Harper College

MOA Externship Information

Overview

During their final semester in a Medical Office Program, each student is required to complete an externship--the cooperative work experience phase of their training.  A student must complete 160 (160-208) for medical assisting students) supervised contact hours during their externship -- usually for 10-12 hours per week for fifteen weeks to sixteen weeks. The students are allowed to earn more externship hours per week with approval of the program coordinator.

Request Harper Students for Your Site
If you are a site manager and would like to learn more about our program or to request Harper students for your site please contact us.

MOA Externs
All the students are well versed in the concepts of medical law, HIPAA regulations, medical law and ethics and patient confidentiality. Our students are trained in and have become accustomed to following OSHA regulations regarding bodily fluids and blood-borne pathogens. You may have more than one extern in your office depending on your needs.

Education
Students are also required to take (based on which program they are in) anatomy and physiology, human diseases, medical terminology, pharmacology, medical law and ethics classes, clinical classes (medical assistants only), health insurance billing and coding classes, medical office procedure classes and other various classes.

Unpaid Externship / Employment
Externship is a learning experience. The extern cannot be paid while earning externship credit. However, you may employ the student concurrently with an externship. Your office is under no obligation for employment after externship.

Hours
The extern needs to keep regular office hours in order to be supervised, and must have the opportunity to observe and then practice what she/he has been studying. 

Background
Before they are placed in your office all of our students are CPR certified, have had a criminal background check, a physical exam and have completed and updated all their immunizations. Medical assistants also have a urine drug screen.

Insurance
Professional liability insurance coverage for the student is maintained by Harper College throughout the externship. Students provide their own health insurance during their internship.

Areas of Study

The Medical Assistant student is trained in administrative and clinical skills.  We offer a 43-semester credit hour certificate. The Medical Assistant Certificate program at Harper College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB).

Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs (CAAHEP)
25400 US Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
Phone: 727-210-2350
Fax: 727-210-2354
Website: http://www.caahep.org/

Please contact the Program Coordinator for more information on this temporary status or for name(s) and pertinent information regarding the national professional organization(s) affiliated with the programs in the Medical Office Administration department.

The Health Care Office Manager student has preferably had previous health care experience before entering our management program, where orientation is to the business side of the physician's practice.  Computer and people skills are emphasized, as well as personnel training, scheduling and evaluation. We offer a two-year Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS). 

The Health Care Office Assistant student is trained to complete administrative tasks within the front office, as well as insurance, computer and word processing tasks.

 

Last Updated: 3/15/24