Do you have a passion for helping others? The role medical assistants play in today's healthcare field by assisting doctors and staff with giving great atient care can be very rewarding. This is a career where what you do really matters!

Employers of medical assistants often prefer those who have a postsecondary education award such as a certificate or diploma. In fact, 91% of medical assistants completed training beyond high school. So, choosing the right career training program is an important first step to becoming a medical assistant!

Online Learning

Modern programs combine online medical assistant classes with in-person, hands-on training. A portion of this hybrid format allows students to engage with course materials, reading assignments, and lab simulations in a flexible online environment. Through online training, students can develop an understanding of topics like anatomy and physiology, disease processes and prevention, medical terminology, and billing and records management.

Hands-on Training

The in-person portion of a hybrid medical assistant program is vital to the development of a medical assistant. Conducted in an environment that mirrors that of hospitals, physician's office and clinics, the classrooms and labs are equipped with medical, diagnostic, and administrative office equipment similar to what a medical assistant interacts with on the job. Computer workstations, EKG machines, blood and urine analyzers, adult and child mannequins, centrifuges, phlebotomy equipment, autoclaves, microscopes, and incubators are available to provide a real-world experience for students.

Additionally, many medical assistant programs offer students an externship where they practice their skills in a nearby medical setting. This opportunity reinforces the online and hands-on training students have been acquiring throughout their program.

Certification

While medical assistants are not required to be certified in most states, many employers prefer to hire certified assistants. Students should seek a medical assistant program that prepares them to successfully pass a national exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA).

Are you ready get the training you need to start a career as a medical assistant? If so, the Medical Assisting program at Porter and Chester Institute can prepare you for a new career in as few as 10 months! Graduates of our hybrid program earn a diploma and are prepared to pass a national exam to become a CMA or RMA. Visit our Medical Assisting program page to learn more about our program and to apply!