If working in the healthcare field is a dream of yours, our Medical Assisting  program at Stellar Career College is a great place to get started. In this medical assisting course, you can prepare to work along side physicians and other healthcare professionals in a challenging and fast-paced clinical environment.

Professional Medical Assistants assist the physicians and nurses with examining and treating patients. The objective of this program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to work at an entry-level position at a medical facility. Our medical assistant program provides the knowledge and skills in the structure and systems of the human body, procedures to assist the nurses and physicians, injections, vein-punctures, and emergency procedures, including EKG rhythm recognition. In addition to clinical skills, the medical assisting training course also trains medical assistants to be able to perform the administrative as well as patient support services functions that keep a medical practice operating, including such skills as telephone techniques, written communications, scheduling, referrals, ordering supplies, controlling inventory, and maintaining records. 

Start Your Medical Assistant Career Now! Enroll in Stellar Career College‘s Medical Assisting/Patient Services Technician program! Learn clinical, administrative and patient support skills to become a successful Medical Assistant.

• Medical Assisting/ Patient Services Technician Program duration is 36 weeks for part time students.
• Currently offered from 8:00 a.m. to 12:35 p.m., Monday through Thursday on campus.
• Gain real-world experience through hands-on training and clinical externship.
• Hands-on, instructor-led clinical training in the college medical lab including 200 hours of clinical externship in a healthcare environment.
• Class sizes are typically less that 10 students.
• One on-one tutoring available. 

As a graduate from our program you will have learned medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, disease processes, customer service skills, as well as a variety routine clinical medical procedures. You will also be prepared for the National Certified Medical Assistant certification from the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) certifying agency.

Graduates of our Medical Assisting/Patient Services Technician program are qualified and encouraged to take the national certification examination. Tuition includes a prep course and one exam attempt fee for the National Certified Electrocardiograph (EKG Technician)  Technician (NCET) certificate and National Certified Medical Assisting certificate (NCMA).

For more information, please visit the National Center for Competency Testing at www.ncctinc.com/certifications.

As a graduate from Stellar Career College’s Medical Assistant program, you will be qualified to work in a variety of healthcare environments, including private medical offices, physician offices, and health clinics.

As a graduate from our program you will be prepared for entry-level employment as a(n):

• Patient Services Specialist O*NET (29-2099.08) Patient Representatives
• Medical Assistant O*NET (31-9092.00) Medical Assistants
• EKG Tech/ EKG Telemetry Tech 29-2031.00 Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
• Medical Administrative Assistant O*NET (43-6013.00) Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
• Medical Office Receptionist O*NET (29-2072.00) Medical Records Specialists
• Clinical Assistant O*NET (31-9092.00) Medical Assistants
• Medical Clerk O*NET (43-9061.00) Office Clerks, General
• Admission’s Clerk O*NET (43-9061.00) Office Clerks, General
• Unit Clerk O*NET (43-9061.00) Office Clerks, General

Certified Medical Assistants:
The job duties of certified medical assistants vary, depending on each medical facility’s guidelines, job description, and the specialty area of the health care professional that presides over patient care in that facility. clinical medical assistant job duties may include both clinical and administrative tasks.
Some administrative responsibilities that certified medical assistants may perform include scheduling appointments, updating and maintaining medical records, and billing. Clinical and patient care duties may involve performing venipunctures to obtain blood specimens for laboratory testing, measuring and recording vital signs, performing EKGs, and assisting doctors or nurse practitioners with examinations.

• Bathe, dress, and feed patients as needed.
• Monitor and record vital signs and report to the nurse.
• Keep the patient’s personal space clean (make beds, empty trash).
• Assist patients with transfers from bed to chair or wheelchair.
• Assist with walking, as needed.
• Some may provide transportation to and from medical appointments.
Differences in Scope of Practice
Some states have statutes that address a certified medical assistant’s scope of practice. However, many do not. In states where no regulatory guidance is in place, a medical assistant’s scope of practice is typically determined by education, the comfort level of providers who are delegating tasks, and demonstration of clinical competency.

The scope of practice for certified nursing assistants is determined by state boards of nursing where the CNA is licensed to work. Activities that are typically covered in a CNA scope of practice include providing basic daily patient care, assist with movement such as transfers and mobility, monitoring nutritional intake and monitoring, and reporting patient vital signs.

1. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA):

 One of the most widely recognized certifications for medical assistants is offered through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). The examination covers material across a broad scope of information, including general, administrative, and clinical skills categories. The AAMA CMA exam includes four 40-minute segments of testing with a total of 200 multiple-choice questions.

3. The National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)  administers the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certification.

Neither state licensure nor certification is required for a medical assistant to be employed. However, without certification and licensure, medical assistants may face restrictions on some of the tasks that can perform. For example, some states require medical assistants who take x-rays or who practice venipunctures (drawing blood) to be certified in those skills.

The Bottom Line:
CNA or CMA which is better?
There are several differences in a career as a CMA vs CNA. Both careers offer an opportunity to provide care to patients in a variety of healthcare settings and to be an essential part of the healthcare delivery team. When deciding which career may be better suited for your long-term personal goals, consider the amount of money and time you want to invest in school, whether you plan to pursue a higher degree later, and the type of work you want to do. Because the healthcare industry is always growing and expanding, a career as either a certified medical assistant or a certified nursing assistant increases the potential of steady, long-term employment opportunities.