School of Health and Sciences - Medical Assisting Program

Certificate (CERT)

About the Program

The Medical Assisting Certificate program at Santa Fe Community College is designed to get you into the workforce after just 12 months of concentrated study and includes a summer internship where you will have an opportunity to gain experience in a clinic or physician's office.

Medical Assistants are multiskilled practitioners who perform a wide range of clinical and administrative tasks in physicians' offices and other health care settings. They often perform administrative duties such as using computers to make patient appointments, billing, maintaining accurate medical records, and greeting patients.

The clinical duties of a medical assistant can include assisting with medical exams, conducting basic laboratory tests, drawing blood, EKG's, preparing patients for X-rays, giving medication and assisting with minor office surgical procedures. Because a medical assistant is often a patient's first contact with a caregiver, medical assistants are important to setting the tone and contributing to the success of the patient's treatment.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Medical Assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2012, as the health services industry continues to expand and diversify.

History / Accreditation:

The Medical Assisting program offered by Santa Fe Community College was initiated in 2007 after being approved by the New Mexico Higher Education Department. The Medical Assisting program is accredited through the nationally recognized Commission for Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

APPLY NOW! Medical Assistant Program Application

Career Opportunities:

A graduate of the Medical Assisting program may qualify for such jobs as:

• Front or Back Office Medical Assistant
• Receptionist
• EKG Technician
• Lab Assistant or Aide
• Blood Donor Technician
• Medical Billing Clerk
• Medical Coder
• Phlebotomist

Medical Assistants frequently work in:

• Doctor's offices
• Walk-in clinics
• Ambulatory centers
• Specialized areas in hospitals

Heidi Weingart, Program Director

Heidi Weingart is a full-time faculty member of the Fitness Education department. She received her B.A. in exercise physiology in 1997 and her M.A. in exercise physiology in 1998, both from the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. Heidi is currently working on her Ph.D. in exercise science at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Her past job experience includes cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation, personal training, corporate wellness, and group exercise leadership.

Heidi has been with SFCC since 2004. She teaches a variety of classes in both the activity and academic arenas of the Fitness Education Center.

Links:

• Find courses in the current catalog
• See the current class schedule