Medical Assistant Specialist - Certificate Program
Get the training to work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, clinics, and other health facilities in the fast-growing field of medical assisting.
Medical assistants work under the direct supervision of a licensed physician as a highly skilled and versatile part of the healthcare-delivery team. The need for credentialed medical assistants has grown substantially, as community healthcare needs increase.
Medical assisting students master clinical skills, including taking vital signs and patient medical histories, non-intravenous injections, phlebotomy procedures, diagnostic testing, surgical techniques and assisting, and pharmaceutical principles and administration of medication.
EFSC’s one-year Medical Assistant College Credit Certificate program prepares students to perform equally well in administrative, clinical, and laboratory settings. Students gain communications skills and knowledge of electronic medical records and medical insurance, as well as general front office managerial and supervisory practices.
Medical Assistant Specialist - Certificate Program
Program Overview
- Certificate Type
- College Credit Certificate (CCC)
- Delivery Method
- On-Campus, Hybrid
- Location
- Cocoa, Palm Bay
- Total Credit Hours
- 44
- Academic Community
- Health Sciences
- Contact Information
-
Health Science Advising
Email Advising
321-433-7575
Medical Assistant CCC COURSE CURRICULUM
Students who complete the CCC program are eligible to take a national certification exam through the American Medical Technologists organization, which leads to the nationally recognized Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential. Upon completion, graduates also are eligible to apply for Phlebotomy certification and Basic X-ray Machine Operator certification and will also receive certificates in Injections, CPR, Aids 104, and Intro to EKG.
After finishing the Medical Assistant CCC program and receiving the RMA credential, students can apply all of the certificate's 44 credit hours toward the related Medical Assistant Advanced A.S. degree. The CCC program must be completed first to qualify to apply for the A.S., a flexible program that allows students to work at their own pace, even while employed in the field based on the skills learned during the CCC.
Students can begin the one-year program in either the Spring or Fall Term, with the recommended sequence of core courses adjusted based on the start term.
Medical Assistant CCC Admissions Information
Core Courses are offered on the Cocoa and Palm Bay Campuses and begin every Fall and Spring Term. Because support prerequisite courses that are part of the curriculum must be completed before beginning the core program, please follow the steps below to review critical entrance requirements and to access the details on how to apply.
- Meet with a Health Sciences advisor to review Entrance Criteria, which include the program's prerequisite support courses. Planning with a health
science advisor before you apply is recommended as part of the process.
- Apply for Admission: Interested students must review and complete the customized Medical Assistant Specialist Application Process. Students should follow the EFSC general priority application deadlines to ensure they have enough time to complete admission requirements. Please Note: If a deadline has passed, contact a health sciences advisor to see if seats may be available for a late application.
- Review complete program information. Check out all the details on this page and look over common questions and answers about the program.
- If admitted to the program, review the Accepted Student Information. which include details about the requirement to complete and pass a background check, drug screening, immunization and uniform requirements.
Brief Costs & Financial Aid Eligibility
Estimated expenses, including tuition and fees, for EFSC’s Medical Assistant CCC program total approximately $7,238, quite affordable when compared to similar programs.
The program is eligible for Federal aid, so all students are encouraged to apply for financial aid as well as scholarships funded through the EFSC Foundation and community organizations. Students who may be eligible for Veterans Educational Benefits should contact EFSC's Military and Veterans Center. The college also has the Nelnet Payment Plan and students can use Bright Futures awards and Florida Prepaid for this certificate program.
College Courses You Would Take
The certificate curriculum includes the five prerequisite support courses, which can be completed on any campus. Once you start the Medical Assistant certificate core courses, here are just some of the courses you would take:
Skills learned related to all aged patients include taking vital signs, electrocardiography, diagnostic procedures, assisting in surgery, principles of IV therapy, and emergency protocols.
Topics include medical law and ethics, communication, appointments, scheduling, filing, insurance, coding/billing, managerial skills, billing, and using electronic health records.
This combo lecture & lab course introduces students to the clinical lab, specimen collection, & entry-level diagnostic tests such as urinalysis, clinical chemistry, hematology, and more.
Learn to safely operate x-ray equipment under the direct supervision of a licensed practitioner as well as prepare for the basic x-ray operator certification examination.
Why train to be a Medical Assistant at EFSC?
You will train in specialized medical assistant laboratories that simulate a medical office or clinic and allow hands-on experience with medical office equipment, diagnostic testing and specimen collection, exam tables, and everyday medical supplies.
Your required Practicum Experience course will bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace, under supervision from experienced healthcare providers.
Graduates of EFSC's program have a national certification examination pass rate of 98-100 percent with 96 percent employability. They boost their credentials through affiliation with such medical assisting professional associations as American Medical Technologists and American Association of Medical Assistants.
Related Health Sciences Programs
Remember that you must earn the CCC before being eligible to apply for the related A.S. degree. The associate degree might be of interest to CCC graduates who want to move on to a bachelor program to add management skills for career advancement. As you consider the Medical Assistant program, consider these other hands-on EFSC programs.