129 | Southwestern Michigan College 2024-2025
Certificate in Medical Assisting
Program Overview
Upon completion of this certificate, students will demonstrate competency in the administrative and clinical skills of an entry-
level medical assistant.
To Learn More About This Program
Contact Shelley Todd at 269-783-2148 or stodd@swmich.edu.
Certificate Requirements
To earn this certificate, students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher, fulfill the course requirements of the program
listed below, and complete a minimum of 21 credit hours. Additionally, each prerequisite course and all MEDA courses must
be completed with a minimum grade of C. Talk to an advisor for specific details.
Course Offerings
This program is part of MWTEC (Michigan Workforce Training and Education Collaboration). Students pursuing this Certificate
in Medical Assisting will complete BIOL 110, SPEE 104, and HEED 101 at their “degree-granting” institution (see * below) and
the other nine (9) courses through Southwestern Michigan College, the “provider” college. The nine courses offered through
the provider college are all online through the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) platform and are charged at a per
credit hour rate established by MWTEC. This rate differs from the Southwestern Michigan College tuition rate. The three
courses offered through the degree-granting institution are charged at the rate set by that institution and offered in the
format available at that institution. For SMC students, that rate would be the set contact hour rate posted on the SMC
website.
Certificate Courses
Course ID Course Credits
*BIOL 110 Human Biology 4 credits
*HEED 101 Medical Terminology 3 credits
HEED 137 Disease Overview 3 credits
HEED 175
Introduction to Electronic
Health Records
3 credits
MEDA 210 MA Clinical Procedures 5 credits
MEDA 211 MA Pharmacology 3 credits
MEDA 212
MA Diagnostic and Lab
Procedures
4 credits
MEDA 220
Medical Office
Administration
3 credits
MEDA 221
Insurance Claims
Processing
3 credits
MEDA 245 Medical Assisting Internship 4 credits
MEDA 251 Medical Assistant Seminar 1 credit
*SPEE 104
Intro to Human
Communication
3 credits
Total Program Credits: 39
130 | Southwestern Michigan College 2024-2025
Additional Notes About the Certificate in Medical Assisting Program
• Three courses below are completed at the degree-granting institution. Nine courses are completed online through
Southwestern Michigan College using Canvas LMS.
• A prerequisite course may be needed prior to enrollment in some courses within this program. Specific prerequisite
requirements are listed in the Course Description section in the Course Catalog.
• All prerequisites must be satisfied with a final grade of C or better.
• This program (i.e., the 9 courses taught online) only begins in the Fall semester.
• This program is subject to change. Students should consult with their advisor for program updates.
Example Course Sequence
The following is a sample of a semester-by-semester approach to completing this program.
FALL SEMESTER
Courses Credits Prerequisites (Minimum Grade of C Required)
BIOL 110 Human Biology 4 credits
ENGL 115, ENGL 103W, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or English test score
(Level 2 or higher); concurrent enrollment in ENGL 115 allowed
HEED 101 Medical Terminology 3 credits
ENGL 115, ENGL 103W, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or English test score
(Level 2 or higher); concurrent enrollment in ENGL 115 allowed
MEDA 210 Clinical Procedures 5 credits
ENGL 115, ENGL 103W, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or English test score
(Level 2 or higher); concurrent enrollment in ENGL 115 allowed
SPEE 104 Intro to Human
Communication
3 credits
ENGL 115, ENGL 103W, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or English test score
(Level 2 or higher); concurrent enrollment in ENGL 115 allowed
SPRING SEMESTER
Courses Credits Prerequisites (Minimum Grade of C Required)
HEED 175 Introduction to Electronic
Health Records
3 credits
HEED 101; ENGL 115, ENGL 103W, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or English test
score (Level 2 or higher); concurrent enrollment in ENGL 115 allowed
MEDA 211 MA Pharmacology 3 credits BIOL 110; HEED 101
MEDA 212 Diagnostic and Lab
Procedures
4 credits BIOL 110; HEED 101
MEDA 220 Medical Office
Administration
3 credits HEED 101
MEDA 221 Insurance Claims Processing 3 credits HEED 101
SUMMER SEMESTER
Courses Credits Prerequisites (Minimum Grade of C Required)
HEED 137 Disease Overview 3 credits
HEED 101; ENGL 115, ENGL 103W, ENGL 103, ENGL 104, or English test
score (Level 2 or higher); concurrent enrollment in ENGL 115 allowed
MEDA 245 Medical Assisting Internship 4 credits MEDA 210; MEDA 211; MEDA 212; MEDA 220; MEDA 221
MEDA 251 Medical Assistant Seminar 1 credit
MEDA 210; MEDA 211; MEDA 212; MEDA 220; MEDA 221; MEDA 245
(concurrent enrollment in MEDA 245 allowed)
