5 Medical Assistant Programs in Columbia
1. Midlands Technical College – Airport Campus
| Program: | Full time/ Part-time: | Online/ On-Campus: | Duration: | Externship: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Full time | Both |
The students receiving Certified Medical Assistants (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistants (RMA) credentials from Midlands Technical College – Airport Campus perform administrative and clinical duties such as call attending, paperwork, appointment scheduling, or preparing insurance claims. The Airport campus is located on 60 acres with more than 360,000 square feet of learning space, providing a specialized environment for MA aspirants. The students gain quality learning experience through standardized classrooms and laboratories.
Admissions to the medical assistant program are conducted during the fall semester; the students can schedule an appointment at the Campus Admissions Office for admission. The sustainable requirements in the course include a minimum of “C” grade throughout and a white lab coat. The course concludes in 4 semesters with 49 credit hours, in which five credit hours are dedicated to externship training. The MTC College does not allow more than two repetitions in a program.
After completing the FAFSA form, students can apply for grants, work-study positions, low interest federal loans, or LIFE (merit-based) scholarships. The MTC accepts credit transfer of medical assisting students studying in another institute.
2. ECPI University
| Program: | Full time/ Part-time: | Online/ On-Campus: | Duration: | Externship: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | Both | Both | 15 Months |
The MA classes at ECPI, Columbia are flexible as per the students’ schedule and allows them to join online or on-campus, on weekdays or weekends, during morning or evening session. The Columbia campus of ECPI University offers an Associate Degree in Applied Sciences, which requires 1170 contact hours or approximately 15 months of dedication.
The Art & Science semester carrying 21 credits, and the self-integration semester having 6 credits, can be attended online. These points are added to the total 61 credit hours of the MA program. The college aims to instill technical skills along with computer proficiency into medical assisting aspirants. The passing students of the program are eligible to sit for nationally recognized exams such as RMA, CMA, CPT, CMAA, CET, CBCS, and CEHRS.
After accurate transcripts deposition, the ECPI University allows credit transfers among its campuses and other institutes. Students can comfortably apply for grants and student loans, while there are many more options such as work-study jobs and vocational rehabilitation supported by the college.
3. South University, Columbia
| Program: | Full time/ Part-time: | Online/ On-Campus: | Duration: | Externship: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | Full time | Both | 24 Months | 200 Hours |
South University has established its campuses at multiple locations in the United States and offers a diploma in the medical assistant program from its Columbia campus. They focus on delivering the industrial requisite, which includes communication and writing ability in English.
The South University has numerous criteria for admission to take admissions of medical assistant aspirants. The students initially have to produce GED or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0, or 145 marks. The documents are to be provided within 10 weeks of the class commencing.
Students less than CGPA 2.0 still have a chance to join if they achieve a minimum 700 score (900 in old) in combined SAT score, and 18 in composite ACT score, or otherwise suitable marks in the exam conducted by the University.
Eager students can take provisional admission for two quarters but will be dismissed if they can’t maintain a 1.5 CGPA. Apart from documentation, the applicants must go through physical and background checks.
The selected aspirants of the MA program will have to complete the University administered placement test before joining the first semester of the batch or during the first session of online students.
4. Professional Development & Training Services LLC
| Program: | Full time/ Part-time: | Online/ On-Campus: | Duration: | Externship: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Full time | On-Campus | 7 Months | 140 hours |
The certified medical assistants from the Professional Development & Training Services LLC can perform multiple duties that include asepsis & infection control, patient details, vital signs, CPR, etc. The course covers 224 hours or 16 weeks of theory classes followed by 140 hours or 10 weeks of off-site externship. The new batch is ready, to begin with, a minimum of 3 students in class.
The PDTS-LLC regulates strict policies for students in medical assistant programs regarding attendance and grading system. The MA students must obtain 85% & higher marks in theory exams for acceptance in practical classes.
The college does not allow skipping lectures or practical sessions and discourages latecomers. A student showing tardiness of max 5 minutes for more than three times is expelled from the program.
Admission to the MA course at PDTS-LLC, Columbia, is a bit stringent as they ask for various requirements & proofs. The applicants must be 17+ years with GED or equivalent. They should provide a Driver’s License, showing the negative result of a Two-step TB skin test or chest X-ray, and pass the criminal test as well, along with written approval from a physician.
5. Fortis College
| Program: | Full time/ Part-time: | Online/ On-Campus: | Duration: | Externship: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Full time | On-Campus | 9 Months | 180 hours |
Fortis College is an acclaimed institution due to the quality of services and learning atmosphere for the medical assisting students. They provide real-time industrial training to the students, and an experience to handle stiff situations, whether at the clinical, system-oriented, or administrative level. The MA program them regular working abilities with physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and optometrists.
The medical assisting course at Fortis Columbia carries 46 quarter credits that are completed in 600 hours of lecture classes and 180 hours of externship. It gets completion in 36 instructional weeks. The recognized homework hours are 245, which is included in the total 1025 hours of the program.
The MA classes are held from Monday to Thursday with morning & evening sessions, while the college promotes a hybrid mode where few classes are conducted online.
During the times of admission to the medical assistant program, the college staff reviews the profile to suggest an appropriate medical program to the applicant. Fortis College is eligible under the Title IV Federal Financial AID program and thus provides government supported and private loans to eligible candidates.
