Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Programs

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Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Programs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2020) anticipates a 15 percent increase in healthcare-related positions nationally between 2019 and 2029, nearly four times the average growth expected in all professions during that time period (4 percent). For medical assistants specifically, the prospects are even brighter. The BLS (2020) projects a 19 percent explosion in job openings during that same decade. The expected addition of 139,200 medical assistants will continue to shape employment prospects in this field for years to come.

So what do medical assistants do? And what kind of training is necessary to join this high-growth profession? According to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), these professionals typically work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers. They’re responsible for both clinical and administrative tasks, taking on varied responsibilities such as answering phones; managing appointment schedules; maintaining patient records; greeting patients; coding medical information; processing billing and bookkeeping; coordinating services with other healthcare providers; recording medical histories; collecting lab samples; cleaning examination rooms; and doing basic lab tests. Some of these healthcare professionals may even draw blood, administer medication, perform electrocardiograms, remove stitches, discard biohazardous waste, and change wound dressings. These duties vary based on experience, specialized training, certification, and even state of practice.

In an occupational survey of certified medical assistants (CMAs), the AAMA found that people in this field must also uphold confidentiality and respect demographic diversity, paying particular thought to cultural and economic considerations among patients. Here it is important to note a key factor when choosing a medical assistant program: the difference between a clinical and administrative medical assistant. Clinical medical assistant training programs will typically prepare graduates to perform clinical work and to sit for the CMA certification exam. However, there are also administrative medical assistant programs that focus on the administrative tasks required in a medical setting, such as the handling of electronic health records and medical billing. Choosing an administrative program will not prepare students to do clinical work or to become certified as a CMA, so it is critical that applicants choose a program that matches their own career goals.

In both clinical and administrative capacities, medical assistants are invaluable healthcare workers who serve as liaisons between patients and physicians, allaying patient fears and helping doctors perform a variety of tasks.

O*NET—a data organization partnered with the US Department of Labor—found that 65 percent of medical assistants hold post-secondary certificates and 18 percent have associate degrees. Certificates and diplomas are the most common credentials in this occupation, and some seek professional certification through agencies such as the AAMA or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). While professional certification is not necessary for practice in most states, it is becoming increasingly common as a means to enhance one’s employment candidacy, demonstrate specialized knowledge, and even increase one’s salary prospects.

Read on to discover what to expect from an accredited medical assistant program—online or on-campus—as well as to learn more about the bright career outlook and professional certification options for medical assistants.

Medical Assistant Programs

As mentioned above, 65 percent of medical assistants currently hold post-secondary certificates (O*NET June 2016). These programs are typically available at community colleges, technical schools, and vocational schools and take one to two years to complete. Students should verify the accreditation status of their program prior to enrollment, seeking out programs approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), or other qualified agencies. To learn more about the accreditation process, please visit the section below.

In order to gain admission into an accredited medical assistant program, students must submit official high school transcripts with proof of specific prerequisite coursework (e.g., biology, chemistry, algebra, English); write a personal statement; and pay an application fee. Some programs may have additional application requirements such as letters of recommendation, hours of experience in a medical setting, or test scores (e.g., TOEFL test for non-native speakers of English). Here are ten featured medical assistant programs:

• Carrington College: This school has campuses throughout California, including locations in Sacramento, San Jose, San Leandro, Citrus Heights, Stockton, Pleasant Hill, and Pomona. This nine-month associate of science (AS) in medical assisting program is accredited by the CAAHEP. In the initial segment of the program, students learn administrative responsibilities such as accounting, and the final segment imparts the fundamentals of the clinical role of medical assistants. Carrington offers all course textbooks on an iPad mini and provides a variety of student support services such as scholarships, career placement, and tutoring. Notably, this program boasts excellent completion rates. In fact, 98 percent of all Sacramento-based students in 2015 finished this program within 66 weeks.
• McCann School of Business and Technology: McCann provides medical assistant programs throughout Pennsylvania, boasting locations in Allentown, Dickson City, Hazleton, Lewisburg, and Pottsville. There are two CAAHEP-accredited program options: a 12-month clinical medical assistant diploma or an 18-month medical assistant associate degree in specialized business. Courses in each of these programs include medical law & ethics, pharmacology, and clinical medical assisting. The associate program has more advanced training in medical office systems, medical insurance & medical computer applications, and other administrative courses. Finally, McCann provides lifetime career assistance with services such as such as externship placement, course refreshers, and career management workshops.
• Coffeyville Community College: The Kansas-based medical assistant associate degree program typically takes two years to complete. With both administrative and clinical training, classes include medical professional issues, patient care, clinical laboratory diagnostics, pharmacology for allied health, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, phlebotomy essentials, and emergency preparedness. Students also complete a medical assistant externship at a nearby clinic to put their newfound abilities into practice.
• Lakeland Community College: Based in Kirtland, OH, this school offers a 12-month certificate in medical assisting. Courses include introduction to the US healthcare system, basic electrocardiography, and blood collection techniques. The program begins in the fall each year and during the summer, students wrap up their didactic learning with an externship at an affiliated clinic. A part-time program is also available which generally takes two years to complete. Upon graduation, students should be eligible to sit for the clinical medical assistant (CMA) certification exam through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

• Moore Norman Technology Center: Based in Norman, OK, this 1,185-hour diploma program is available to high school seniors and adults. Students spend 30 hours studying medical law and ethics, 120 hours on anatomy & physiology, and 45 hours on medical terminology. They also learn about medical insurance and coding, medical informatics, and medical assistant pharmacology. The program wraps up with a 165-hour externship, allowing students to put their fresh skills to work at a clinical site. Students interested in advancing their education may be able to transfer 38 credits over to Oklahoma City Community College toward an associate of applied science (AAS) degree.
• South Hills School of Business and Technology: The associate degree program in administrative medical assisting is available at both the Altoona and State College campuses in central PA. Focusing more on the administrative side of the occupation, students learn about medical administrative skills, medical transcription, insurance forms, and coding. In addition to the office skills, students also learn anatomy & physiology, pathophysiology, and applied psychology. The program’s final term has a 378-hour internship, as well as an administrative medical assistant (AMA) certification prep-course.
• Healing Touch Career College: With campus sites in Jackson and Hattiesburg, MS, students enrolled in this medical assistant certificate program learn anatomy, phlebotomy, electrocardiology, medical law & ethics, medical terminology, pathophysiology, and psychology. Additionally, students gain hands-on administrative skills, including front office procedures, data entry, and medical insurance management. In the fast track option, students can complete the program in under 41 weeks.
• Bryant & Stratton College: With locations across NY in Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, and Rochester, Bryant & Stratton offers an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in medical assisting. Students learn how to communicate in a healthcare setting with training in physiology, medication administration, terminology, and pathophysiology. Specific courses include clinical procedures, healthcare reimbursement & billing, pharmacology, medical office procedures, and computing skills.

List Of Some Medical Assistant Schools

SCHOOL	CITY	STATE	WEBSITE	GRADS (2018)
Vista College	El Paso	Texas	vistacollege.edu	772
Charter College	Vancouver	Washington	www.chartercollege.edu	739
ECPI University	Virginia Beach	Virginia	www.ecpi.edu	595
Ivy Tech Community College	Indianapolis	Indiana	www.ivytech.edu	563
ASA College	Brooklyn	New York	www.asa.edu	350
Hunter Business School	Levittown	New York	hunterbusinessschool.edu	325
Allen School-Jamaica	Jamaica	New York	www.allenschool.edu	321
Unitek College	Fremont	California	www.unitekcollege.edu	306
Allen School-Brooklyn	Brooklyn	New York	www.allenschool.edu	295
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson	Tucson	Arizona	pmi.edu	289

Online Medical Assistant Programs

• Rasmussen university – online
• Purdue university global
• Penn foster

For some students with professional, familial, or other commitments, attending an on-campus program can be difficult. Fortunately there’s also a range of online and hybrid medical assisting programs which combine online coursework with in-person clinical training at approved local sites. Here are five featured online and hybrid medical assistant programs:

• San Francisco State University (SFSU): This online professional development certificate prepares students to become clinical medical assistants (CMAs). Distance-based instruction includes units in clinical responsibilities of the medical office, patient preparation, patient confidentiality & HIPAA, recording of vital signs, administration of medications, and laboratory procedures. Boasting 24/7 instructor mentoring, engaging course content, and clinical externship placement, SFSU’s online program is a standout option for aspiring medical assistants.
• Minnesota State Community and Technical College: This 60-credit associate of applied science (AAS) in medical assisting degree emphasizes employment-ready preparation. With online classes such as healthcare record preparation & management, diagnosis & procedure coding, patient registration procedures, and medical office management skills, this broad-based program imparts the administrative and clinical foundations of effective medical assistance.
• Harrison College: This school provides both diplomas and AAS degrees in this field, although the only hybrid program option is the 62-credit hour diploma. The program combines a hands-on clinical practicum and classes such as medical law & ethics, basic insurance, medical office software, and career development. An impressive 75 percent of Harrison’s graduates passed one of the varied medical assistant exams after completing the program.
• San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC): With both certificate-level and associate degree programs available, SJVC’s medical assistant career preparation has advanced instruction in medical office procedures, medical administrative practices, first aid, CPR, phlebotomy theory, and patient care. Students must also complete a 180-hour externship where clinical mentors sign off on fundamental front- and back-office skills. The certificate program lasts seven months, and the associate of science (AS) program lasts 14 months. Notably, SJVC pays for students to sit for one certification exam through organizations such as the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
• North Seattle College: In its hybrid certificate program, North Seattle College features multidisciplinary training in the administrative and clinical capacities of medical assistants. This school has classes such as healthcare & critical thinking, HIV & AIDS, front office basics, patient care, and disease & pathology for medical assistants. Please note that this school also has an 86-credit associate of applied science (AAS) degree in medical assisting.

SCHOOL	CITY	STATE	WEBSITE	GRADS (2018)
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia	Visalia	California	www.sjvc.edu	1182
Florida Technical College	Orlando	Florida	www.ftccollege.edu	536
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale	Fort Lauderdale	Florida	www.keiseruniversity.edu	440
Purdue University Global-Davenport	Davenport	Iowa	www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations	211
Rasmussen College-Minnesota	St. Cloud	Minnesota	rasmussen.edu	175
Rasmussen College-Illinois	Rockford	Illinois	rasmussen.edu	170
Carrington College-San Jose	San Jose	California	carrington.edu	169
Ross College-Sylvania	Sylvania	Ohio	www.rosseducation.edu	163
Rasmussen College-Florida	Ocala	Florida	rasmussen.edu	161
Independence University	Salt Lake City	Utah	www.independence.edu	156

Core & Elective Courses For Medical Assistants

There’s a wide variety of accredited medical assistant programs. According to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA June 2016), educational programs which qualify students for professional certification typically involve instruction in the following areas:

• Anatomy, physiology & pathology
• Medical terminology
• Computer skills
• Bookkeeping
• Medical coding, insurance processing & electronic records
• Lab techniques
• Clinical & diagnostic procedures
• Pharmacology
• Medication administration
• Basic first aid
• CPR
• Office practices & communication
• Patient relations & confidentiality
• Medical law & ethics

Additionally, most programs require a supervised internship or externship with hands-on training. These experiences may be administrative, clinical, or a combination of both. On-campus programs generally have these opportunities at preceptor sites nearby the campus. Online programs may require students to seek out approved sites close to their homes, or in some cases, this empirical training occurs at the student’s place of employment. Prior to enrolling in any program, prospective students are encouraged to speak with coordinators, instructors, and admissions offices to ensure that their educational program is suited to their career goals.

medical assistant programs online

100% Online. Take classes on your phone. Study any time. Go at your own pace. Program can be completed in as little as 4 months. Start Today! Medical Assistants are the core of any healthcare business, including hospitals and doctors’ offices. As a graduate from this online Medical Assistant school, you will take vital signs, assist doctors and nurses, and work with patient records. The medical field is growing rapidly and so are the job opportunities for Medical Assistants. Your medical assistant training will make you an important part of the healthcare team.

Prepare for your Medical Assistant Certification

In addition to earning your Medical Assistant Certificate through U.S. Career Institute, we help prepare you to become a Certified Medical Assistant. Our medical assistant program is designed to prepare you for nationally recognized Medical Assistant Certification Exams. Certification exams are administered by independent third parties. You are not required to take a certification exam, however, taking this additional step can help you market yourself to potential employers and validate your Medical Assisting knowledge.

Medical Assistant Certification Exams you are eligible to take, and we recommend upon graduating from our certificate program include the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam and the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) both offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Why Choose Medical Assisting?

Healthcare is huge! The ever-increasing number of patients and hospital admissions is driving growth in healthcare services. It takes a lot of support to provide quality care for so many people.

Employment in the fast-growing Medical Assistant field offers you a wide range of opportunities for excitement, fulfillment and advancement. Every physician’s office, hospital, outpatient facility, medical laboratory and nursing care facility needs men and women who know what it takes to help patients, handle records and assist doctors and nurses with the utmost in caring and service. So whether you want a career as Medical Assistant in a hospital, doctor’s office, governmental facility or laboratory, this online Medical Assistant school program will start you on the road to your medical assisting dream job in the dynamic, in-demand healthcare industry.

As a Medical Assistant, you’ll be a well-respected professional playing a crucial role in the world of healthcare. You will meet fascinating people and find great satisfaction working side-by-side with doctors, nurses and physician assistants. Plus, you can earn up to $35,850 a year* as an experienced Medical Assistant!

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What You’ll Learn During Your Online Medical Assistant Training

Our online Medical Assistant program is now available with Electronic or Hard Copy Lesson Books!

• Medical Terminology
• Introduction to Anatomy
• First Aid Procedures
• Preparing Patients for Exams
• Minor Surgical Procedures
• Preparing and Administering Medications
• Medical Insurance 101
• Front Office Procedures
• Patient Therapies
• Pharmacology
• Communication Skills
• Bookkeeping Techniques

Medical Assistant Course That Fits Your Life

Medical Assistant Program Tuition and Financing

We strive to ensure our online Medical Assistant course is both flexible and affordable. This is why we offer low, monthly payment options for every student. We are committed to providing you with a high-quality education at an affordable price. Make an investment in yourself today!

Join the thousands who have trained with U.S. Career Institute. Get started on your online medical assistant program today and be ready to work in as little as four months!