Many people who want to pursue medical assisting are turning to online medical assisting programs rather than traditional MA training programs for its various beneficial factors. These courses vary depending on the college and degree you are pursuing. These programs may take 8 months to 24 months to complete according to the degree you have enrolled for. The average program cost for online medical assisting programs can be estimated at around $5,400 to $10,400. The cost of on-campus and online programs is relatively similar.
Programs offered for medical assisting are Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Medical Assisting, Certificate of completion in Medical Assisting, and Diploma in Medical Assisting. These programs provided by the respective schools are accredited by accrediting boards, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Online medical assisting programs are preferred as they provide flexibility and comfort to the students who work part-time or have a family to support.
5 Reasons to Choose an Online Medical Assistant Program
- Comfort: No need for transportation; all you need is good WiFi and a desktop to attend lecturers conveniently from your home.
- Saving other expenses: As there is less transportation and parking cost, you will save up quite a bit, and this will make your program more affordable and convenient.
- Flexible hours: Lots of students are working part-time or have to look after their families or support childcare. In these cases, the online program format works wonders as the hours are very flexible, and you can choose an asynchronous class schedule.
- Cluster to choose from: Online MA programs are available at an ample amount of schools. As you will attend lectures from home, you don’t have to worry about the proximity and accessibility factors of the college, which will lead to a wide range of colleges to choose from.
- Length of the program: More and more online institutes are trying to accelerate the length of the program, so that students can get their respective degrees as early as possible.
What Method do we follow to Rank Schools – Visit Here
50 Best Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Online – 2023
1. Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College is a public college. It offers online associate and certificate degrees in medical assisting. The total required credits of the associate degree are 60, and that of the certificate program is 38. It is a 3-semester long program with a mandatory externship course.
Cost of program:
- Associate: 2,760
- Certificate: 1,748
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 94%
Graduation rate: 73%
2. Anoka Technical College
This public college offers hybrid/blended yet mostly online associate and diploma degrees in medical assisting. The program consists of 49 required credit hours. Students must complete all the required courses with a grade ‘C’ or better. The program is concluded with an eight-week long externship in a clinical or a medical facility under supervision.
ATC graduates are trained to help physicians and medical practitioners with clinical investigations and treatment methods. They are ready to conduct CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments ) waived testing, sterilize medical equipment and tools, oversee patients’ past health records, administer drugs, aid with minor surgeries, and perform administrative duties for medical offices.
Cost of program: $9,359
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Diploma
Retention rate: 95.8%
Graduation rate: 29.4%
3. Capital Community College
This public community college offers an online associate degree in medical assisting. Their medical assistant program includes 60 required credits. They prepare you for the CMA and RMA certification exams accredited by AAMA and AMT, respectively.
Cost of program: $9,960
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 100%
Graduation rate: 14%
4. Blackhawk Technical College
Blackhawk Technical College is a public institute. It offers an online diploma in medical assisting. Apart from the online self-paced format, on-campus and other hybrid format options are also available. The program consists of 33 required credits.
Cost of program: $5,530
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 97%
Graduation rate: 100%
5. Wallace State Community College
This yet another public community college offers two hybrid programs – certificate and associate’s degree in medical assisting. The associate program has 61 semester hours, and the certificate program has 41 credit hours. The program encourages students to take the CCMA and CMA certification exams.
Cost of program: $11,032
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 82.08%
Graduation rate: 26.9%
6. Alamance Community College
Alamance Community College is a public community college. It offers a hybrid medical assistant program with online and on-campus classes. An externship of 208 hours is also required to complete the program successfully.
Cost of program: $4,941
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 91.7%
Graduation rate: 22%
7. Davidson County Community College
Davidson County Community College is a public community college. The college offers online associate and diploma courses for medical assistants and an on-campus diploma program. The total required credits for the associate are 64, and that for the diploma is 43. Students who have attested high school diplomas are equivalent to take the course and must maintain a minimum grade of C in all courses to progress in the program. The program degree is AAS, which means only 50% of the program can be done online.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $4,864
- Diploma: $3,268
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Diploma
Retention rate: 72%
Graduation rate: 100%
8. Dakota college
This public college offers an online certificate and an associate degree in medical assisting. The total required credits for the associate program are 61, and the required credit points for the certificate program are 37. The medical assistant program is offered in an online format, as well as on campus. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 to complete the program successfully. Upon graduation, students are eligible to take the RMA and NCMA certification exams.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $14,213
- Certificate: $8,621
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 72%
Graduation rate: 33%
9. South Puget Sound Community College
It’s a public community college. The college provides an online associate degree in medical assisting. The total credit hours of this program are 91, and the length of the program is 7-8 quarters. Once the graduation completes, students are eligible to take the CMA national certification exam.
Cost of program: $10,283
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 88.24%
Graduation rate: 41%
10. City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco is a public community college. The college provides associate and certificate degrees in medical assisting. It offers medical clinical assistant, medical administrative assistant, medical billing programs, among others. The associate program has 64 required credits, whereas the certificate program has 52-60 required credits. A high school diploma or equivalent must be acquired by the prospective student.
Cost of program: $15,652
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 73%
Graduation rate: 16.5%
11. Western Technical College
Western Technical College is a public community college, which offers an online diploma in medical assisting. The program has 33 required credits. A high school diploma must be acquired by the potential student. Students must also successfully pass the background check.
Cost of program: $5,400
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 81%
Graduation rate: 40%
12. Pasadena City College
This public community college offers an online certificate program in medical assisting. The program has 39 required credits. Applicants must be graduated from an accredited high school with a 2.0-grade point average.
Cost of program: $3,549
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 79%
Graduation rate: 18.9%
13. Fresno City College
Fresno City College is a public college. It offers online associate and certificate degrees in medical assisting. To complete the program, you must complete the required credit units with at least 2.0 GPA. An Associate requires 60 credit units, whereas a Certificate requires 20 credit units.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $15,900
- Certificate: $5,300
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 63%
Graduation rate: 20%
14. Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a public college that offers various online courses. Online associate and diploma programs in medical assistance are offered here. Total credit hours of 54 are required for a diploma, and 63 credit hours are required for the associate to complete the course. GPA of 2.0 must be maintained. Students above age 17 are allowed to apply for the program. Documentation of immunization, background check and drug tests, payment of fees are required to take the program.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $6,300
- Diploma: $5,400
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Diploma
Retention rate: 61%
Graduation rate: 36.2%
15. Whatcom Community College
Whatcom Community College is a public community college offering hybrid (online and on-campus) Associate degree and Certificate for medical assistants. The associate degree consists of 90 required credits with a program length of 2 years, while the certificate program can be completed within 15 months, and consists of 66 credits. Both programs prepare students for the CMA certification exam by the AAMA.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $11,940
- Certificate: $9,100
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 61%
Graduation rate: 39.1%
16. Madison Area Technical College
This public technical and community college offers an online technical diploma in medical assisting. Their medical assistant program requires 33 credit points. Students are required to complete a background check and submit documentation, such as the CPR certification.
Cost of program: $5,674
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 69%
Graduation rate: 65%
17. North Idaho College
This public community college offers an online technical certificate and an associate degree in medical assisting. The program provides theory online and lab schedules on-campus. The certificate program has 47 credits, and the associate program has 62 credit points. Students must have a high school diploma or equivalent and must have a minimum of 2.0 GPA in each of the prerequisite courses.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $8,742
- Certificate: $6,627
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate, Associate
Retention rate: 53%
Graduation rate: 23.12%
18. Bucks County Community College
Bucks County Community College is a public community college with its campus in Bristol. It offers an online certificate program in medical assistance. The course has a total of 38 required credit hours. The program provides complete training to students to receive a certificate with a specialization in clinical and administrative medical assisting.
Cost of program: $6,270
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 69%
Graduation rate: 7.1%
19. State Fair Community College
State Fair Community College is a public college located in Missouri. This college offers an online Certificate and an Associate degree in medical assisting. The program provides theory, laboratory practice, and clinical application to students. A minimum of 160 clinical hours must be completed apart from the online schedule, and a GPA of 2.0 must be maintained to apply and complete the course. The total credit hours of the certificate program are 34.5, and that of the associate program is 61.5. The cost of books and other expenses can be estimated at up to $1000.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $10,270
- Certificate: $5,845
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 54%
Graduation rate: 35.8%
20. Concordia University
Concordia University is an accredited public university. The institute provides an online/hybrid certificate in medical assisting. The blended learning format includes the majority of online classes and one day in a week face-to-face practical assessments. The total required credits for this program are 42 and can be completed within 15 months. Full and part-time options are also available.
Cost of program: $13,734
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 72%
Graduation rate: 75%
21. Bucks County Community College
Bucks County Community College is a public community college in Newton. The college offers an online associate’s degree in medical assisting. The degree requires 62 credit hours to be completed. A high school diploma or equivalent must be earned by the student applying for the program. 60% of the program can be completed online.
Cost of program: $10,230
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 69%
Graduation rate: 7.1%
22. White Mountains Community College
White Mountains Community College is a public community college and provides an online certificate in medical assistance. The program requires 53 credits to complete the course. Students must also have a high school diploma or equivalent to match the eligibility.
Cost of program: $11,940
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 69%
Graduation rate: 48.4%
23. Parkland College
Parkland College is a public community college. The courses offered for the medical assisting certificate program are online. The certificate program consists of 25 semester hours and 3 semesters. Students graduating from this program are eligible to sit for the (NHA) National Healthcare Association certification exam.
Cost of program: $5,839
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 64%
Graduation rate: 28%
24. Olney Central College
Olney Central College is a public community college in Olney, Illinois. It offers an online Associate degree in medical assisting. The total credit hours for this degree are 68. It provides an asynchronous format for the class schedule.
Cost of program: $12,363
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 56%
25. Cossatot Community College
Cossatot Community College is a public community college. The college offers an online technical certificate in medical assisting. The total credit hours required to complete the course are 39. Students have to maintain an average of 76% in every session.
Cost of program: $3,006
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 61%
Graduation rate: 41%
26. Modesto Junior College
Modesto Junior College is a public community college in California. The college provides online associate and certificate medical assistant programs at an affordable cost. The AAS degree has 60 required credits, and the certificate has 36 required credits to be completed for finishing the course. The program prepares you for the CMA certification exam offered by the AAMA.
Cost of program: $2,860
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 41%
Graduation rate: 18.8%
27. Phoenix College
Phoenix College is a public college. The college provides an online AAS degree in medical assisting. The program has 60.5 to 61.5 required credits. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in all the courses.
Cost of program: $5,185
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 59%
Graduation rate: 22.2%
28. Aiken Technical College
Aiken Technical College is a public college and offers online as well as on-campus medical assisting program. The course has a total of 60 required credits. A high school diploma or GED is required to be a part of it.
Cost of program: $11,040
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 58%
Graduation rate: 23.5%
29. River Valley Community College
River Valley Community College is a public college, which offers an online medical assistant certification. The program requires a total of 42 credits and is self-paced. Students must earn a minimum grade C in all the courses. The program also makes you eligible to take the CMA(AAMA) certification exam.
Cost of program: $9,030
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 51%
Graduation rate: 30.4%
30. College of Healthcare Professionals (CHCP)
CHCP is a private college with its main campus located in Houston, Texas. An online Associate degree is offered in medical assisting here. The whole program length is 40 weeks. You have to attend online lectures as well as 3 weeks of on-campus clinical skills training. A high school diploma or GED is required to get enrolled for the program, and a GPA of 2.0 is required to complete the course.
Cost of program: $16,850
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 85%
Graduation rate: 79.6%
31. Mercy College
This private college provides an online certificate in medical assisting program. The curriculum of the MA program consists of a total of 28 credits. The program is designed to allow students to sit for the CMA certification exam.
Cost of program: $10,000
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 75%
Graduation rate: 44%
32. Los Angeles Career College
This private college offers an online certificate in medical assisting. The online medical assisting program is self-paced and can be completed in 6 months. The program prepares you to pass the NHA certification exam.
Cost of program: $2,499
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 69%
Graduation rate: 65%
33. Phlebotomy Career Training
Phlebotomy Career Training is a private institution. The institute offers an online certificate in medical assisting program. The program is self-paced and can be completed in 6 months. Students will have to obtain a 204-hour clinical externship to graduate from the program. The NCCT and NHA national medical assistant certification exams are also included in the course.
Cost of program: $500
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 65%
34. ATA college
ATA College is a private for-profit institution. It offers a hybrid online diploma and an associate degree in medical assisting: their online theory classes and practical hands-on laboratory experience are provided in a medical facility. The length of the diploma and associate program is 10 months and 17 months, respectively. Students are eligible for the CMA certification exam offered by the AAMA and the phlebotomy technician certification offered by NHA.
Cost of program:
- Associate: $20,475
- Diploma: $12,825
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Diploma
Retention rate: 58%
Graduation rate: 43%
35. Herzing University
Herzing University is a private college with its headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Online Diploma and an Associate degree in medical assisting are offered here. A high school diploma and a GPA of 2.0-4.0 is required for the course. Apart from the online coursework, 2 clinical courses and 180 hours externship have to be taken in order to complete the program. The program length of diploma in MA is 10 months, and that of an Associate in MA is 16 months.
Cost of programs:
- Diploma: $21,135
- Associate: $28,180
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Diploma, Associate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 35.5%
36. Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global is a public university. The university offers an online certificate for medical assistants. The course requires 58 credits to be completed within 10 weeks of course length. You will have to take a 160-hour externship at a clinical facility to get hands-on experience. By taking this course, students will be eligible for RMA, CCMA, NCMA accredited certification exams.
Cost of program: $21,519
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 46%
Graduation rate: 33%
37. Pinnacle Career Institute
Pinnacle Career Institute is a private for-profit technical school. It offers an online medical assistant certificate program, which consists of 56 required credit hours. As the program is fast-paced, it can be completed within 40 weeks or less. The program also prepares you to pass the CCMA certification exam. The program cost is all-inclusive, which includes tuition, books, etc.
Cost of program: $20,424
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 75%
Graduation rate: 75.6%
38. Altierus Career College
Altierus Career College is a private non-profit institute. It offers a blended (online + on-campus) diploma in medical assisting. The program has 60 required credit hours that can be completed within 9-10 months. The All-inclusive tuition will cover the cost of CCMA or RMA certification exam fees, books, etc.
Cost of program: $12,767
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 63%
Graduation rate: 59.5%
39. American National University
American National University is a private for-profit university. The institute offers an online associate degree in medical assisting. The program has a total of 96 required credit hours, and the degree can be completed within 20 months. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1. This program prepares you for the CMA certification exam.
Cost of program: $20,160
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 41%
40. Stratford University
Stratford University is a private for-profit university. An online and on-campus medical assistant diploma is provided by this college. The program consists of 14 classes and 63 credit hours that can be completed in 15 months.
Cost of program: $23,310
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 27.7%
41. UC Clermont College
UC Clermont College is a part of the University of Cincinnati. It offers an online medical assisting certificate program consisting of 34 credits and 4 semesters. The program is designed to prepare you for the CMA (AAMA) certification exam. A high school diploma or GED is required to take the course. GPA of 2.5 or higher must be sustained in this program.
Cost of program: $2,475
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: No
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 27.6%
42. Greenfield Community College
It’s a public community college, and they offer a hybrid yet majorly online certificate in medical assisting program. Their MA program has a total of 29 credit hours. The graduates of this program are eligible for the CMA certification program.
Cost of program: $1,016
Financial aid: No
Type of college: Public
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 63%
Graduation rate: 30.7%
43. Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College is a private for-profit college located in various locations in the USA. An online diploma in medical assisting is offered here. The program can be completed in 9-12 months. This course a perfect blend of online and on-campus training to help you excel in your career path. The program prepares you for the CMA and RMA certification exams.
Cost of program: $10,500
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: No
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 100%
Graduation rate: 34%
44. UC Blue Ash College
UC Blue Ash College is affiliated with the University of Cincinnati. An online certificate in medical assisting is offered by UC Blue Ash. The program consists of 4 semesters with each semester comprising of 5 courses. The program requires you to complete 200 hours of clinical experience under a physician’s supervision apart from the online training.
Cost of program: $12,720
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Public
Placement services: No
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 67%
Graduation rate: 29%
45. Independence University
Independence University is an online non-profit university with its main office in Utah. It provides an online Associate of Occupational Studies degree in medical assisting. The format offered here is asynchronous so that you can learn the course at your pace from the laptop or tablet provided by the university. The coursework prepares you for certification exams. The length of this program is 19 months, and the total program credits are 95.
Cost of program: $42,940
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Retention rate: 46%
Graduation rate: 62.5%
46. Nebraska Methodist College
Nebraska Methodist College is a private non-profit institute that provides various healthcare degrees. It offers an online Associate and Certificate in medical assisting. The program consists of 930 clock hours, from which 300 hours of hands-on clinical experience is required. The length of the program is 12 months. Students are prepared to take the CMA certification exam. The criteria for admission include that the GPA of 2.0 must be maintained. High school transcripts and official GED scores are required to take the course.
Cost of program: $13,186
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: No
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate, Certificate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 82%
47. Bryan University
Bryan University is a private for-profit university. It offers an online diploma in medical assistant and medical office assistant programs. The program has a total of 63 required credit hours and can be completed in 40-50 weeks.
Cost of program: $22,680
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: No
Courses available: Diploma
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 20.8%
48. Charter College
Charter College is a private college in Wasilla, Alaska. It provides a blended (online+on-campus) certificate in medical assisting. The length of the program is 10 months. The curriculum has a 180-hour externship program at a healthcare facility. Students must provide a high school diploma, GED, or have passed a state-authorized examination to take admission for the medical assisting program.
Cost of program: $23,000
Financial aid: Yes
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: No
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 68%
Graduation rate: 51%
49. Penn Foster College
Penn Foster College is a private college situated in Pennsylvania. This college offers an online Associate’s degree in medical assisting. You can choose an asynchronous class schedule; the courses are mobile-friendly. This program prepares you for the CCMA exam accredited by NHA. You also have to work for an externship to complete the course.
Cost of program: $4,740
Financial aid: No
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: Yes
Courses available: Associate
Graduation rate: 6%
50. US Career Institute
US Career Institute is a regionally accredited institution. It provides an online certificate in medical assisting. The program can be completed within 4 months. The program is 100% online, so the format is asynchronous. This certificate program will also prepare you for CMA, CCMA, CMAA certification exams.
Cost of program: $1,539
Financial aid: No
Type of college: Private
Placement services: Yes
Counseling services: No
Courses available: Certificate
Retention rate: 64%
Graduation rate: 52%
How to Choose the Right School for Online Medical Assistant Program?
Choosing the right school for your online training program is challenging. Here are some factors that are given so that we can guide you to find the perfect school you want:
- Accreditation: The medical assisting program you have enrolled for must be accredited by a recognized accrediting board, mainly CAAHEP or ABHES. Programs that are accredited are incredibly credible and valid.
- Program Cost: Before applying for the program, you must go through the college website or contact the program counselor to verify the total program cost, credit per hour, total credits required, and other expenses, such as books, transportation, lab fees, etc. These things will certainly help you choose the college as per your affordability.
- Class schedule: If you are a student working part-time or supporting the family, you must opt for an asynchronous (self-paced) class program as it will be more convenient. Check if the college provides the medical assistant program in a self-paced format.
- MA Specializations: Medical assistant programs offer specializations as CCMA(certified clinical medical assistant) and CMAA(certified medical administrative assistant). If you want to pursue a degree in any of these specializations, inspect if the college provides it or not.
- Credibility: Check out if the college is credible enough by verifying the status of the college, graduation rate, retention rate, job placement rate, etc.
Types of Online Medical Programs
There are three types of medical assisting program degrees a student can acquire.
- Certificate: Certificate of completion for medical assistants is offered by many accredited institutes. The completion period is the shortest from the rest, and it takes almost 9 to 12 months to complete the program. The total credits required for completion are around 30-35.
- Diploma: Diploma in medical assisting can be achieved in almost 10-12 months that is in less than a year. The total credits required to complete the whole program are 42-45 credits.
- Associate: Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in medical assisting is a two-year-long It prepares students with very detailed coursework. It takes approximately 24 months and a total of 60-62 credits to acquire the degree.
RELATED: 50 Cheapest Medical Assistant Programs
Are Online Medical Assistant Programs Good Enough to Advance your Career Further?
The curriculum of medical assisting includes various subjects such as physiology, anatomy, billing and coding, medical law and ethics, etc., which trains you to execute administrative and clinical job duties. Online MA programs will train you in organizational skills, computer skills, basic clerical skills, communication skills, and provide you insights into medical knowledge by teaching you medical terminology, clinical treatments, and procedures.
Students pursuing online medical assisting programs get the same job opportunities as their other ‘on-campus’ contemporaries. The curriculum provided by online programs is meant to advance your career by giving you a well-structured program through conventional methods.
How an Online Program works well with Your Existing Schedule?
If you are working part-time or full time, or you have to look after your dependents, and your busy schedule restricts you to join a medical assistant college, online MA programs are the right fit for you. These programs are highly flexible and convenient. You can choose either a synchronous class schedule or an asynchronous (self-paced) schedule as per your preference. An asynchronous schedule will allow you to attend online lectures at your available time.
How to Get an Internship after Completing Online Program?
An internship is a job position where a student gathers work experience under the supervision of a physician or a medical facility. Recruiters often don’t pay these trainees, but they may get academic credit points. Internships are essentially required to complete the whole medical assisting programs. It trains students to execute their duties and to prepare them for the real world.
You can apply for internships through various websites or by enrolling yourself in job fairs. Counselors at your school campus may also connect you with recruiters.
Financial Aids available for Online Students
Financial aids can sometimes pay for the whole program or just provide a reasonable sum of money to offer a helping hand. These aids are provided based on merit and academic performances. Some aids are provided to a specific demographic group. Various financial aids, scholarships, grants, and loans are offered by organizations, universities, and government bodies. Here are some types of financial aids:
- Maxine Williams Scholarship: This fund is provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants to provide financial assistance to medical assisting students. The scholarship is named after the founder of AAMA, Maxine Williams.
- National Health Service Corps Scholarship: The NHSC scholarship program provides scholarships to students pursuing primary healthcare professions training. To be eligible to obtain the scholarship, you must serve at an NHSC approved site in a health professional shortage area. In order to get a full year of scholarship support, one must possess a minimum of 2 years of full-time service experience.
- Elie Wiesel Foundation Scholarship: The Elie Wiesel Foundation established an essay contest for undergraduates in 4 years accredited colleges in the USA. The awardees of this contest receive prize money ranging from $500-$5,000, based on the position they have secured.
- American Medical Technologists Scholarship: AMT offers scholarships to students enrolled in a college accredited by a regional accrediting board. The outstanding student award recipient is honored with $250, and the technical writing award recipient receives a cash prize of $200.
Is it Easy to Get a Job after Completing a Program Online?
A student pursuing an associate’s degree might get better job opportunities and higher pay in the future. An online medical assisting program may lead you to a great career path, but an associate degree will help you reach that path faster as employers prefer these graduates because of the detailed and extensive training they have acquired. You can get jobs by browsing through various websites.
