Medical Assistant
Degrees available: Certificate,
A.A.S.
About the Program
Facilities and Instructors
Career Opportunities
Admission Requirements
Contact Information
Accreditation Information
About the Program
The UAF Tanana Valley Campus offers an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree and Certificate in Medical Assistant. Medical Assistants are members of the health care delivery team and perform both clinical and administrative procedures.
Medical assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks to keep healthcare delivery settings running smoothly. Medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants who examine, diagnose, and treat patients, under the direct supervision of a physician.
The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on office location, size, and specialty. In small practices, medical assistants are usually “generalists,” handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area under the supervision of a physician.
Facilities and Instructors
The Medical Assistant program uses classrooms and laboratories at the Allied Health Learning Center at Tanana Valley Campus Center at 604 Barnette Street. Hands on clinical training may be offered at physicians offices and clinics, and other health facilities. Class sizes are intentionally kept small so that you receive highly individualized one-on-one training from our outstanding faculty and instructors. Our faculty and instructors have years of experience in the allied health industry, which means you will be learning from the very best!
Career Opportunities
In the Fairbanks area there is a growing demand for medical assistants in clinics, private offices, and urgent care centers.
Employers prefer to hire experienced workers or certified applicants who have passed a national examination, indicating that the medical assistant meets certain standards of competence. The American Association of Medical Assistants awards the Certified Medical Assistant credential. Because medical assistants deal with the public, they must be neat and well groomed and have a courteous, pleasant manner. Medical assistants must be able to put patients at ease and explain physicians’ instructions. They must respect the confidential nature of medical information. Clinical duties require a reasonable level of manual dexterity and visual acuity.
Medical assistants may be able to advance to office manager. They may qualify for a wide variety of administrative support occupations. Some, with additional education, enter other health occupations such as nursing and medical technology.
In view of the preference of many health care employers for trained personnel, job prospects should be best for medical assistants with formal training or experience, particularly those with certification.
Admission Requirements
To gain entry into the program, students must fill out a UAF Undergraduate Application for Admission, available from the admissions office at 1-800-478-1UAF or online at the Office of Admissions . Applications are also available at the Tanana Valley Campus Center or at the Office of Admissions in Signers Hall.
There is a $40 non-refundable application fee. Students will be required to take an English/Mathematics placement test such as the COMPASS examination. The test is available at the Tanana Valley Campus Center and is free of charge. Contact the TVC Student Assistance Center at 455-2851 or fytvc@uaf.edu for more information.
Students will work with an academic advisor to select classes. In addition, our Student Assistance Office offers counseling and assistance with financial aid, tutoring, college “survival” skills and more. At the Tanana Valley Campus, we are here to help guide students on the road to success!
Contact Information:
Christa Bartlett
Email: ffclb2@uaf.edu
Phone: (907) 455-2887
Office: 417C of the Tanana Valley Campus Center
604 Barnette Street
The Medical Assistant Certificate (UAF/TVCC) is accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the
recommendation of the Curriculum Review Board of the American
Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (CRB-AAMAE). CAAHEP, 35
East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 553-9355.
Page Last modified: May 01 2008.
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