Get Ready for a Rewarding Career as a Medical Technician in San Diego!

The primary role of a medical technician is to carry out medical assistant tasks as well as perform diagnostic testing on samples provided by patients in a clinical setting. These tests may take a variety of forms dependent on their diagnostic purposes.

The objective of the Professional Medical Technician Program at California Medical College is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and professional work habits needed to gain employment in an entry-level position in a medical facility such as a hospital, clinic, rehabilitation facility, physician’s office, insurance organization, or research institution.

Course details

A high school diploma, GED, or equivalent may be required to take these exams.

The Professional Medical Technician program is a 620-hour series of nine different courses, combining to prepare students for all the basic responsibilities of a medical assistant or technician. Because the courses prepare students for a diverse range of clinical responsibilities, the primary objective is that students are ready to take several certification exams, making them qualified for a variety of jobs in the healthcare field upon completion.

For modules MED 111, MED 112, MED 113, MED 114, MED 115, MED 116, MED 117, the course is taught in one of two time slots:

• Monday through Friday afternoon 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Monday through Thursday evening 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

For module MED 118 – Clinical Externship, days and hours vary. Please refer to the Clinical Externship section of this catalog for further information.

MED 119 is a combination of an Instructor guided course (10 hours) coupled with independent lab time (30 hours). Days and hours vary.

Professional Medical Technician course description

MED 111 – Medical Terminology

This course provides the student with the building blocks of basic medical terminology. Such understanding will facilitate learning of scientific and medical principles encountered during more advanced career preparation. The relationship of word parts to their anatomical counterparts will be studied.

Rules for combining word parts into complete medical terms will be stressed. Accurate pronunciation and spelling of word parts and complete terms will be emphasized throughout the course, as well as the many components of a medical term, and how to break down a medical term by knowing the meaning of the prefix or suffix.

By learning the individual parts of a medical word, students will not need to memorize hundreds of complex medical terms and their definitions.

The objective of the MED 111 course is that, after completing it, students are able to demonstrate a working knowledge of medical terminology and being able to use intuition to understand the meaning of a medical term, even if they haven’t heard it before.

MED 112 – Introduction to Medical Assisting

This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of being a medical assistant and will prepare them to support physicians by providing assistance during patient examinations, treatment administration and monitoring; by keeping patient and related health record information; and by performing clinical, administrative and laboratory duties.

Topics such as professional behaviors in the workplace, interpersonal skills, HIPAA, medical law and ethics, financial practice management, banking services and procedures as well as medical practice management and human resource dynamics will be addressed. The application of critical thinking skills will be promoted by presenting and discussing relevant clinical cases.

The object of MED 112 course involves students understanding healthcare protocols involving patients, privacy, and healthcare administrative tasks.

MED 113 – Administrative Medical Assisting

This course will introduce the student to the fundamentals of computer concepts, telephone techniques, scheduling appointments, patient reception and processing, the office environment and daily operations, written communications and mail processing, the different types of medical records, health information management and HIPAA practice. The application of critical thinking skills will be promoted by presenting and discussing relevant case scenarios.

The objectives of MED 113 are to develop a deeper understanding of the foundations taught in MED 112. Students will be able to better understand the administrative roles that may asked of them in their career.

MED 114 – Billing and Coding Procedures

This course will introduce the student to the basic fundamentals of diagnostic coding, procedural coding, health insurance and claim forms, professional fees, billing and collecting.

Students will understand the principles used for diagnostic coding and demonstrate how to use an ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS book, complete a sample health insurance claim form, a physical encounter form, and post payment entries. The application of critical thinking skills will be promoted by presenting and discussing relevant clinical cases.

The objective of MED 114 is to give students a working knowledge of billing and coding procedures including using the relevant manuals to enter patient information into billing databases.

MED 115 – Clinical Medical Assisting

This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of being a clinical medical assistant. Topics such as principles of working with diverse patient populations, therapeutic communication, patient assessment and care, patient education, infection control, OSHA compliance, HIPAA, holistic health concepts and practices, nutrition, therapeutic diets, and health promotion will be taught.

Students will demonstrate infection control, obtain and record a patient history, effective and therapeutic communication, obtain accurate vital signs (including blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, temperature, height and weight), accurate patient documentation and recording. The application of critical thinking skills will be promoted by presenting and discussing relevant clinical cases.

The objective of MED 115 is to give students a basic understanding of a medical assistant’s and medical technician’s role in a clinical setting.

MED 116 – Anatomy, Physiology & Medical Procedures

This course is taught as an introduction to the human body and its functions. Students will learn various aspects of human anatomy, including: the structure of cells, tissues, and membranes, the skeletal system, the muscular system, the cardiac system, the respiratory system, the reproductive system, the urinary and intestinal system, the nervous system, and the integumentary system.

Students will become familiar with associated terminology, common medical examinations, screening processes, and medical procedures and treatments associated with each body system, important practices and background information on medical disease processes, as well as modalities of treatments associated with each.

Additionally, students will practice with electrocardiograph equipment and perform hands-on labs including obtaining a 12-lead EKG. The application of critical thinking skills will be promoted by presenting and discussing relevant clinical cases.

The objective of MED 116 is to give students a working knowledge of the concepts, equipment, and process of interpreting results of an EKG.

MED 117 – Diagnostic Lab Skills, Procedures & Pharmacology Basics

In this comprehensive course, students will learn medical abbreviations, basic prescriptions and pharmacology concepts. The clinical laboratory and the associated safety about regulatory guidelines. Students will gain fundamental knowledge regarding hematology and complete hematology tests, including WBC and RBC, differential counts, blood smears and straining techniques, hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood typing, blood glucose, sedimentation rates and mono reagent testing.

Students will learn proper procedures for specimen collecting, processing, and testing. Students will perform venipuncture and capillary puncture as well as urine collection and testing. Intradermal, subcutaneous, and intramuscular injections will be performed. The principles of infection control, asepsis, and sterilization will also be covered.

The objective of MED 117 is to give students a basis of knowledge regarding laboratory testing procedures that they may have to use in their career.

MED 118 – Clinical Externship

During the externship phase of training, the student will experience various aspects of working in the actual field that they have trained for. The externship will provide students with the opportunity to experience and participate in the duties typical to a real work place setting. Instruction centers around observing experienced personnel, as well as participating in procedures under close supervision of trained professionals. A minimum of 160 clinical hours must be completed for this portion of training.

This course provides the opportunity to apply clinical, laboratory, and administrative skills in a medical facility. Emphasis is placed on enhancing competence in clinical and administrative skills necessary for comprehensive patient care and strengthening professional communications and interactions. Upon completion, students should be able to function as an entry-level healthcare professional.

Final course emphasis is geared towards preparing the students for national certification exams with NHA and/or NCCT for Medical Assistant, Medical Office Assistant, EKG Technician, Patient Care Technician or Insurance and Coding Specialist.

The objectives for the MED 118 course are two-fold: first, students should be adequately prepared over the course of the modules MED 111-MED 118 to take any of the above certification exams. Students should also be able to demonstrate the knowledge they’ve built up throughout the Professional Medical Technician program as a whole.

MED 119 – Career Development and Life Skills

This short course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to learn about and develop the necessary skills to engage in life/career planning and career management. Students will develop the knowledge associated with job seeking, interviewing, and the habits pursuant to employment.

This course will include out-of-class work including reading and writing assignments, practical application assignments and projects. A professional resume and portfolio will be developed.

To learn more, contact us online or by calling (858) 357-8800.