Medical assistant programs can help you get started in the healthcare field as a professional who can help patients and keep the office running smoothly.
For your studies, you could choose an MA certificate program, or you could opt for an associate degree in the field. Either course of study could get you started on a fulfilling career path in this growing line of work.
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Read on to take a look at the options and decide which is right for you.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
If you want to become a medical assistant (MA), there are two main college tracks that could help get you there. The options are to earn a college certificate in medical assistant studies or to get a medical assistant associate degree.
Select the program that most interests you to jump to that section of the guide:
Exploring your options may help you determine which academic path is right for you.
Online Medical Assistant Associate Degree Programs
An associate degree is an undergraduate college degree. It’s often considered a two-year program. If you choose to get an online medical assistant associate degree, you could have a solid foundation on which to build your career or continue your education.
In an associate degree program, you’ll take a mix of healthcare-focused classes and general education courses. The general education component of your studies sets the associate degree apart from shorter medical assistant programs. It also makes your degree more transferrable into bachelor’s degree programs.
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Your course of study may include classes in medical terminology, health records, and office administration. You can learn clinical skills for working with patients, and you’ll engage in lab activities. The general education courses might cover subjects like math, writing, psychology, and speech.
There will probably be an externship as well. During that portion of your studies, you’ll get to work in a healthcare facility and practice your medical assistant skills among patients and healthcare staff.
Online Medical Assistant Certificate Programs
Like an associate degree program, a medical assistant certificate program will introduce you to the fundamental skills needed in this field. It’s not the same as an associate degree, though.
The most notable difference is that you won’t graduate with a college degree. Instead, with an on-campus or online medical assistant certification program, you’ll hold a certificate, which demonstrates your expertise in one particular field. Unlike college degree programs, certificate programs don’t usually include many general education classes. Instead, the course offerings focus on the topic of medical assisting. Every class is designed to prepare you for that career.
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As in an associate degree program, you’ll study office procedures, patient examinations, treatment techniques, and data management. You’ll learn how to speak with patients, take their vitals, and help with procedures. There will be lab sessions too.
An externship is a common component of certificate programs. Through training in a local medical facility, you can prepare to enter the workforce as a competent professional.
Medical Assisting Careers & Salaries
Studying medical assisting could help you get started in a variety of healthcare-related careers. The most obvious option is to work as a medical assistant.
Common workplaces for medical assistants include doctor’s offices, outpatient care centers, and hospitals. The job responsibilities might include basic patient care as well as administrative duties, such as recording data and scheduling appointments.
Other healthcare positions may be available to you as well. Examples include being an EKG technician, a phlebotomy technician, or a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Some of those jobs may require a bit more education, or you might need to hold industry certification.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare support jobs have a median annual salary of $29,880.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $60,570 |
| Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars | $55,560 |
| Health and Medical Insurance Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $50,490 |
| Medical Records Specialists | $46,660 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $37,450 |
| Phlebotomists | $37,380 |
| Medical Assistants | $37,190 |
| General Office Clerks | $37,030 |
| Nursing Assistants and Orderlies | $30,290 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $29,430 |
Starting as a medical assistant could make it easier to transition into some of these other career paths, but additional education or certification may be required.
If you’d like to transition into a healthcare role that doesn’t require as much formal training, you could look into being an orderly, a home health aide, or a personal care aide. Jobs may be available with hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare agencies.
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The administrative skills learned in MA school could be useful in other secretarial or clerical jobs, especially in the healthcare field. For example, you could work as a medical secretary in the front office of a physician’s practice. Medical records could be another field to branch into.
As a medical records specialist or a health information technologist, you could do billing, coding, or data management. An additional career option would be working for an insurance company as a medical claims examiner.
Medical Assistant Curriculum & Courses
Whether you earn a certificate or a degree, you will take a series of courses that help prepare you for the responsibilities of a medical assistant.
Your classes might include:
- Billing and Coding: You’ll learn about the classification systems for coding diagnoses and procedures, and you’ll also find out about submitting paperwork and communicating with insurance companies.
- Clinical Skills: It’s important for you to learn how to take patients’ vital signs, conduct basic medical tests, and keep exam rooms sanitary.
- Human Anatomy and Physiology: Healthcare professionals should know about the parts of the body and how they work together.
- Introduction to Pharmacology: Studies in this class will focus on different types of drugs, how they work, and what conditions they treat.
- Lab Tests: You’ll study various laboratory techniques for collecting and analyzing patients’ lab specimens.
- Life-Saving Fundamentals: In this class, you’ll learn first aid and CPR, and you may become certified in both by the end of the session.
- Medical Terminology and Communication: In addition to learning words and phrases used in healthcare settings, you’ll also learn how to communicate effectively with coworkers, patients, insurance companies, and more.
- Medical Offices: You can study how to work in a medical office and take care of tasks like booking appointments and maintaining files.
- Patient Data: This course will teach you how to record patients’ information using electronic health records software.
- Privacy Law: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) will be a key area of focus in this class.
Several of these classes may include lab sessions, and you’ll probably complete an externship as well.
Admissions Requirements
The requirements for admission are usually pretty similar for both certificate and associate degree programs.
They may include:
- Application form and the accompanying fee
- High school transcripts or GED certificate
- Standardized test scores, such as the ACT or SAT (not required at all colleges)
- Writing sample, such as an essay about your career goals
You may also be asked to meet with an admissions counselor or take an entrance exam before you can begin your college classes.
Medical Assisting Programs Accreditation
If you want a respected school that educates students well, it’s essential to choose one that holds regional accreditation. Accrediting agencies verify that colleges are doing their job—providing an education and creating a supportive environment for students—in a way that meets accepted standards.
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Both employers and other schools appreciate regional accreditation. Accredited classes may help you become industry-certified, get hired for a job, transfer credits to another school, or transfer your work into a follow-up degree program.
Medical Assistant Licensure and Certifications
States don’t typically license medical assistants, but employers often want to hire candidates who are fully prepared for the job. Professional certification will attest to your competence as a medical assistant.
Several organizations have national certification programs for medical assistants. Examples include:
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA): Offered by American Association of Medical Assistants
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA): Offered by American Medical Technologists
- National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA): Offered by National Center for Competency Testing
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA): Offered by National Healthcareer Association
Some employers prefer one certification or another, but others are less particular.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
There’s financial aid available to help qualifying students pay for medical assistant schooling. Before starting a medical assisting program, you can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You might learn that you can get grants or loans to help pay for your studies. You can check with your state, too, to see if it offers similar programs.
Of course, government assistance isn’t the only option for tuition help. There are many scholarship programs for college students too. You might explore scholarship opportunities from your college, a membership organization, or a national healthcare association. Even your workplace might help you pay for college classes. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement as an employee benefit.
What Is the Fastest Medical Assistant Program Online?
The quickest medical assistant online programs claim that students can finish in just 1 month or 2 months. On the other hand, it may be worth looking into a slightly longer program if you want a more robust education.
Most accredited programs take at least 6 months to complete. Full-time online medical assistant degrees may take up to 2 years. By committing more time to your studies, you can count on receiving thorough classroom lessons. Plus, you should have plenty of time for an externship.
Is Medical Assisting a Good Career?
Yes, medical assisting is a good career for many professionals. Medical assistants get to help other people, especially those who are sick or hurting.
Being a medical assistant could also help you bring in a reliable salary. Most in this profession earn at least $29,070 per year, while top earners bring in $48,170 or more (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Plus, you might also be able to branch into other lines of work. For example, your skills might be useful in phlebotomy, EKG testing, or medical records—all lines of work that typically bring in higher salaries than medical assisting.
What Can You Do with a Medical Assistant Degree?
A medical assistant online certificate program primarily trains students to work as medical assistants. That job involves helping with patient care and office work in medical facilities, such as doctor’s offices. Being a medical claims examiner is another job that’s related to MA training. Health insurance companies are the most likely to hire for that role. There might also be the option of working in medical records.
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, passing a certification exam could show that you’re ready for that field. Becoming a home health aide, a medical secretary, or a medical administrative assistant could be another good fit.
How Long Is Medical Assistant School?
If you do a medical assistant certificate program online, it will probably take you between 8 months and 1 year to finish it. That time would include both the coursework and the externship.
For an online associate degree program, it may take you between 1 and 2 years to complete. On-campus programs often take 2 full years, but year-round courses and accelerated schedules can make online studies go faster. These are common program lengths at regionally accredited schools. Unaccredited programs may be significantly shorter, but they offer less guarantee of a quality education.
What’s the Difference Between a Medical Assistant vs. CNA?
You may want to work in healthcare so that you can help patients. So, should you become a medical assistant or a CNA?
| Medical Assistant (MA) | Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) |
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Because the educational programs for these jobs are fairly short, you might even choose to do both.
Is It Worth Becoming a Medical Assistant?
Yes, becoming a medical assistant is worth it for many professionals. If you become a trained and certified medical assistant, you may have job opportunities in doctor’s offices, outpatient facilities, and hospitals.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job opportunities for medical assistants will grow by 16% over the next decade. That’s a significantly higher growth rate than is expected for all job categories in general during that period. Also, a medical assistant training program can help equip you with diverse skills, both administrative and clinical. That could help you branch into a variety of related careers.
Universities Offering Online Associates and Certificate in Medical Assisting Programs
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
At Barton Community College, students can earn a Certificate or an Associate in Applied Science for Medical Assistants. The AAS requires 64 credit hours of coursework, and the certificate requires 43. The program culminates with an internship in an ambulatory healthcare setting.
Barton Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The College of Lake County offers both a Certificate and an Associate in Applied Science with options in Medical Assisting. The certificate can typically be completed in 1 year of full-time study, and the AAS degree can usually be completed in 2 years. The program seeks to prepare students for the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant Exam.
The College of Lake County is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Dakota College at Bottineau offers both a Certificate and an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting. The certificate seeks to prepare students for the Nationally Certified Medical Assistant exam. The AAS aims to prepare students for the Registered Medical Assistant exam. Coursework can be completed online, but students must also participate in a 180 hour cooperative education experience.
Dakota College at Bottineau is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Davenport University’s Certificate in Medical Assisting can typically be completed in just 1 year, and its Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting can usually be completed in 2 years. Classes can be taken online or at two different campus locations. The program also includes a practicum, which must be done in person.
Davenport University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Goodwin University offers both a Certificate and an Associate in Medical Assisting. Students must meet the requirements for the certificate first and then may go on to the associate degree program. Flexible online scheduling options are available, and the program can typically be finished in 12 to 16 months.
Goodwin University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Herzing University’s online medical assisting program offers the opportunity to earn either a diploma or an associate degree in medical assisting. Students can choose to study full-time or part-time. Classes are designed to be flexible and allow students to work at their own pace. Students in the program can gain hands-on experience through labs and externships.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Liberty University’s School of Health Sciences offers programs online, including both a Medical Office Assistant Certificate and an Associate of Applied Science. All of Liberty’s classes are taught from a Christian perspective. Coursework includes Medical Office Coding, Medical Terminology, and Medical Office Billing and Bookkeeping.
Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Mount Wachusett Community College offers a Medical Assisting Associate degree program. It aims to prepare students for RMA, CCMA, and NCMA credentialing exams. Potential courses include Medical Law and Ethics, Medical Terminology and the Body Systems, Medical Administrative Procedures, and Principles of Pharmacology.
MWCC is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
San Joaquin Valley College offers a Certificate of Completion and an Associate of Science in Medical Assisting. The curriculum seeks to teach hands-on skills that are applicable in the real world, such as how to prepare patients for exams and maintain patient records. Classes may be taken online and at multiple campus locations.
San Joaquin Valley College is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
State Fair Community College offers a Skills Certificate in Medical Assisting, a Professional Certificate in Medical Assisting, and an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting. The Skills Certificate requires 18.5 credit hours, the Professional Certificate requires 34 credit hours, and the AAS requires 61 credit hours. Students must come to campus once a week for labs.
SFCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Getting Your Medical Assistant Training Online
You may be closer than you think to starting a healthcare career. By going through medical assistant school, you could be certified and ready to apply for jobs in 2 years or less.
Either a certificate program or an associate degree program would provide the educational background for this line of work. Online schooling is available for both certificates and degrees. There are regionally accredited programs that offer a robust education and plenty of career preparation.
You can start browsing the selection of accredited MA programs today so that you can apply to the online college that’s right for you.
