Medical Assisting
The Medical Assisting Program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology will provide students instruction to prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
The Medical Assisting Program prepares students for high demand medical office positions including front and back office positions. Graduates are eligible to take the Certified Medical Assistant examination offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants.
The program will provide students with a knowledge base that includes anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, medical billing and coding, medical office assessments and procedures, patient care and education. Medical Assistants are highly versatile professionals in both clinical and administrative realms.
Additional Medical Assisting Program Information
General Admission Information
- Entry into the Medical Assisting program requires completion of LWTech's general online application.
- Passing a background check.
Demands of the Medical Assistant
Cognitive Demands
Medical Assistants must have sufficient cognitive skills to be able to analyze, calculate, reason, evaluate, effectively communicate, and engage in critical thinking processing within the complex and demanding realm of patient care. Medical Assistants, as part of the health care team, must be able to gather and process information rapidly in an ever-changing environment, with multiple demands made of them.
Behavioral and Emotional Demands
Medical Assistants must be able to maintain mature, professional, sensitive, and effective relationships with others while effectively communicating and providing service to their patients. Health care can be an emotionally demanding occupation, and graduate medical assistants must be able to perform their duties under a great deal of stress, while responding to ever changing demands.
Communication Skills
As an essential component of providing patient care, the Medical Assistant will do a great deal of talking, interpreting, and responding to verbal and nonverbal communications, gathering and processing pertinent data, interviewing patients, using the telephone as well as performing a variety of written and electronic communication, receiving, and responding to verbal orders from providers, and must be able to prioritize and perform many concurrent tasks.
English Language Competency
United States health care members primarily communicate in English; thus, Medical Assistants must be able to proficiently communicate in written, oral and electronic means. The ability to communicate in English is directly related to patient safety, cohesive care amongst various providers and the legal documentation requirements in health care. Most employers value multilingual Medical Assistants.
Physical Demands
Medical Assistants may spend a great deal of their professional day walking, standing, moving, and manipulating equipment, as well as lifting and moving objects, equipment and supplies. It is reasonable to anticipate lifting 20-25 pounds in any given day. The ability to lift up to 40-50 pounds may occasionally be required, depending on the specific type of care provided.
In the performance of certain patient care tasks; the Medical Assistant may be expected to have sufficient manual dexterity to safely perform various skills and techniques. Tasks and expectations may vary by clinical site and medical practice.
Medical Assistants may also be expected to have a level of visual and auditory acuity sufficient to meet the needs of their job tasks. Corrective equipment and devices may enhance the person’s ability to achieve the appropriate level of acuity. (Please see accommodations for disabilities.)
Background Check Requirements
Students accepted into the Medical Assisting program are required to have a national background check and have all immunizations as well as a copy of their insurance card, drivers license, CPR card and a few other things for the program and in order to go out to practicum.
LWTech's Medical Assisting program uses Complio comprehensive tool for student screening, immunizations and compliance. The Complio Screening process is simple and straightforward with just five basic steps to complete. The process should take less than 20 minutes.
Class Schedule
Lake Washington Institute of Technology does not offer every course each quarter. It is the student's responsibility to consult the Class Schedule and work out an individual schedule with an advisor or counselor. Any developmental coursework a student might be required to complete may increase the program length.
Information Sessions
Information sessions provide an overview of the selection process, admission application requirements, and program content and structure. Currently all info sessions are offered via Teams only.
Upcoming Dates and Times
Select the day and time to receive a confirmation email and meeting invitation.
June 7, 2023
12 p.m.
July 12, 2023
10 a.m.
August 2, 2023
10 a.m.
Accreditation
The Lake Washington Institute of Technology Medical Assisting Certificate of Proficiency is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 113th Street N., #7709,
Seminole, FL 33775-7709
(727) 210-2350
Student Completion and Retention Statistics: 2020
- Graduate 2020 Job Placement Rate: 71.05%%
- Graduates must pass one of five exams in order to work in Washington State (RCW 18.360)
- CMA (AAMA): 2020: 93.75% participation with an 88.57% pass rate.
To be eligible for employment, graduates must also take and pass the Certified Medical Assistant (American Association of Medical Assistants) exam.
Explore Careers and Paths in Medical Assisting
Lake Washington Institute of Technology is proud of the many pathway options our students have to complete an Applied Bachelor’s degree, both at LWTech, and at in-state universities and colleges. All degrees, whether DTA/MRP, AAS-T or AAS, can fulfill transfer requirements at multiple institutions thanks to the articulation (transfer) agreements between LWTech and the transfer college.
An applied bachelor's degree can improve your chances in the job market and help you make more money. Employers want graduates with:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Complex problem-solving skills
- Applied knowledge in real-world settings
- A broad (rather than narrow) education
To learn more about transferring to another college or university, please visit our Transferring from LWTech page.
