Medical Office Assistant (AAS)
Degree: Associate of Applied Science
Major: Medical Office Assistant
Program Code: 1396
About This Major . . .
This program prepares individuals to perform clinical and administrative functions in health care facilities, primarily medical clinics or physician’s offices. Students successfully completing this program will be able to perform administrative tasks and work in the clinical areas by providing assistance with physical examinations, diagnostic tests, treatments, and procedures.
All students successfully completing the program are eligible to take the national certification examination offered by the American Medical Technologists, a national certifying agency, to become a Registered Medical Assistant.
For more information on what you can do with this major, visit CMU Tech's Programs of Study page.
All CMU/CMU Tech associate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus‐wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:
- Demonstrate proficient client assessment and use of information management systems in the medical setting.
- Demonstrate accurate mathematical skills and quantitative reasoning as a base for patient care decisions.
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication utilizing medical terminology, computerized technology, accurate documentation, and verbal expression.
- Provide safe, quality care by incorporating evidenced-based practice.
Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.
To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity.
Institutional Degree Requirements
The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU and CMU Tech Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.
- 60 semester hours minimum.
- Students must complete a minimum of 15 of the final 30 semester hours of credit at CMU/CMU Tech.
- 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/CMU Tech coursework.
- A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
- No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
- Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 20 semester credit hours for an AAS degree.
- Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
- Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
- The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
- See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.
Specific to this degree:
- 61 semester hours total for the AAS, Medical Office Assistant.
- A minimum of 16 hours taken at CMU in no fewer than two semesters.
Essential Learning Requirements
(15 semester hours)
See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | ||
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I-GTCO1 | 3 |
| ENGL 112 | English Composition II-GTCO2 | 3 |
| or SPCH 102 | Speechmaking | |
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 107 | Career Math (or higher) | 3 |
| Other Essential Learning Core Courses | ||
| Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course | 3 | |
| Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
Other Lower Division Requirements
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Requirement | ||
| KINE 100 | Health and Wellness | 1 |
| Select one Activity course | 1 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 2 | |
Program Specific Degree Requirements
(44 semester hours, must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course.)
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MOAP 110 | Medical Office Administration | 4 |
| MOAP 111 | Introduction to Medical Assisting | 3 |
| MOAP 130 | Medical Office Administration Insurance Billing and Coding | 3 |
| MOAP 133 | Basic Medical Sciences I | 4 |
| MOAP 135 | Basic Medical Sciences II | 4 |
| MOAP 136 | Introduction to Clinical Skills | 2 |
| MOAP 138 | Medical Assisting Laboratory Skills | 4 |
| MOAP 140 | Medical Assisting Clinical Skills | 4 |
| MOAP 147 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
| MOAP 148 | Introduction to Human Disease | 3 |
| MOAP 150 | Pharmacology for Medical Assistants | 3 |
| MOAP 183 | Medical Assistant Internship | 5 |
| MOAP 189 | Review for Medical Assistant National Exam | 1 |
| SPCH 101 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 44 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Semester Credit Hours | |
| MOAP 110 | Medical Office Administration | 4 |
| MOAP 111 | Introduction to Medical Assisting | 3 |
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I-GTCO1 | 3 |
| KINE 100 | Health and Wellness | 1 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course | 3 | |
| KINA 1XX | Activity | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MOAP 133 | Basic Medical Sciences I | 4 |
| MOAP 147 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
| ENGL 112 | English Composition II-GTCO2 | 3 |
| MATH 107 | Career Math | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MOAP 135 | Basic Medical Sciences II | 4 |
| MOAP 136 | Introduction to Clinical Skills | 2 |
| MOAP 138 | Medical Assisting Laboratory Skills | 4 |
| MOAP 150 | Pharmacology for Medical Assistants | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MOAP 130 | Medical Office Administration Insurance Billing and Coding | 3 |
| MOAP 140 | Medical Assisting Clinical Skills | 4 |
| MOAP 148 | Introduction to Human Disease | 3 |
| SPCH 101 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| MOAP 183 | Medical Assistant Internship | 5 |
| MOAP 189 | Review for Medical Assistant National Exam | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 61 | |
Advising Process and DegreeWorks
Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).
DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Process
Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:
- Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
- Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
- Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
- Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.
Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found on the Graduation web page.
If a student's petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to apply for graduation in a subsequent semester. A student's “Intent to Graduate” does not automatically move to a later graduation date.