Online & On-Campus Clinical Medical Assistant Programs

Both can help you pursue a career in healthcare, but an associate degree may offer some additional advantages. For example, though a diploma program may take less time to complete, an associate degree program provides courses that focus on professional and general education skills such as biology and English composition. While not necessary for the field, these skills could help you stand out as a job candidate. Earning a degree may also increase your earning potential in the future. A Georgetown study found that median lifetime earnings for those with an associate degree are approximately 5% higher than for those who attended college but did not get a degree.⁴

Online courses typically have the recurring deadlines you would experience in a traditional classroom. For example, assignments and tests may be due on a specific day. However, other than these deadlines, you have the flexibility to complete your work, even at 2 a.m.! Night owls rejoice. These deadlines enable you to stay on track with your coursework while also allowing you to schedule study time around your busy life. UMA blends this experience at our campus location in Clearwater, FL. While blended learners will still have online coursework components, they will also get to work with our dedicated staff on campus and receive hands-on instruction in our labs. Regardless of the learning environment you select, you will also participate in a 180-hour on-site externship in your area for real-world experience under the supervision of professionals.

Medical assistants help medical professionals like nurses, physicians, and other staff members by performing basic clinical tasks. These responsibilities include drawing and testing blood, measuring vital signs, helping physicians with examinations, recording patient history and personal information and much more. The need to keep patients’ information strictly between them and other medical personnel is just as important as their ability to translate it into electronic health records (EHRs).

They handle a balance of patient care and administrative tasks. Medical assistants can take a patient’s blood pressure, may give injections, may assist physicians with a patient’s examination or perform any other similar type of patient care.

While in many cases you do not have to pass a certification exam in order to work as a medical assistant, some states and employers may require it. In addition, passing a certification exam may help you stand out in the field as an applicant. Keep in mind, these certifications will have eligibility requirements that must be met before sitting for the exam.

Not necessarily. Many medical assistants have postsecondary training, but some can be trained on-the-job working in a healthcare office. In addition to schooling, employers may prefer to hire medical assistants who are certified even if their state does not require it. Completing a training program and pursuing one of the certification exams we prepare you for may help you stand out among the rest of the applicants.

Of course, you’re looking for the best education — for you. So, we recommend taking a look at your individual needs. If you’d like to talk, call us at 888-213-4473. UMA is here to listen and walk you through deciding which program may be a good fit for you. The more we understand about your unique situation, the more we can try to help.

Ultimate Medical Academy is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES.org), a national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Though UMA is not a university or college, we offer online diplomas and degrees as well as blended healthcare programs, some of which offer on-site externships/practicums and certification preparation — all intended to put you in a position to pursue a healthcare career after graduation.