Medical Assistant Training
Get the details about training courses to become a medical assistant.
What You'll Study in Medical Assistant Training
Your medical assistant training program should prepare you to handle a wide variety of tasks in a hospital, clinic or private medical practice environment. Your daily tasks may range from taking vital signs to scheduling patient appointments, so you'll need medical assistant training that covers a spectrum of administrative tasks as well as patient care procedures.
Medical assistants need to know everything from accounting to pharmacology, so a well rounded administrative and clinical education is necessary. You'll also get plenty of real-world practice during your externship in a hospital or doctor's office. Medical assistant training courses include:
- Clinical and diagnostic procedures
- First aid
- Human anatomy
- Keyboarding and computer applications
- Laboratory techniques
- Medical billing and insurance coding
- Medical law and ethics
- Medical terminology
- Medication administration
- Office practices
- Patient relations
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Record-keeping and accounting
Time to Completion
A typical medical assistant training program, in which you'll earn a certificate or diploma, generally takes 9 months to 1 year to complete.
Associate's degree medical assistant training programs last 2 years and provide other general education curriculum, which can give you a great foundation for the future if you decide to go further in your education or career.
Medical Assistant School Accreditation
Regardless of where you complete your medical assistant training, make sure your school is accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies if you want medical assistant certification:
Education Guide
Medical Assistant Training
Time to completion, classes and more...
Accreditation
Learn about the importance of accreditation.
Choosing a Degree
Diploma or associate's? What's best for you?
Student Interview
What it's like in medical assistant school.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
Got questions? We've got answers.
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Career Guide
Career Intro
Find out what a medical assistant career is like.
Top 5 Medical Assistant Duties
Learn about typical medical assistant duties.
Salary Information
What to expect in a medical assistant salary.
Top 5 Reasons to Become a Medical Assistant
Learn why a medical assistant career may be for you.
Certification
90% of medical assistants are certified. Find out what's required.
Professional Interview
Read a first-hand account about a medical assistant career.
Professional Terms Glossary
The guide to sorting it all out.