online. After completing the didactic courses in the program
and learning all of their skills, medical assistant students perform a
160-hour internship at a local physician’s office or clinic.
Classes for the program are held at the Downtown Health Sciences Center
(formerly El Centro’s Center for Allied Health and Nursing) at Market and
Pacific streets, one block northwest of the El Centro campus. Opened to house
our allied health programs, the center comprises 55 classrooms and labs that
contain some of the most advanced equipment available to educate health care
students.
The center’s high-tech equipment includes:
-
Teaching labs that simulate surgical and hospital settings for specific
program applications.
-
Microphones and cameras in each classroom to capture audio and video
instruction.
- Three classrooms with videoconferencing for two-way viewing.
- Two simulation labs with computerized patient mannequins.
Occupational Risks
Medical Assisting is a profession with many rewards, as practitioners can
perform both administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in a
variety of healthcare environments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly
outlines that it is a growth field, with an anticipated 18% growth from 2020
to 2030.
Medical Assistants work directly with providers and patients, with the goal of
providing healthcare and ensuring patient safety. It is a position with a
great deal of responsibility.
As with any healthcare position, there are certain occupational risks that
come into play with being a medical assistant, and those hazards include the
following:
- Exposure to infectious diseases
- Sharps injuries
- Bloodborne pathogens and biological hazards
- Chemical and drug exposure
- Ergonomic hazards from lifting, sitting, and repetitive tasks
- Latex allergies
- Stress
At the same time, there are protections set up with the Occupational Safety
and Health Act (OSHA), and those protections are particularly important within
a healthcare environment. OSHA has a series of standards that protect the
safety of healthcare workers and patients.
Accredited medical assisting programs are required to teach students about the
hazards that they face on the job and the protocols that can be put into place
to ensure a workplace culture that prioritizes safety.
Professional Organizations
Students in the program are eligible to join the
American Association of Medical Assistants
and the Dallas chapter of the
Texas Society of Medical Assistants at
special student rates. Students who join these organizations find that the
interaction with practicing, professional medical assistants is helpful in
finding employment, engaging in meaningful dialogue and learning directly from
those in the field.
Nursing (LVN) Pathway
Become a Licensed Vocational Nurse in two steps.
Step One: Become a Medical Assistant
- The Medical Assisting program lasts 13 months.
-
Composition I and Introduction to Speech Communication must be
completed with a grade of C.
-
Must complete an application to the program, which you will receive after
viewing the required online information session.
-
Must submit required immunizations, a current physical exam and a CPR
certification to Castlebranch.
-
Contact: Jesse Elizardo (jelizardo@dallascollege.edu; 927-860-5007).
Step Two: Become an LVN
-
The El Centro Vocational Nurse program is a 51-credit hour certificate
program.
-
Must complete Human Anatomy and Physiology and enroll through eConnect.
-
Must complete designated sections of the HESI test with a minimum score of
80 percent on each section.
-
Must submit required immunizations, a current physical exam and a CPR
certification to Castlebranch.
-
Composition I, Introduction to Speech Communication and Pharmacology for
Health Professions are transferrable.
-
Contact: Jesse Elizardo (jelizardo@dallascollege.edu; 927-860-5007).
Transferring
The Medical Assisting program is designed for direct entry into the
workforce. However, if you are interested in earning a degree at a
four-year institution, please visit the
Transfer Services website
for guidance on the transfer process.
Dallas College has an articulation (transfer) agreement with Dallas
Baptist University to apply the entire Medical Assisting program toward a
bachelor’s degree in Health Services Management. An articulation agreement
is also in place with the University of North Texas.
Accreditation and Affiliations
The Medical Assisting program is accredited by the
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP),
upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board
(MAERB).
Medical Assisting 5 Year Outcomes
| Year | Retention |
|---|
2023
| 91.30%
|
2022
| 86.67%
|
2021
| 85.37% |
| 2020 | 76.19% |
| 2019 | 80.00%
|
|
Five Year Average
|
83.91%
|
The Medical Assisting program at Dallas College has a five-year retention
rate of 83.91% for the years 2019 – 2023.
Links to Additional Information
Note: Links to the following websites are provided for your convenience and
information and do not constitute official endorsement by us.