Medical Assistant Schools
A medical assistant school can train you for a healthcare career where you can play an integral role as part of a medical team.
This dynamic career lets you perform an extensive range of tasks while working closely with patients and health care professionals. If this kind of work appeals to you, getting an education in medical assisting is a substantial move toward a future you can feel great about!
Medical Assistant Schools
Sponsored Listings
Lincoln Tech
- New Britain
- Shelton
- Marietta (Atlanta)
- Melrose Park
- Indianapolis
- Columbia
- Iselin (Edison)
- Moorestown
- Paramus
- Allentown
- Lincoln
UEI College
- Mesa
- Phoenix
- Bakersfield
- Chula Vista
- Fresno
- Garden Grove
- Gardena
- Huntington Park
- Oceanside
- Ontario
- Reseda
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- Stockton
- West Covina
- Stone Mountain
- Dallas
- Tacoma
United Education Institute
- Morrow, Georgia
- Las Vegas, Nevada
Keiser University
- Clearwater
- Daytona Beach
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Myers
- Jacksonville
- Lakeland
- Melbourne
- Miami
- Naples
- New Port Richey
- Orlando
- Pembroke Pines
- Port St. Lucie
- Sarasota
- Tallahassee
- Tampa
- West Palm Beach
YTI Career Institute
- York, Pennsylvania
Platt College
- Anaheim, California
- Los Angeles, California
- Ontario, California
- Riverside, California
Florida Technical College
- DeLand
- Kissimmee
- Lakeland
- Orlando
- Pembroke Pines
- South Miami
- Tampa
Blake Austin College
- Vacaville, California
Southern California Health Institute
- North Hollywood, California
American Institute
- West Hartford, Connecticut
- Cherry Hill, New Jersey
- Clifton, New Jersey
- Somerset, New Jersey
- Toms River, New Jersey
All-State Career School
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Essington, Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fortis
- Birmingham
- Dothan
- Mobile
- Montgomery
- Orange Park
- Pensacola
- Port St. Lucie
- Atlanta
- Indianapolis
- Baton Rouge
- Landover
- Towson
- Lawrenceville
- Wayne
- Centerville
- Cincinnati
- Columbus
- Cuyahoga Falls
- Scranton
- Columbia
- Cookeville
- Nashville
- Houston North
- Houston South
- Norfolk
- Richmond
Southeastern College
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Columbia, South Carolina
Arizona College
- Glendale, Arizona
- Mesa, Arizona
Charter College
- Anchorage
- Oxnard
- Farmington
- Salt Lake City
- Lacey
- Pasco
- Vancouver
- Yakima
Porter and Chester Institute
- Bridgeport
- Hamden
- New London
- Waterbury
- Brockton
- Chicopee
- Worcester
Rockford Career College
- Rockford, Illinois
Stautzenberger College
- Maumee, Ohio
Lansdale School of Business
- North Wales, Pennsylvania
ECPI University
- Charlotte
- Greensboro
- Charleston
- Columbia
- Greenville
- Manassas (Northern VA)
- Newport News
- Richmond
- Virginia Beach
Carrington College
- Glendale
- Mesa
- Phoenix
- Tucson
- Pleasant Hill
- Sacramento
- San Jose
- San Leandro
- Stockton
- Boise
- Las Vegas
- Reno
- Albuquerque
- Portland
- Spokane
Keiser University's Online Division
- Online to Florida Residents Only
Dorsey College
- Dearborn
- Madison Heights
- Roseville
- Saginaw
- Wayne
- Woodhaven
Eastwick College
- Hackensack, New Jersey
- Nutley, New Jersey
- Ramsey, New Jersey
Southern Technical College
- Auburndale
- Brandon
- Orlando
- Port Charlotte
- Sanford
- Tampa
CareerStep
- Online
Medical Assistant Training Overview
Education Requirements
Although there aren't legal education requirements in every state, many employers will only consider applicants with formal medical assistant training. Therefore, formal training can help you obtain the knowledge and experience valued in the field, whether or not your state requires it. Some states require that you graduate from an accredited program and pass an exam before being allowed to perform certain tasks (such as administering injections and taking X-rays).
Taking biology, anatomy, and chemistry courses in high school can be helpful. They will apply to your career as a medical assistant and may also be prerequisites for your medical assisting training.
What You Can Expect to Learn in a Medical Assistant Program
A medical assistant training program will generally cover three areas of study: administration, clinical skills, and laboratory work.
The administration portion of the curriculum usually includes:
- Medical billing, coding, and insurance processing
- Bookkeeping and basic accounting
- Secretarial duties (greeting patients, scheduling appointments, etc.)
- Computer software applications commonly used in a health care setting
- Patient records management
- Inventory management and purchasing
Clinical training can cover:
- Communicating with patients and educating them on post-treatment requirements as directed by physicians
- Preparing patients for examinations and assisting physicians during procedures
- Preparing and administering medications as per physicians' instructions
- Cleaning wounds and changing dressings
- Removing sutures
- Administering injections
- Taking X-rays and performing electrocardiograms (ECGs)
Laboratory training may include:
- Drawing blood samples
- Handling and processing specimens
- Performing basic laboratory tests
- Standard laboratory protocols
- Understanding laboratory results and accurately communicating them to physicians
Most medical assisting programs also provide theoretical training in anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, medical laws and ethics, and much more. Many medical assisting schools include an internship, externship, or clinical. These opportunities can allow you to gain experience within an off-site healthcare facility, working under the direction of physicians and other healthcare professionals. Plus, some programs will provide preparation training for industry certification examinations.
If you choose a more specialized route, the curricula will vary depending on the specialty. For example, a program designed to help you become an administrative/front office medical assistant will focus most training on administrative skills. A clinical/back office medical assistant program will focus most of the training on the more practical aspects of direct patient care.
How Much is Medical Assistant School?
Generally, tuition at medical assistant schools can range from a few thousand dollars to over $30,000, depending on the school program length and education level.
You should also find out what is covered in a program's tuition. Some may include books and other fees within the overall cost of tuition, while others may charge separately.
Most vocational schools and colleges have a financial aid department to help you research financial aid options and eligibility factors and fill out applications and other paperwork. Common funding sources include federal grants and loans, scholarships, and work-study programs.
How Long is Medical Assistant Training?
Program duration depends entirely upon the type of school and program you choose. For instance, you could complete a short-term certificate from an online career training school in just a few months or up to two years for an associate degree from a university.
However, career-oriented certificate and diploma programs from vocational schools, usually completed within a year, tend to represent the middle ground in length. Vocational career training is a good choice for those who want to enter the field quickly while still receiving theoretical knowledge, practical training, and real-life experience.
Certification Requirements
Although medical assistant certification requirements vary depending on state laws and specific job responsibilities, most medical assistant positions do not require certification by law. However, obtaining certification can be a tremendous asset when searching for employment because it shows employers that you have met the industry's minimum requirements. Pursuing this qualification also shows employers that you are committed to joining this area of health care since successfully gaining certification requires time, effort, and a monetary fee.
You can choose to prepare for the medical assistant certification examination in one of two ways: with study material you've purchased from the certifying organization or through an accredited program.
The following four organizations are accredited to provide certification to medical assistants:
- The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) offers a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential.
- American Medical Technologists (AMT) offers a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential.
- The National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) offers a National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) credential.
- The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) credential.
Each organization has its own unique set of protocols and prerequisites. One may only require that you graduate from an accredited program, whereas another might administer an examination before awarding certification.