Program Overview

Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program

Overview

The Clinical Medical Assistant course is designed to prepare students for an exciting, challenging, and rewarding career in healthcare. This program combines 140 hours of classroom lectures, 10 hands-on labs, and a clinical externship opportunity at a local healthcare provider.

Prerequisites

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.

Program Details

The program will train students to assist physicians while covering important topics such as:

• Phlebotomy
• Pharmacology
• Medication use and administration
• Taking and documenting vital signs
• Cardiology
• More

Eligibility for Clinical Rotation

To be eligible for the clinical rotation, students must:

• Successfully complete the 140-hour program
• Submit to a thorough background check and drug screening
• Meet other requirements

Certification

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be eligible to sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national examination. The certificate of completion qualifies students to take the national exams, which is separate from the program and costs an estimated $140.

Program Format

This program is presented in a hybrid online format, combining:

• Asynchronous online curriculum
• Live Zoom lectures with an instructor in real time
• Seven in-person hands-on lab sessions held on campus

Ideal Candidates

This program is ideal for individuals interested in working in medical offices or other healthcare facilities.

Learning Outcomes

In this program, students will learn:

• How to prepare patients for examination and treatment, routine laboratory procedures, and diagnostic testing
• HIPAA, patient confidentiality, legal aspects of healthcare, and office and patient care-related regulatory issues
• Recording and taking of vital signs, blood pressure, and other patient care items related to the physician's office visit
• Review and administration of medications, allergies, and other pharmacology items
• Laboratory procedures, phlebotomy, and the proper techniques to collect specimens for laboratory analysis
• Cardiology and the proper placement of leads when taking a 12-lead EKG

Program Completion

Successful completion of the 140-hour curriculum requirement is necessary to receive the certificate.

Program Schedule

All online lectures are held live in real time via Zoom and are recorded for later review if needed. There are also seven in-person, hands-on lab sessions held on the CSULB campus from 6:00pm to 9:30pm.