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 WCCC's Programs of Study page.

All CMU/WCCC 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:

  1. Demonstrate proficient client assessment and use of information management systems in the medical setting.
  2. Demonstrate accurate mathematical skills and quantitative reasoning as a base for patient care decisions.
  3. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication utilizing medical terminology, computerized technology, accurate documentation, and verbal expression.
  4. 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 WCCC 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/WCCC.
  • 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/WCCC 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.

Communication
ENGL 111English Composition I-GTCO13
ENGL 112English Composition II-GTCO23
or SPCH 102 Speechmaking
Mathematics
MATH 107Career Math (or higher)3
Other Essential Learning Core Courses
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course3
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course3
Total Semester Credit Hours15

Other Lower Division Requirements

Wellness Requirement
KINE 100Health and Wellness1
Select one Activity course1
Total Semester Credit Hours2

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(44 semester hours, must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course.)

MOAP 110Medical Office Administration4
MOAP 111Introduction to Medical Assisting3
MOAP 130Medical Office Administration Insurance Billing and Coding3
MOAP 133Basic Medical Sciences I4
MOAP 135Basic Medical Sciences II4
MOAP 136Introduction to Clinical Skills2
MOAP 138Medical Assisting Laboratory Skills4
MOAP 140Medical Assisting Clinical Skills4
MOAP 147Medical Terminology4
MOAP 150Pharmacology for Medical Assistants3
MOAP 183Medical Assistant Internship5
MOAP 189Review for Medical Assistant National Exam1
SPCH 101Interpersonal Communications3
Total Semester Credit Hours44
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course 3
MOAP 110 Medical Office Administration 4
MOAP 111 Introduction to Medical Assisting 3
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
KINA 1XXActivity 1
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
ENGL 112 English Composition II-GTCO2 3
MATH 107 Career Math 3
MOAP 133 Basic Medical Sciences I 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course 3
 Semester Credit Hours13
Second Year
Fall Semester
MOAP 135 Basic Medical Sciences II 4
MOAP 138 Medical Assisting Laboratory Skills 4
MOAP 147 Medical Terminology 4
MOAP 150 Pharmacology for Medical Assistants 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
MOAP 130 Medical Office Administration Insurance Billing and Coding 3
MOAP 136 Introduction to Clinical Skills 2
MOAP 140 Medical Assisting Clinical Skills 4
SPCH 101 Interpersonal Communications 3
 Semester Credit Hours12
Summer Semester
MOAP 183 Medical Assistant Internship 5
MOAP 189 Review for Medical Assistant National Exam 1
 Semester Credit Hours6
 Total Semester Credit Hours61

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 her/his 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 at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be her/his responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.