Medical Assistant Certificate | Methodist College

Medical Assistant Certificate

Medical Assistant Program Information

The Methodist College Medical Assistant course of study is a 26-credit hour program that prepares a student to work directly with patients and other healthcare professionals in clinical, lab, or office settings.  Students develop basic clinical skills and proper patient interaction. 

Medical Assistants manage administrative responsibilities such as greeting patients, updating medical records and arranging for patient’s appointments with labs and various healthcare providers.   Medical Assistants also conduct clinical duties such as obtaining vital signs such as height, weight, and blood pressure; performing basic lab work such as phlebotomy and CLIA waived testing; preparing patients for procedures; preparing and administering medications; and assisting medical personnel such as physicians, clinicians, and nurses.

Students in the Medical Assistant program can attend either full-time or part-time. Medical Assistant courses are offered in the evenings with online and blended classroom options depending upon the course. Other general education requirement courses may meet online, during the day, or in the evening.

Licensure

The Medical Assistant program prepares students to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam which is managed by the National Healthcareer Association.  Many employers throughout the country, including several in the Central Illinois region, recognize this certification for Medical Assistants.  Preparation for this exam is provided in MA2203: Medical Assisting Practicum and MA2213: Medical Assistant Certification Review.  The fee for the exam is paid by the student to the college.  The exam is taken at the college.

Students who do not obtain certification may be able to find employment as a Medical Office Assistant or a Medical Office Clerk depending on the requirements of the employer.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES INFOGRAPHIC

APPLY TO THE MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAM

CATALOG AND HANDBOOKS

Admission Requirements (Starting Spring 2022)

Methodist College conducts a holistic assessment of each student’s academic portfolio. Applicants must exhibit readiness or ability to successfully complete college level coursework as demonstrated through high school grade point average.

Admission to the Medical Assistant Program:

  • High school diploma with a cumulative GPA of 2.3
  • High school diploma with a cumulative GPA below 2.3 will be considered for admission on a case by case basis

A holistic admission review will be conducted by the Program Director of the Medical Assisting Program and the Dean of Arts & Sciences.  Students not meeting the cumulative high school GPA requirements will develop a Success Plan with the Program Director to better position the student for academic success.

While college GPA is not considered for admission into the Medical Assisting program, official college transcripts will still be submitted.  Incoming students with low cumulative college GPAs will develop a Success Plan with the Program Director to better position the student for academic success.

Please email the Office of Admissions for additional information on Admission Requirements.

Tuition

The tuition for this 26-credit-hour program is approximately $3,800 (does not include books and fees). Methodist College works with employers who offer tuition reimbursement.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information, visit our Financial Aid page.

Medical Assistant Program Outcomes

The Medical Assistant Certificate program at Methodist College was established in 2018. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) who is responsible for establishing the criteria for medical assisting programs. CAAHEP grants accreditation of medical assisting programs upon the recommendations of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board. Graduates from this CAAHEP-accredited medical assisting program are eligible to take the CCMA (NHA), RMA (AMT), or CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam

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

Accredited programs submit information to MAERB on an annual basis through online completion of the Annual Report Form (ARF), focusing specifically on program outcomes. These include retention/graduation, job placement, credentialing participation and passage rate, as well as employer and graduate satisfaction. MAERB has created thresholds in order to measure success and compliance with the outcomes. Those outcomes are reviewed every year.

The results of the 2021 Annual Report Form (ARF) submitted to the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) for the Medical Assistant Program are as follows:

 Year
Retention

Graduate

Participation

Graduate

Satisfaction

Job

Placement

Employer

Surveys Sent

Employer

Satisfaction

Exam

Participation

Exam

Passage

 #  Graduates by Admission Year
# Graduates by Year of Graduation 

 
 >=60%
>=30%
>=80%
>=60%
=100%
>=80%
>=30%
>=60%
 
 

2019
100.00%
 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 4
 10

2020
 100.00%
 72.73%
 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 100.00%

 90.91%

 90.00%

 1
 11

The graduates are employed at clinics and hospitals as Certified Medical Assistants.