Program Overview

Introduction to the Medical Assistant Program

Berkeley College offers a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)-accredited Medical Assistant Certificate program. The College also offers an Associate in Applied Science Medical Assistant degree program, which is an extension of the career-track Certificate program.

Program Overview

Both the Certificate and Degree Medical Assistant programs are designed to prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession. This is accomplished by providing curriculum relating to patient care skills, general study, and administrative/business skills. Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly.

Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

A medical assistant takes vital signs, prepares patients for and assists physicians during examinations, collects and prepares laboratory specimens, performs basic laboratory tests on the premises, schedules appointments, bills patients, fills out insurance forms, and much more.

Career Opportunities

Berkeley College's Medical Assistant Certificate and Associate in Applied Science degree programs prepare students to enter the high-demand field of healthcare and to work in a variety of settings, including physicians' offices, hospitals, and other professional healthcare facilities. Graduates are prepared to meet both the clinical and administrative challenges of today's rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Certification Examinations

Graduates of the Medical Assistant programs are eligible to participate in a variety of certification examinations, including:

• Certified Medical Assistant - CMA (American Association of Medical Assistants)
• Registered Medical Assistant - RMA (American Medical Technologists)
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant - CCMA (National Healthcareer Association)
• Certified Electrocardiography - CET (National Healthcareer Association)
• Certified Phlebotomy - CPT (National Healthcareer Association)
• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers - BLS (American Heart Association)

Program Benefits

Students gain experience in a wide variety of areas, including:

• Clinical procedures such as electrocardiography (EKG), venipuncture, and specimen collection
• Medical office administration
• Medical terminology
• Pharmacology and human diseases Benefits of the program include:
• A strong foundation in both the theory and practice of clinical care
• Hands-on learning in on-site medical laboratories that simulate the clinical environment
• Instruction in the use of relevant medical devices and software
• Valuable, practical experience through a program-related, faculty-monitored practicum
• Liberal arts and sciences courses that provide students with a foundation of skills and knowledge necessary to reason clearly and communicate effectively

Accreditation and Certification

The Medical Assistant Certificate program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Graduates of CAAHEP-accredited Medical Assistant programs are eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant - CMA (AAMA) exam. The CMA (AAMA) designation is a national credential awarded by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), indicating that the Medical Assistant meets certain standards of competence as determined by the AAMA.

Job Placement and Exam Passage Rates

The Medical Assistant Certificate program at Berkeley College has a five-year average of 76.38% for job placement, and 83.92% for exam pass rate for the years as shown in the table below.

• Date: Job Placement - Exam Passage
  • .78% - 96.30%
  • .00% - 90.00%
  • .79% - 84.85%
  • .25% - 84.91%
  • .39% - 69.57%
• Five-Year Average: 76.38% - 83.92%