I will be available before class (if you let me know) and after class. I can also meet in person with you in my office on the West Campus. Please feel free to email me, or I will provide a link to Remind so that you can text me.
If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.
Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.
If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.
As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc
Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.
Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016
Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.
NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.
The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students. If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .
MDCA-1165-002 Practicum - Administrative
Practical, general workplace training supported by an individualized learning plan developed by the employer, college and student.
Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website
Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:
Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:
Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me
You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.
(1 sem hr; 10 practicum)
Clinical
None
Notebook for Practicum
Steno pad for notes
COURSE GOALS:
To give the student the on-hands experience under the supervision of a practicum supervisor in a working environment enabling the student to put to use the applications they have learned while exhibiting a degree of professionalism.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of each practicum site experience, the student should have met the following through their work experience and by evaluation of the program's faculty:
Developed an awareness of how the following areas affect the student personally and how these areas affect the work situation:
A. Personal appearance
B. Work attitude and cooperation
C. Punctuality
D. Work initiative
E. Patient/client awareness specifically involving appointments and or telephone conversations.
• Discover several beneficial methods of scheduling patient appointments.
• Develop proper telephone techniques in handling patient appointments, patient inquiries on insurance or statements, and other office procedures such as dealing with sales representatives, ordering statements, and other office procedures such as dealing with sales representatives, ordering supplies, etc.
• Compare the different practicum sites as to checking patients in for their appointments and in checking the patient out after their appointment.
• Perform the proper way to post charges and receipts. If necessary to also correctly perform the duty of balancing the daily business transaction sheets, and if applicable to assist balancing the daily business transaction sheets, and if applicable to assist in any compiling of monthly office reports to the physician.
• Cite the proper method of filing the patient's medical record.
• Properly prepare any new patient charts and to assist in maintaining the correct order of the medical record. This will include any filing that is done within the office setting.
• Explain and correctly perform the necessary insurance form duties. This will include any office coding that is to be done to complete the insurance form and to complete any insurance forms themselves in the proper manner. Medical and dental forms should be assigned to this objective.
• If applicable to keep and maintain any office disease and operation indexes.
• If applicable, to assist in the sending of office statements. This area should assist the student in developing an understanding of the proper way to handle past due accounts and any patient accounts that have been turned over to a credit collection agency. Review should also follow for the student of Texas state law on release of patient information, etc.
• If applicable, the student may observe any physician clinical work while seeing patients.
• Properly prepare any necessary office transcription, this will include office progress notes, referring physician letters, patient correspondence and/or any other business letter transactions.
• Any other assigned duties that are specialized by practicum site
In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .
If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".
Student Responsibility:
The student must notify:
• The practicum supervisor of the practicum site and the course instructor for any reason for non-attendance by 8:00 a.m. of the day missed. You may email or text the course instructor.
You must speak directly to the practicum supervisor. If the student is unable to reach the practicum supervisor keep trying until you speak to her/him. Do not leave a message on a machine.
The student will need to leave a voicemail message on the course instructor’s office telephone and also send an email to the course instructor after contacting the practicum supervisor. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action by the course instructor and the program director.
• All absences must be cleared and made-up prior to the end of the practicum assignment. Failure to do so will result in the following grade of "F"
• If a student has an accumulation of three (3) absences, the student’s final grade average will be lowered by one (1) letter grade.
• There will be NO practicum site assignment during the times that the college is not in session. This will include holidays and the appropriate breaks during the summer semester, however, if a student is missing hours in order to complete the course, arrangements will be made to make up the missed time.
PRACTICUM CONDUCT:
All students are expected to exhibit a high degree of professionalism during their practicum session while at their respective practicum sites.
The student will abide by all facility policies and will not cause any disruption of the patient care/office areas while in training.
The practicum facility supervisor can suspend the student from the practicum site for "just cause" until corrective action has been taken by college/program officials.
If a student is dismissed from the practicum site, the student MAY BE dismissed from the Clinical Medical Assistant program.
PRACTICUM SITE & HOURS:
Each student will be assigned to a practicum site by the course instructor.
This assignment is for the duration of the student's practicum training.
Practicum hours will be announced at the beginning of the practicum assignment and will be adhered to by the student and facility.
The student will complete 160 clock hours of practicum.
The student will have 8 weeks to complete the practicum.
The student should plan to be at the practicum site a minimum of 16 hours per week.
PRACTICUM DRESS CODE:
All students will be expected to arrive at the practicum site by presenting an appearance worthy of an Allied Health Professional. This will involve the following areas:
1. Clothing and shoes are to be neat and clean at all times.
2. Gaudy makeup will not be allowed. No perfumes.
3. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. NO FACE JEWELRY ALLOWED. NO TONGUE JEWELRY.
4. Hair must be neat and clean.
5. Amarillo College Name tags should be worn at all times.
6. The student will wear scrubs that have been approved by the Clinical Medical Assistant Program.
Students who are in violation of any one of these codes will not be permitted to remain in the practicum site facility until the violation has been and is corrected.
Students will be expected to make up the time to correct any violations.
Withdrawing from a Course:
It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. Failure to officially withdraw may result in the student receiving a grade of "F" in the course. In order to withdraw from a course the student will need to officially notify the course instructor by email.
Students are not automatically dropped from their class roles as a result of nonattendance.
Student Grievance Procedure:
A student who has a problem with the course or the course instructor should make every attempt to resolve the problem with the course instructor. If that is not successful, the student may appeal the decision of the instructor to the CMA Program Director, Dean of the Health Sciences Division, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the President - IN THAT ORDER. Please refer to the current Amarillo College catalog for a complete explanation of the grievance procedures.
Cellular Telephones & Pagers:
Cell phones are and can be disruptive during the practicum Telephones must be turned off during the practicum with the exception of emergency personnel. Cell phones must either be turned off or set to vibrate during class/practicum time. Please notify the course instructor in writing if you fall in this category, otherwise, failure to comply will result in you being asked to leave the practicum site for that day. You may check your cell phone on breaks and during your lunch break. You will still be responsible for the practicum hours that you miss.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of the college rules & regulations & is punishable as prescribed by Amarillo College Board policies. Academic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. “Cheating on a test” shall include:
“Plagiarism” shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work.
“Collusion” shall be defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for the fulfillment of course requirements.
Method of Instruction: In-service (on the job) training; practicum.
Methods of Evaluation: Completion of competency evaluation form by each practicum site supervisor. (Grade will be assigned by the course instructor by the following format). Practicum evaluation, procedure manual, academic journal, and exit examination.
EVALUATION METHOD:
PRACTICUM COMPETENCY:
To assist the course instructor in determining a student's competency level in the practicum area, the practicum site supervisor will maintain a record of their assisted and unassisted procedures. The student will be evaluated and graded by the practicum site supervisor. The student will be able to discuss their practicum evaluation with the course instructor..
The practicum evaluation is worth 55% of the student's final grade.
Weekly timesheet and preceptor evaluation is worth 25% of the student's final grade.
ACADEMIC JOURNAL: Worth 20% of the student's final grade.
A video journal will be required to be kept by each practicum student during the time that they are assigned to a practicum site.
This is not to be a diary but rather an assignment in the skill of critical thinking through writing.
The student should have each entry dated and explain what the student was assigned in the practicum site for that day.
Giving details of the assignment and what the practicum supervisor expected of the student and what the student learned from the assignment.
This journal is due weekly.
This journal is a mandatory assignment and failure to complete the assignment will result in a drop of one letter grade deduction in the overall grade for this course.
See the AC Connect web site for more information or contact Student Help Center @ 371-5992 for assistance or you may call AskAC @ (806) 371-5000.
Hours for Student Help Center: (Technical Help)
Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 9:00pm.
Fridays are from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Hours for AskAC:
Monday – Thursday from 7:00am to 9:00pm.
Fridays are from 7:00am to 5:00pm.
If the student does not have a computer, the student may take the exit examination at the Lynn Library (Washington Street Campus) or any facility that has Internet access.
The exit examination will be taken through AC Connect Online.
The student will login through AC homepage. - www.actx.edu
The student will look for the course titled “Practicum”.
The dates for the exam availability are listed at the end of the syllabus.
If the student has trouble with their Internet provider in losing access to the Internet then go to another facility to take the exit examination.
REMEMBER: The exit examination is a timed exam. Once the exit exam has begun the time will continue to pass, even if your internet connection fails.
It would be in the best interest of the student to take the exit exam as early as possible.
Students who wait until the last minute to complete the exam have frequently encountered problems and therefore have not completed the exam successfully.
IF A STUDENT MISSES THE SCHEDULED TIME FOR ONE OF THE EXIT EXAMS, THE STUDENT WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO (0) FOR THAT EXAM.
REMEMBER THE STUDENT WILL HAVE 2 ATTEMPTS TO PASS THE EXIT EXAM.
THE BEST GRADE WILL BE RECORDED.
The Exit Examination will be worth 25% of the final grade.
Practicum Competency Evaluation = 55% of the final grade
Weekly Evaluation and Time Sheet = 10% of the final grade
Weekly Journal Entry = 10% of the final grade
Exit Examination = 25% of the final grade
Grades will be based on the following scale:
90.0 - 100 = A
80.0 - 89.9 = B
70.0 - 79.9 = C
69.9 or less = F
If a student fails any part of this course, then the student must make arrangements with the course instructor and the program director to repeat the course in its entirety.
No final grades will be rounded in this course.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
"Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend the practicum / class." Any student who is chronically late to practicum or leaves early or is absent more than 3 times during the course may earn a failing final course grade.
Practicum Hours will be Tuesday and Thursday 8:00am to 5:00pm and Friday from 8:00 to 12:00pm unless otherwise arranged with the course instructor.
Calendar is subject to change:
Week 1 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 2 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 3 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 4 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 5 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 6 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 7 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
Week 8 Journal Entry/Assignment of duties & tasks by practicum site supervisor
The student is to have completed 160 clock hours at the practicum site, academic journal, practicum timesheet, evaluation forms from the practicum site supervisor to the course instructor.
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10/22/23 8:46 PM