Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant Certificate

12 months · 36 credits · Blended online/on-campus · 160-hour clinical externship

This undergraduate certificate prepares students for high-speed entry into clinical and administrative healthcare roles. The three-semester program combines foundational clinical skills, diagnostics, phlebotomy, pharmacology, medical law, and healthcare administration for work in private practices, hospitals, correctional health facilities, and forensic medical examiner offices.

Learning Outcomes

• Clinical competency: Perform vital signs, phlebotomy, ECG, injections, and minor surgical assistance safely and accurately.
• Administrative operations: Manage EHRs, billing and coding, reception, scheduling, and insurance claim processing.
• Medical law and ethics: Apply HIPAA, privacy, informed consent, and medical liability principles.
• Infection control: Implement OSHA and CDC standards for asepsis, sterilization, and universal precautions.
• Professional communication: Communicate effectively and culturally competently with patients, families, and care teams.

Admissions Requirements

• High school diploma or GED equivalent with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• High school Biology or an introductory college-level human anatomy/physiology course, or a passing institutional placement assessment.
• Comprehensive criminal background check and 10-panel drug screening upon provisional acceptance.
• Current immunization verification, including Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, Tdap, and annual PPD tuberculosis test or chest X-ray.

Three-Semester Curriculum

Semester 1: Foundations of Healthcare and Administration · 12 credits

• MA 101: Medical Terminology and Anatomy · 3 credits — Medical language, body systems, clinical spelling, pronunciation, and pathology.
• MA 103: Medical Office Administration and EHR · 3 credits — Scheduling, telephone triage, records management, and EHR software.
• MA 105: Medical Law, Ethics, and Compliance · 3 credits — Scope of practice, HIPAA, documentation, and correctional/forensic healthcare legal frameworks.
• MA 107: Clinical Procedures I: Vital Signs and Asepsis · 3 credits — Patient intake, measurements, vital signs, asepsis, sterilization, and exam assistance.

Semester 2: Clinical Competencies and Pharmacology · 15 credits

• MA 201: Pharmacology and Administration of Medications · 3 credits — Drug classifications, dosage calculations, routes, and medication safety.
• MA 203: Clinical Procedures II: Diagnostics and Lab Work · 4 credits — Phlebotomy, specimen collection, urinalysis, POCT, and 12-lead ECG.
• MA 205: Clinical Procedures III: Specialties and Minor Surgery · 4 credits — Specialty care, sterile fields, minor surgery assistance, and wound care.
• MA 207: Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Clinical Practice · 4 credits — Disease processes, clinical manifestations, diagnostics, and pharmacological management.

Semester 3: Professional Development and Externship · 9 credits

• MA 301: Medical Billing, Coding, and Insurance · 3 credits — CPT and ICD-10-CM coding, insurance claims, and revenue cycle management.
• MA 303: Seminar in Professional Practice and Certification Prep · 2 credits — Certification preparation, career readiness, and OSHA/BLS/CPR workplace safety.
• MA 305: Clinical Externship · 4 credits — 160 supervised contact hours in an ambulatory, hospital, urgent care, or institutional healthcare setting.

Tuition and Costs

• Tuition: $16,200 ($450 per credit × 36 credits)
• Institutional program fee: $1,200
• Laboratory and supplies fee: $850
• Technology and EHR license fee: $300
• Total direct institutional costs: $18,550
• Estimated indirect costs: $1,145–$1,345 for textbooks, uniforms/equipment, background check and drug screen, immunizations/physical exam, and certification exam fee.
• Estimated total program investment: $19,695–$19,895

Financial Aid and Payment

• Interest-free monthly institutional payment plans across the 12-month program, with an initial registration deposit.
• Potential state and federal workforce development funding, including WIOA, based on location and eligibility.
• GI Bill® and military education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Private student loan options through accredited lenders specializing in short-term allied health certificate financing.

Professional Certification Pathway

Graduates are eligible to sit for nationally recognized certification examinations, including CMA (AAMA), RMA (AMT), CCMA (NHA), and NCMA (NCCT).

View or download the 12-Month Medical Assistant Certificate Program Plan (PDF)