Medical Assistant (MA) Program Good Samaritan College of Nursing & Health Science

This Medical Assistant program is an evening program taught over three (3) semesters. It will prepare students for entry-level positions in ambulatory health care settings, such as physician offices and outpatient clinics. This program will focus on skills and knowledge to perform competently in both the clinical and the administrative areas of healthcare, including obtaining vital signs, preparing and administering medications, performing laboratory procedures, utilizing the electronic medical record, scheduling appointments, performing diagnostic and procedural medical coding, and adhering to safety and emergency procedures.

The program's courses may be offered in full-term (15 weeks) sessions in the fall and spring semesters and a 10-week semester in the summer. There will be a weekly face-to-face meeting. Homework is assigned using our Learning Management System (LMS), making up no more than 50% of the course. This program is not an online program, and no lab hours are obtained via online work. During the last semester, students will participate in a 210-hour unpaid practicum in a physician's office. Upon completion of the program, students will pursue a credential by sitting for a national certification examination.

The Medical Assistant program is designed for students pursuing an education and career in healthcare. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts strong growth for medical assistants nationally through 2024. There is an increased demand for credentialed Medical Assistants to work in ambulatory facilities locally and nationally. Students who complete the Medical Assistant program are eligible to sit for a credentialing examination recognized by the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Program Curriculum

The Medical Assistant program consists of 30 semester credit hours. The first 27 credit hours will be delivered by lecture, laboratory, hybrid, and simulation methodologies. The remaining three (3) credits will be earned by completing a 210-hour unpaid practicum in a primary care office. Note: Practicum hours are completed during daytime hours. Usually, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Upon successful completion of the program, the student is prepared to seek certification through nationally recognized agencies.