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Advance Your

Medical Assistant

Career

INQUIRE TODAY
Ready to begin your career journey or have more questions? Connect with a Professional Development Specialist today!
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28 Weeks

PROGRAM LENGTH

CCMA, CMAA

CERTIFICATIONS

$4,000.00*

Pay in full

TUITION

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ISSUING AUTHORITY

*You can pay as little as $267 per month. For full payment options and different financing plans, including interest rates from external lenders, please talk to our enrollment team.

What Does A Medical Assistant Do?

A truly unique position within the healthcare sector, medical assistants are the Swiss Army Knives of the medical world and are tasked with performing both clerical and clinical duties. 

Successful medical assistants are versatile and able to seamlessly switch from performing admin work to performing hands-on clinical tasks, such as administering medications or cleaning wounds and changing dressings.

And while the duties of a medical assistant are ever-changing and fluctuate greatly depending on that day’s patients and their medical needs, below is a high-level view of the day-to-day responsibilities of a medical assistant.

Responsibilities Can Include:

  • Arranging hospital visits 
  • Billing and bookkeeping
  • Coding insurance documentation
  • Administering medications
  • Caring for wounds and changing dressings
  • Providing medication and diet instructions
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Where Does A Medical Assistant Work?

Medical assistants work alongside physicians in doctors’ offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers and chiropractors’ offices.

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Requirements

High School Diploma or GED

Web browser with internet connection

Course registration & payment

Training Materials Provided

Expert-led video based training

eBooks: Kinn’s Medical Administrative Assistant & Kinn’s Clinical Medical Assistant Textbook

Competency assessments

National Certification exam fee

MEDICAL ASSISTANT

Outcomes

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for medical assistants is growing at a much faster than average rate, and job listings for the position could increase by as much as 18% over the next ten years. With the amount of aging Americans in need of medical assistance rapidly expanding, adding skilled medical assistants to the workforce is critical.

It is projected that an average of 104,000 medical assistant jobs will be added to the workforce per year through 2030 – a sizable portion of these job openings will result from retirement.

In 2021, the average hourly wage for a medical assistant was $17.88 per hour. That equates to $37,190 per year for a full-time worker.

Skills Learned

Upon completion of this certified medical assistant program, you’ll learn a number of skills, including:

  • Understanding basic human anatomy and utilizing medical terminology to effectively communicate in a healthcare facility
  • Comprehending the use of diagnosis and procedure codes as they relate to electronic health records
  • Recognizing the importance of infection control and environmental safety in general, specialty and surgical practices
  • Understanding specimen collection techniques, cardiopulmonary testing, pharmacology and medication administration
  • Administering medications and assisting with minor procedures
  • Recording vital signs, taking medical histories and preparing patients and rooms for examinations
  • Handling laboratory specimens and providing patient education
  • Complying with HIPAA/HITECH, OSHA and CMS and other healthcare regulations and laws as they apply to patient information 
COURSES - 28 WEEKS
Professionalism in Allied Health
Introduction to Human Anatomy and Medical Terminology
Medical Office Procedures and Administration
Clinical Medical Assisting

PROGRAM PREVIEW

MEDICAL ASSISTANT JOB POSSIBILITIES

Medical Office
Assistant

$21,000 – $42,000
ESTIMATED SALARY

Nursing home – home caregiver helping an elderly man out of bed

Medical
Assistant

$24,000 – $46,000
ESTIMATED SALARY

Doctor’s
Assistant

$20,000 – $40,000
ESTIMATED SALARY

CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Upon completion of your medical assistant training, you are eligible to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exams, issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

CCMA

Certified Clinical
Medical Assistant

The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certification can help you stand out in the world of medical assistants and allows you to join the workforce with an advantage.

CMAA

Certified Medical Administrative Assistant

The Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) certificate helps you gain the skills to provide administrative support in a medical setting. Demonstrate your expertise in the field and become qualified for a number of administrative duties, as well as direct contact with patients in clinical settings.

PLEASE NOTE: This program is NOT available to students who plan to work in the state of Washington. Many states have licensing or certification requirements for those performing the role of a Medical Assistant. This program is aligned with and/or prepares candidates for certification or licensure in each state except Washington.

MEDICAL ASSISTANT TUITION OPTIONS

In addition to the following payment options, we offer special corporate volume pricing. Visit the Corporate page for details. 

Pay in full using any major credit card, PayPal, or Venmo. Select “credit card” as your payment option.

Apply for PayPal Credit and pay zero interest if your balance is paid in full within 6-months. Complete a quick application and you’ll receive a credit decision within seconds.

Pay for your training with an education loan through Sallie Mae or Meritize.

Complete the course registration process to reserve your seat using one of these options.

 

Many employers have education programs or will pay for continued education! Select “Corporate Invoice” if you need an invoice to process payment through company training tuition assistance/reimbursement plans. 

Download the free brochure below to your HR representative or manager and show them the benefits of gaining additional education!

Apply for a workforce grant through Sonoma County Job Link and get all or part of your training paid for! Complete the course registration process on this site to reserve your seat. Select “WIOA” as your payment option. 

Apply for a workforce grant through Sonoma County Job Link and get all or part of your training paid for! Complete the course registration process on this site to reserve your seat. Select “WIOA” as your payment option. 

DO YOU NEED HELP PAYING FOR YOUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM?​

Many employers offer education assistance programs. Download the brochures to show your employer the benefit of upskilling their employees.

PROGRAM COMPARISONS

PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Program & Tuition Cost
$5,000 average
Up to $20,000
Exam Fees, Books & Materials
Included
Up to $750
Job Ready In
3–6 months
24–48 months
Schedule Flexibility
On-demand 24/7
Set class schedule
Travel Requirements
None: 100% online
On-campus classrooms
Student Support
Personal Advisors: text, call and email access
Professors: scheduled office hours
Career Coaching
Exam-tailor + soft-skill training to build well-rounded careers
Exam-based + prerequisites and electives to meet credit
Content Delivery
3D animations, immersive environments, interactive activities, game-based learning
Professor lectures

MEET YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST!

April is your Professional Development Specialist.  She is here to help you understand your program of interest, payment options and succeed!  Get in touch with April to learn more about your program, The Center for Professional Development with Pacific Union College and how to achieve your professional goals!

FAQ

Certified medical assistants deal with the public directly, so they need to be dependable, great communicators, active listeners and efficient problem solvers. Since certified medical assistants handle numerous clients’ health records throughout the day, they should also be well organized and able to multitask effectively with attention to detail.

Most full-time certified medical assistants work a regular 40-hour week. Some work part-time, evenings or weekends.

Certified medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks under direct physician supervision. Physician assistants examine, diagnose and treat patients under a collaboration agreement with a physician, who may or may not be on-site.

The duties of a medical assistant vary from one practice to the next and may be limited by state laws. Responsibilities vary from office to office, depending on location, size and specialty. Administrative duties may include the following: answering phone calls, greeting patients, updating and filing patient medical records, scheduling appointments, billing and more. Clinical duties may include the following: taking medical histories, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, explaining treatment procedures to patients, drawing blood, taking electrocardiograms and more.

Medical assistants are one of the most versatile allied health professionals. They are cross-trained to perform clinical and administrative responsibilities.

Interested In Another Program?

The Center for Professional Development at Pacific Union College located in Angwin, California, provides the highest quality training in order to best serve students and surrounding communities. Our specialized career training programs provide up-to-date and in-demand skills, preparation and certification, ensuring that everyone who completes our programs is of the highest caliber.

View Pacific Union's Degree Programs

In addition to our certificate programs, The Center for Professional Development at Pacific Union College offers traditional college degrees with more than 100 academic options. View our degrees. 

Investing In A Pacific Union College Degree

Investing in a college degree is an important decision. Pacific Union College’s traditional degrees offer financial aid options for students. Learn more about our student finance options.