Academics

MEDICAL OFFICE SPECIALIST COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
AST 2-year Degree Program
Program Description & Job Opportunities
Course Listings
Course Descriptions

WP205 ADVANCED WORD PROCESSING (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course is designed to further the student’s knowledge of the current version of Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Windows. Students learn advanced features such as macros, electronic forms, and document collaboration. The course includes integrating Word and Excel. Prerequisite: Word Processing.

MD122 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I (3.0 credits/58 clock hours)
This course begins with the structure and function of cells, tissues, organs and systems. Then it progresses to comprehensive anatomy and physiology of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and sensory systems. Laboratory projects will be coordinated with specific systems. Prerequisite: None.

MD123 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I LAB (.5 credit/14 clock hours)
Lab projects are coordinated with specific systems studied in Anatomy & Physiology I. Prerequisite: Must be taken concurrently with Anatomy & Physiology I.

MD124 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II (3.0 credits/58 clock hours)
This course is a continuation of comprehensive anatomy and physiology covering the following body systems: endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive. Laboratory projects will be coordinated with specific systems. Prerequisite: Anatomy & Physiology I and Medical Terminology I.

MD125 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II LAB (.5 credit/14 clock hours)
Lab projects are coordinated with specific systems studied in Anatomy & Physiology II. Prerequisite: Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology I Lab. Must be taken concurrently with Anatomy & Physiology II.

CD211 CAREER PREPARATION (2.0 credits/30 clock hours)
This course supplements the on-the-job training of the internship. Individuals from the business community present material that enhances class work and the internship experience. The purpose is to help students become more professional, more self-confident, and, ultimately, more successful. Among areas covered are professional image building, ethics, sexual harassment, financial management, and health management for men and women. Sessions are held for two hours one day a week to allow time for the presentations. Prerequisite: As per the internship policy.

CP114 COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course in operating systems is designed to introduce students to the terminology and concepts that are required for computer literacy and for future computer related courses. Topics to be covered include hardware, software, DOS, Microsoft Windows, and a brief history of computers. Prerequisite: None.

MD204 COMPUTERIZED MEDICAL OFFICE PROCEDURES (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course reinforces the procedures developed in Medical Office Procedures with additional emphasis on the maintenance of financial and medical records. It also presents the tasks involved with office management such as travel arrangements and meeting preparations. MediSoft, a widely used patient accounting program for medical offices, will be introduced. Prerequisites: Medical Office Procedures and Microsoft Office.

MD210 COMPUTERIZED PATIENT BILLING (2.5 credits/60 clock hours)
This course is to familiarize the student with all aspects of computerized account management in the medical office using The Medical Manager software. The student will follow patients from their first visit through insurance billing for services rendered. Prerequisites: Keyboarding I & Lab and taken concurrently with Medical Insurance Forms.

HI211 CPT-4 (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
This course introduces the student to the Current Procedural Terminology format and conventions and current coding practices for coding outpatient procedures. CPT is part of the HCFA Common Coding Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) which contains two levels of codes which will be explained and discussed. Coding principles and guidelines for evaluation and management, surgery, anesthesia, pathology and lab, radiology and medicine will be presented. Prerequisite: ICD-9-CM or ICD-9-CM I.

EN101 ENGLISH I (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
Students will learn the current practices of effective oral and written communication skills necessary for success in business and industry. Prerequisite: None.

GE127 ENGLISH II (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
Students will continue studying and practicing the four bases of writing (unity, support, coherence, correctness). Students will write paragraphs, essays, summaries of short articles, continue to write in their journals, and write a research paper. Prerequisite: English I.

GE135 ENGLISH III (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
In order to prepare them to be successful writers of business correspondence, students will, via individual and group practice, apply the skills learned two writing effective business messages. Students are required to develop and implement a plan of action for composing memos and letters for typical business situations. Additionally, students will prepare a resume, letter of application, and a thank-you letter. Prerequisites: English I and II.

MD202 FUNDAMENTALS OF MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION (1.5 credits/30 clock hours)
This course introduces the fundamental skills and knowledge that a student must understand in preparation for medical transcription. Included is a discussion on the profile of the medical transcriptionist, the different types of reports and their formats, and selected guidelines. Prerequisites: Word Processing, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, and Medical Terminology I and II.

GE109 HUMAN RELATIONS (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
This course is designed to be an in-depth study and the building of specific skills in the area of one-to-one communication. Emphasis is placed on group dynamics, conflict resolution, dealing with diversity, and social responsibility. Prerequisite: None.

MD206 ICD-9-CM (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course introduces the student to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, format and conventions and correct coding practices for diagnoses and procedures. Basic coding principles and guidelines for the following areas will be presented: Late effect verses current illness or injury, V codes; signs and symptoms; infectious, endocrine and blood diseases; immunity and mental disorders; nervous, respiratory, digestive, genitourinary, and circulatory system diseases. Prerequisites: Anatomy & Physiology I and II and Medical Terminology I and II.

HI210 ICD-9-CM II (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course reinforces the coding skills developed in ICD-9-CM I with further emphasis on neoplasms; musculoskeletal system diseases; pregnancy, childbirth, abortion, congenital anomalies and perinatal conditions; injuries, burns, poisonings; complications of care, and E codes. The guidelines for coding diagnoses for outpatient medical records will be introduced as well. Prerequisites: ICD-9-CM I and Pathophysiology

GE141 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS MATH (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
This course is designed to refresh the student’s knowledge of math fundamentals and to apply these fundamentals in business and everyday life. The concepts covered are a review of decimals and fractions, bank reconciliation, percentages, payroll, cash and trade discounts, and related areas. Prerequisite: None.

HI121 INTRODUCTION TO THE HEALTH CARE FIELD (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course introduces the student to the healthcare delivery system and the professionals involved in healthcare. Topics include the history of healthcare; the organizations that set standards or regulations in healthcare; the types of settings in which healthcare is rendered; the organization of hospitals and their medical staffs; the content, uses and format of the patient record; methods of storage, retention and retrieval of patient records; and medical staff committees. Prerequisites: Anatomy & Physiology I and Medical Terminology I.

GE106 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
This course is an overview of basic psychological concepts. The relationship of psychology and states of consciousness to behavior introduces the areas of learning, memory, thinking and intelligence. Motivation, emotion and stress will be included as well as personality and social psychology. The emphasis is placed on the application of these principles in the student’s life at work and home. Prerequisite: None.

CD204 JOB SEARCH SKILLS (1.0 credit/24 clock hours)
This course instructs students in job seeking skills. Topics such as informational interviewing resume development, application completion and job interviewing will be covered. Students will identify work and personal skills, role-play mock interviews using the video camera, and start to develop a list of prospective employers for which they would like to work. Prerequisite: None.

KE101 KEYBOARDING I & LAB (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course is designed to teach the student correct keyboarding techniques and to help the student operate the letters, numbers, and symbols keys. Introduction to letters, memorandums, centering, tabulation, simple reports, word division, and business forms are stressed. This class will also provide time for students to increase their speed and accuracy through drill work and timed writings. Prerequisite: None.

KE143 KEYBOARDING II (2.0 credits/56 clock hours)
The Keyboarding II class will reinforce the format for letters, memorandums and reports, itineraries, agenda, minutes, and press releases, and further develop speed and accuracy on timed writings. Production tests will be taken to develop speed and accuracy on business documents. Prerequisite: A grade of "C" or better in Keyboarding I and Lab.

KE144 KEYBOARDING II LAB (1.0 credit/28 clock hours)
This course is designed to build speed and accuracy by providing extra time to work on drill work and timed writings. Prerequisite: A “C” grade or better in Keyboarding I & Lab.

MD215 LAW IN THE MEDICAL OFFICE (1.0 credit/24 clock hours)
The study of basic concepts, terminology, and principles of law and their application to the health care field. Legal issues of dealing with confidentiality of patient information, release of patient information, liability of health care providers, consent forms, and other current topics will be presented. Prerequisite: Third term of Medical Office Specialist program.

MD207 MEDICAL INSURANCE FORMS (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course introduces the student to medical insurance and handling of claims (HCFA-1500 and UB-92) for various types of third-party carriers including managed care, Medicare, Medicaid (Pennsylvania) and TRICARE. The guidelines for coding diagnoses for outpatient services will be presented and coding of professional services utilizing CPT will be further emphasized. Medical abbreviations and symbols will also be presented. Prerequisite: ICD-9-CM & CPT

MD229 MEDICAL OFFICE PROCEDURES (2.5 credits/60 clock hours)
This course provides the required background for the responsibilities of the administrative medical assistant. This includes dealing with patients by handling telephone calls, scheduling of appointments, greeting patients, preparing effective written communications, and transcribing chart notes. The student will be introduced to the procedures for preparing and organizing patient’s charts and the financial records of the medical office. Prerequisites: Word Processing and ICD-9-CM.

MD601 MEDICAL OFFICE SPECIALIST INTERNSHIP (8.0 credits/336 clock hours)
The student will work in a professional medical atmosphere under the supervision of experienced professionals to fulfill the requirements of the internship. The experience will provide the student with an opportunity to enhance his/her education, personal skills, and observe the interaction of personnel within an office environment. Prerequisite: As per internship policy.

MD114 MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY I (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
Presentation of medical terms, including medical prefixes, root words/combining forms, suffixes, abbreviations and diagnostic tests as they correlate with specific body systems presented in Anatomy & Physiology I. Prerequisite: None, but taken concurrently with Anatomy & Physiology I.

MD105 MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY II (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
Presentation of medical terms, including medical prefixes, root words/combining forms, suffixes, abbreviations and diagnostic tests as they correlate with specific body systems presented in Anatomy & Physiology II. Prerequisites: Anatomy & Physiology I and Medical Terminology I. Taken concurrently with Anatomy & Physiology II.

MD203 MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION SKILLBUILDING (2.5 credits/60 clock hours)
The student is further introduced to the preparation of medical reports—history and physical exams, operative reports, discharge summaries, consultations, and ancillary department reports. The medical reports are dictated and must be transcribed by the student using proper format and correct punctuation and spelling, helping students to develop their editing and proofreading skills. Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Medical Transcription.

CP212 MICROSOFT OFFICE (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
MS Office XP is an integrated suite of applications providing word processing, spreadsheet capabilities, presentation graphics, and database management. This course will acquaint the student with a broad range of tools and techniques for each application, as well as an understanding of how information is shared between applications. Prerequisite: Computer Fundamentals or Introduction to Computing(Accelerated).

HI106 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (3.5 credits/72 clock hours)
Study of abnormal physiology associated with disease states of the body with emphasis on the nature, cause, diagnostic, treatment and management of prominent clinical disease processes of the body. Diagnostic methods, interpretation of laboratory tests and drug therapies will be included. Prerequisites: Anatomy & Physiology I and II and Medical Terminology I and II.

PD119 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (1.0 credit/24 clock hours)
This course is designed to explore the fundamental building blocks to a student's success in school and ultimate success in the workplace. The focus is on building success through goal setting, motivation, personal responsibility, self-discovery, and change. Prerequisite: None.

MD200 PHARMACOLOGY (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
An introduction to basic pharmacological concepts as it applies to the allied health fields. Various drugs will be presented according to their therapeutic applications. Pertinent physiology and related diseases will be reviewed. Emphasis is placed on current drug therapy. Each drug classification will be discussed in regard to its mechanism of action, main therapeutic effects and adverse reactions produced by the drugs. Prerequisites: Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Medical Terminology I and II, and Pathophysiology.

CD212 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (2.0 credits/30 clock hours)
This course is taken concurrently with the internship. The faculty advisor and the student discuss the student’s progress at the internship site in a group setting and, for specific problems and successes, individually. Weekly reports are submitted and the experiences of the week are reviewed. In addition, classroom instruction may be given to address areas where the interns, faculty, or site supervisors feel additional work is needed. Field trips to explore different business environments and/or to expand knowledge about the area of study may be taken. Prerequisite: Taken concurrently with the internship.

GE224 SPEECH (1.0 credit/24 clock hours)
This introductory course offers fundamentals in communication with emphasis on improving speaking and listening skills. This course will familiarize students with formal speech preparation, presentation skills, and nonverbal communication. Prerequisite: None.

SS103 TELEPHONE & RECEPTIONIST TECHNIQUES (1.0 credit/24 clock hours)
This course is designed to give the student formal training on how to answer the telephone professionally and greet the office visitor in a businesslike manner. Prerequisite: None.

GE125 THE ARTS (2.0 credits/36 clock hours)
This course is a general education elective that is designed to expose the student to the arts through class discussions, opportunities to see and hear representative examples of different forms of the arts, and attendance at artistic events during the term. Prerequisite: None.

WP202 WORD PROCESSING (3.0 credits/60 clock hours)
This course is designed to provide students with the basic understanding of word processing keyboarding applications, concepts, and terminology. The purpose of the course is to develop an ability to use the current version of Microsoft Word for both professional use (simple business correspondence) and for personal use (report writing). Prerequisite: Keyboarding I & Lab or exemption.