Medical Assistant Bridge Program
If you are interested in this program and planning to start 2023-24, please contact Allied Health Occupations at 541-956-7446 or [email protected]
Click here for the 2023/24 Medical Assistant Bridge Program Map
What is the Medical Assistant Bridge Career Pathway Certificate?
The Medical Assistant Bridge Program is a nine-month Career Pathway Certificate Program that trains currently employed medical front desk receptionists to become Certified Medical Assistants (CCMA). This program is part-time and designed to accommodate working full time at current place of employment.
Eligibility Requirements
- Minimum of 500 hours as a medical front desk receptionist, also called Medical Administrative Assistants, Patient Service Specialists, Administrative Assistants and others.
- Experience with the following: scheduling, patient check-in and screening, telecommunications, customer service, experience working with electronic health records, knowledge of insurance and basic billing functions. Participating individuals should also demonstrate professional communication with patient’s and health care team.
- Two letters of recommendation into the program from current healthcare organization.
- A signed agreement between RCC, healthcare employer, and student (will be provided during initial advising appointment.
Certification
Students who complete the program will be issued a Career Pathway Certificate and will be eligible to sit for the CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant), CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) and CET (Certified ECG Technician) exams through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Steps to Enroll
- Discuss program with employer using the Medical Assistant Bridge Program Guide
- Become an RCC student
- Speak with Medical Assistant Program Advisor
- Allied Health Occupations at 541-956-7446 or [email protected]
- Obtain signatures on RCC’s Clinical Training Agreement
- Gather two letters of recommendation from current or previous employer.
- Apply to either fall or spring program
- Register for classes and begin!
Why Become a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assisting is a rewarding career that offers both flexibility and stability. This job is in high demand, with the projected 10-year growth estimated at 23.2%
RCC's Medical Assistant program offers certification for three exams through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) as part of our nine-month program: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT), Certified ECG Technician (CET).
With your CCMA certificate, you can:
- Work in a primary care clinic
- Work in a specialty care clinic
- Examples of specialty clinics: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Neurology, Dermatology, Sports Medicine, Internal Medicine, Physiatry, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Infectious Disease and more!
- Work in a hospital-based clinic
- Work for a federal, state, or local government agency.
Pathway for Career Advancement as a Medical Assistant
Medical Assistants have many opportunities for advancement in the field. Below are some of the jobs Medical Assistants skill up to through workplace advancement or further education, sometimes funded by local employers!
- ECG (EKG) Technician
- Medical Scribe
- Patient Care Coordinator
- Clinic Supervisor and Clinic Manager
- Radiology Technician
- Some local employers train for this on the job!
- Emergency Room Technician
- Surgical Technician
- Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Medical Assisting work experience provides points on the Nursing Application!
- Medical assistants perform many tasks that will prepare you for Nursing such as: medication administration and knowledge, specimen collection processing and testing, phlebotomy procedures, ECG procedures and interpretation, wound care, vital signs and medical history documentation, utilization of an electronic medical record (EMR), minor procedures, emergency procedures, patient screening, administrative tasks and more!
- Health Information Technician
- Physician Assistant (PA) or Medical Doctor (MD)
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