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Frequently Asked Questions
Popular Questions
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- General
- Program
- Certifications
- Tuition & Fees
MAs are unlicensed allied health workers who perform standard clinical and administrative support services under the supervision of a licensed provider, usually in an ambulatory care setting.
Since MAs practice in a variety of health care settings, their job description will vary depending on where they work. There are many skills medical assistants perform. Some skills are clinical, meaning they have to do with caring for patients. Others are administrative, which helps the medical office run smoothly.
Clinical Duties (may include, but not limited to):
- Taking medical histories
- Checking vital signs
- Preparing patients for assisting health care providers during examinations
- Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens including phlebotomy
- Giving patients instructions about their health care needs
- Preparing and administering medications as directed by a licensed provider
- Transmitting prescription refills as directed
- Taking electrocardiograms
- Wound care and changing dressings
Administrative Duties (may include, but not limited to):
- Using computer applications
- Answering telephones
- Welcoming patients
- Updating and filing patient medical records
- Coding and filling out insurance forms
- Scheduling appointments
- Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
- Handling correspondence, billing and bookkeeping
1
MAs held about 725,200 jobs in 2019. Of those employed: 57% worked in physicians’ offices, 15% worked in hospitals, 8% worked in other outpatient care settings and 4% worked in chiropractors’ offices.2 Most MAs work full time. Some work evenings, weekends or holidays to cover shifts in facilities that are open outside of regular business hours.
MAs may work in practice settings directly with patients, in office settings or a mix of both. MAs mainly work with physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, patient services representatives or other MAs.2
MA training can vary widely by location and setting. Per the Medical Board of California (2021), “In the state of California, a medical assistant gains experience by training in one of two ways:
Per Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations section 1366.3(a)(1), training under a licensed physician or podiatrist, who shall ascertain the proficiency of the medical assistant; or under a registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, physician assistant or a qualified medical assistant acting under the direction of a licensed physician or podiatrist who shall be responsible for determining the content of the training and proficiency of the medical assistant except that training to administer medication by inhalation shall be provided by a licensed physician or respiratory care practitioner; or
Per Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations section 1366.3 (a)(2), in a secondary, postsecondary, or adult education program in a public school authorized by the Department of Education, in a community college program provided for in Part 48 of Division 7 of the Education Code, or a postsecondary institution accredited by an accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education under Sections 94130 or 94311 of the Education Code. A licensed physician or podiatrist shall serve as advisor to the medical assistant training program. The instructor in a public school setting shall possess a valid teaching credential issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The instructor in a private postsecondary institution shall meet the requirements of Sections 94310 and 94311 of the Education Code and any regulations adopted pursuant to those sections.”
Post-secondary education is preferred over individual provider training by most employers.4
Students must be a high school graduate or equivalent. Additional admission criteria can be found here.
Students can complete the program in 4 months with a full-time schedule or 7 months with a part-time schedule.
The Medical Assisting Program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as medical assistants in a variety of health care settings. Students study the structure and function of the major body systems in conjunction with medical terminology, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, computer skills, administrative processes, bookkeeping and accounting practices, and the processing of medical insurance forms and claims. Curriculum content was designed to align with the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) Core Curriculum for Medical Assistants. More information can be found in the course catalog.
In recent years, the medical assisting profession has become indispensable to the health care field. Physicians have become more reliant on medical assistants for their front and back office skills and their services are being sought by medical offices, ambulatory care providers, clinics, hospitals, urgent care centers, nursing homes, medical supply businesses, home health agencies, insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies. This diploma program prepares graduates to fill entry-level positions such as clinical or administrative assistant, medical receptionist and medical insurance biller.
This program is divided into seven learning units called modules. The first six modules are classroom modules. Each stands alone as a unit of study and is not dependent upon the completion of any previous or subsequent module. If students do not complete any portion of a module, the entire module must be repeated. Students may enter the program in any of the six modules and continue through these modules until all have been completed. Following the successful completion of the first six modules, students participate in an externship.
Students attend the externship site designated by Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute at one of several Family Health Centers of San Diego clinics. The externship portion of a program will be up to 40 hours per week for a total of 320 hours. Students are assigned to non-compensated externship positions during the final phase of program study. This experience provides adult learners with the opportunity to continue their education under the supervision of clinical or office professionals. Students must satisfactorily complete the externship assignment and all applicable coursework related to the externship and submit an approved verification of time completed in order to graduate.
All class sessions are held at the main Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute campus located at 5160 Federal Blvd. #150, San Diego CA 92105, four blocks north of Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway and one mile from the Euclid Avenue MTS trolley station.
LRMAI was founded in 2021 and will graduate its first cohort in June of 2023. Certification exam pass rates should be available by July of 2023 and will be updated after each cohort.
Formal MA training can be accomplished by completing a medical assistant degree program or a diploma program. While both program types are viable paths to becoming an MA, there are some key differences:
Degree Programs
- Graduates earn an associate's degree in medical assisting upon program completion
- Degree programs take an average of two years of full-time study to complete
- Often include general education classes, such as math, science, composition and humanities in addition to career preparatory courses
- Some employers may offer increased pay and opportunities for advancement to graduates from a degree program
Diploma Programs
- Graduates earn a diploma or certificate upon program completion
- Certificate and diploma programs may be completed in less than a year
- Include both classroom learning and practical lab experiences
- Diploma programs are ideal for prospective students who are looking for a quicker entry into the workforce that can later be used as a steppingstone to further education, if desired
Overall, both programs cover the same core coursework students will need to become competent medical assistants after graduation.
Medical assisting programs do not require accreditation; however, there are two agencies that programs can seek accreditation from: (a) the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and (b) the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Each agency has its own unique accreditation requirements.
Currently, LRMAI is not eligible to apply for either medical assisting accreditation.
There are four certifying bodies for medical assistants. Certification exams are voluntary for medical assistants, but they may provide benefits for medical assistants while seeking employment such as increased pay and credibility.
Medical assistants graduating from unaccredited institutions may take the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exams if their programs meet certain criteria. Graduates from a CAAHEP or ABHES accredited school can sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam upon graduation. New MAs also have the option of taking the CMA or RMA exams after a certain amount of work experience.
Students of the LRMAI can sit for the NCMA or CCMA exams upon graduation, but would not be eligible for the AMA or RMA exams until they have work experience.
Students who graduate from LRMAI are eligible to take the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exams, but would not be eligible for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exams until they have work experience. See the chart below for more information about the different types of MA certifications. All LRMAI graduates will sit for the NCMA exam at the end of the program. The exam fee is included in the cost of tuition.
| Agency | Certification Exam | Applicants must: | LRMAI Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) | National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) |
| Eligible |
| National Healthcareer Association (NHA) | Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) |
| Eligible |
| The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) | Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) |
| Not Eligible |
| American Medical Technologists (AMT) | Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) |
| Not Eligible |
LRMAI is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Separate from state approvals, only accrediting agencies can accredit an institution and it is a voluntary, non-governmental review process. Medical Assistant programs do not require accreditation to operate; however, there are two agencies that programs can seek accreditation from: (a) the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and (b) the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Each agency has its own unique accreditation requirements.
As a new program, LRMAI does not currently meet the accreditation requirements for either agency, but will apply for accreditation once eligible.
Program Cost
TOTAL***
$7,717.50*Effective April 1, 2022, the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) assessment rate changed from fifty cents ($0.50) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges to two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges (5, CCRS section 76120).
**Student uniforms include solid, royal blue scrubs, rubber-soled, closed-toe shoes and a watch. Uniforms must be purchased prior to the first day of class from the student’s retailer of choice. The final cost will vary, but is estimated to be around $350.
***These are the schedule of total charges for a period of attendance and an estimated schedule of total charges for the entire educational program (plus the cost of the uniform).
As a new program, Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute does not qualify for accreditation and students are not eligible for Federal or State Student Aid programs. While LRMAI does not guarantee job placement upon graduation, LRMAI graduates who are hired by Family Health Centers of San Diego are eligible for tuition forgiveness through FHCSD’s Loan Forgiveness Program.
The Loan Forgiveness Program waives tuition, STRF fees and the cost of books for students who successfully complete the program and perform full-time satisfactory work for FHCSD as a medical assistant for three (3) years after graduation (loan period). While LRMAI does not guarantee job placement upon graduation, LRMAI graduates who are hired by Family Health Centers of San Diego are eligible for tuition forgiveness through FHCSD’s Loan Forgiveness Program.
References
1. American Association of Medical Assistants. (2021). What is a medical assistant? Retrieved from: https://www.aama-ntl.org/medical-assisting/what-is-a-medical-assistant
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). (2021). Medical assistants’ occupational outlook. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm
3. State of California Employment Development Department (EDD). (2021). San Diego County profile. Retrieved from: https://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/localAreaProfileQSResults.asp?selectedarea=&selectedindex=&menuChoice=localAreaPro&state=true&geogArea=0604000073&submit1=View+the+Local+Area+Profile
4. Medical Board of California. (2021). Medical assistants. Retrieved from: https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensing/Physicians-and-Surgeons/Practice-Information/Medical-Assistants.aspx
5. Salary.com (2021). Medical Assistant Salary in San Diego, CA. Retrieved from: https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/medical-assistant-salary/san-diego-ca