Medical Assisting Diploma

Medical Assisting student practices inserting needle on faux arm while another student watches

Medical Assisting Diploma

Program Code: D45400

Our Medical Assisting (MA) program can prepare you to perform administrative, clinical, and laboratory procedures. The MA program begins once a year in the fall semester. Coursework includes instruction in scheduling appointments, coding and processing insurance accounts, billing, collections, medical transcription, computer operations, assisting with examinations/treatments, performing routine laboratory procedures, electrocardiography, supervised medication administration, and ethical/legal issues associated with patient care.

Upon successful completion of the Medical Assisting program, you are eligible to sit for national certification through the American Association of Medical Assistants to become a Certified Medical Assistant. Learn more about the certification exam or join the national association at the American Association of Medical Assistants.

This is a diploma program and requires fewer credits and less time to complete than a degree program. If you’re looking for an even shorter program option, the certificate program may be for you.

The MA program also offers degree and certificate options.

Learn more about this program’s student outcome data.

Skills You’ll Learn

The Medical Assisting program is focused on job-related skills in the following areas:

  • Demonstrating that patient health information is complete, accurate, and protected
  • Understanding how to effectively use computer applications to assemble and analyze patient data for the purpose of improving patient care or controlling costs
  • Mastering how to code, classify, and index diagnoses and procedures for the purpose of reimbursement, standardization, retrieval, and statistical analysis

Career Opportunities

There are many employment opportunities for Medical Assisting graduates, including:

  • Health insurance organizations
  • Hospices
  • Hospitals
  • Mental health facilities
  • Nursing homes
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Physicians’ offices
  • Rehabilitation facilities

Accreditation 

The Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Visit our student outcome data page for more information.

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

Plan of Study

The recommended course sequence for this program and a complete list of related classes are available in the Academic Catalog. Click the button below to view a copy of this plan of study, which is also available as a PDF.

View Plan of Study(link is external)

Questions others are asking.

We offer several credentials that provide the flexibility you need. Most degree programs last two years and provide the most in-depth study of a particular subject. Diplomas and certificates take less time and are often taken in conjunction with other degree programs. Specialized training is also available for workforce development programs that are completed in less than a year.

The MA program teaches both medical office and clinical skills, while MOA only teaches office skills. Both programs will qualify a graduate to work at a doctor’s office or clinical in an administrative capacity. The MA program will also qualify a graduate to work in the clinical or laboratory aspect, assisting with patient care in the examination room or laboratory.

The certificate programs do provide some foundational knowledge but are not sufficient to qualify for a national certification exam in Medical Office Administration, Medical Assisting or Health Information Technology.  Medical Assistants are eligible to sit for the national certification exams with a diploma, while both Medical Office Administration and Health Information Technology require an associate degree to be eligible for their national certification examination.

Performance Standards and Requirements (once in the program):

[Medical-Assisting-Student-Performance-Standards.pdf]

This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). CAAHEP is a programmatic postsecondary accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and carries out accrediting activities in cooperation with 25 review committees on accreditation.

CAAHEP
25400 US Highway 19 N, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
727-210-2350

Contact Information

Health Sciences
Perdue Hall
New Bern Campus
252-639-2025

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