Medical Assistant Program – Clinical & Administrative Training

Duration: Approximately 420 clock hours of training, including a 160-hour clinical externship for real-world experience​. This intensive program can be completed in just a few months of full-time study (with part-time schedule options available at some campuses).

Curriculum: Balanced clinical and administrative coursework – you’ll learn to assist with patient care procedures as well as manage medical office tasks​. The program begins with classroom instruction and lab practice, followed by a supervised externship in an actual healthcare facility.

Credential Earned: Certificate (Diploma) in Medical Assisting upon successful completion of all requirements. This is a non-degree program, meaning you can enter the workforce faster without a lengthy college commitment.

Certification Eligibility: Graduates are prepared to sit for optional national certification exams, such as the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam or other Medical Assistant certifications, to further demonstrate their qualifications​. While certification is not mandated by California for MAs, earning one can enhance your employment opportunities.

What Medical Assistants Do?

Medical Assistants (MAs) are multi-skilled allied health professionals who support physicians, nurses, and other providers in outpatient settings. They perform a blend of clinical duties (like taking vital signs, drawing blood, giving injections, preparing patients for exams) and administrative duties (scheduling appointments, updating medical records, handling billing and insurance forms)​. In a typical day, an MA might record a patient’s medical history, check their height, weight and blood pressure, assist the doctor during minor procedures, then switch to updating the patient’s chart and scheduling a follow-up visit. This versatility makes MAs the key support staff in clinics and doctor’s offices.

How is a Medical Assistant different from a CNA or LVN? It’s a common question. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) primarily provide basic patient care in hospitals or nursing homes (helping patients with bathing, feeding, mobility, etc.), under the supervision of nurses​. Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) are licensed nurses who perform clinical nursing tasks (like administering medications, wound care, vital signs) in settings like hospitals and long-term care, under an RN or physician’s supervision​. Medical Assistants, by contrast, are trained specifically for ambulatory care (outpatient) environments such as clinics and private practices. MAs focus on clinical support tasks (exam prep, injections, EKGs) and administrative tasks (reception, scheduling, insurance paperwork) in a doctor’s office setting​. In short, MAs are the go-to support staff in outpatient clinics, whereas CNAs and LVNs have roles more centered in inpatient or long-term care with a different scope of practice.

We offer frequent start dates to accommodate your scheduling needs. Students enroll in our full-time daytime schedule:

• 11-Week Daytime Schedule (AM) – Classes run Monday through Friday for 11 weeks, including 7 weeks of classroom theory (8:00 AM – 4:30 PM) followed by 4 weeks of externship practice (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM). This schedule is available exclusively at our San Bernardino Campus.

New classes begin nearly every week, providing flexibility to start when it's most convenient for you—without extended waiting periods.

Mission Career College offers the Clinical Medical Assistant Program at our San Bernardino location:

• San Bernardino – Satellite Campus (2211 Hunts Lane, Suite Q, San Bernardino, CA 92408)

Our San Bernardino campus provides a state-approved curriculum and maintains strong clinical partnerships to facilitate your externship and ensure valuable hands-on training. The campus is equipped with modern skills labs and experienced instructors dedicated to your success and readiness for certification.

Our Medical Assistant curriculum is carefully structured to cover all essential competencies required for entry-level MA positions. Students receive instruction in both clinical techniques and medical office procedures, ensuring you become a well-rounded professional ready to handle front-office and back-office responsibilities.

Clinical Skills Training

• Anatomy & Physiology Basics: Understanding body systems to inform patient care and medical procedures.
• Vital Signs & Patient Care: Learning to accurately measure blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature, height and weight, and to assist with patient exams​.

• Phlebotomy & Lab Procedures: Performing venipuncture (drawing blood) and capillary sticks, collecting lab specimens, conducting basic lab tests, and practicing proper infection control (Universal Precautions)​.

• EKG/ECG & Diagnostics: Operating an electrocardiograph to perform EKG tests and assisting with other diagnostic procedures (like urinalysis or basic x-ray prep).
• Medication Administration: Preparing and administering injections and medications as directed by a physician, and educating patients on medications or special diets​.

• Minor Surgical Assistance & Procedures: Assisting the physician during minor office surgeries or procedures, sterilizing instruments, removing sutures, changing dressings, and maintaining a sterile field.

• Emergency First Aid & CPR: Basic first aid techniques and CPR training for handling on-site emergencies until higher-level care is available.

Administrative Skills Training

• Medical Office Operations: Scheduling patient appointments, greeting and intake of patients, and coordinating referrals or specialist visits​.

• Health Records Management: Maintaining patient medical records, including updating charts and handling Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems with accuracy and confidentiality.
• Medical Terminology & Law/Ethics: Mastering the language of medicine and understanding healthcare laws (like HIPAA) and ethical standards to ensure professional conduct in the office.
• Insurance & Billing: Learning to fill out insurance claim forms, perform basic medical coding and billing tasks, process reimbursements, and communicate with insurance companies​.

• Office Finance & Inventory: Handling tasks such as patient billing statements, collecting co-pays, and managing medical office inventory and supplies procurement.
• Communication & Customer Service: Developing strong communication skills for interacting with patients, families, and healthcare team members, both in person and on the phone. This includes learning to educate patients on office policies or physician instructions and to triage phone calls.

Throughout the program, professional development is emphasized. You will practice the kind of teamwork, confidentiality, and attention to detail that healthcare employers expect. By the end of the coursework, you will have a solid foundation in both the “back-office” clinical skills and “front-office” administrative skills that medical employers value​.

A key component of the Medical Assistant program is the externship, which provides real-world experience in a healthcare setting. After completing the classroom and lab training, students will be placed in an externship at a local clinic, doctor’s office, or healthcare facility to practice their skills with actual patients. The externship is 160 hours (approximately 4 weeks) long​, and is required for graduation — ensuring every student graduates with hands-on experience.

During your externship, you’ll work under the guidance of experienced healthcare professionals, performing the day-to-day duties of a Medical Assistant in a supervised environment. This is your chance to apply everything you’ve learned: you might be taking vitals in the morning, assisting with blood draws or EKGs by midday, and updating patient records in the afternoon. Mission Career College works with you to arrange your externship placement; we partner with various clinics and healthcare providers to match students with a suitable site. Throughout the externship, you’ll be monitored and mentored, with feedback provided on your performance.

What you gain: The externship is often cited by graduates as the most rewarding part of the program. It bridges the gap between school and work – you’ll build confidence interacting with patients and healthcare team members, refine your technical skills on real cases, and learn how a medical office operates from the inside. Many students also find that the externship can lead to references or even job offers, as it serves as an extended interview in some ways. By the end of this experience, you’ll have real healthcare work experience on your resume and be truly job-ready.

Upon earning your Medical Assistant certificate, you will be qualified for employment in a variety of ambulatory healthcare settings. Medical Assistants are in demand anywhere that physicians or healthcare practitioners care for outpatients. Common employment settings include:

• Physicians’ Offices and Clinics: The majority of MAs work in private doctors’ offices, group practices, and specialty clinics (such as pediatrics, cardiology, orthopedics, etc.). These can range from small family practices to large multi-specialty clinics.
• Urgent Care and Outpatient Centers: Many urgent care clinics and outpatient care centers hire Medical Assistants to handle patient intake, vitals, and assist providers with procedures on a walk-in basis.
• Hospitals (Outpatient Departments): Some hospitals employ MAs in outpatient departments, such as same-day surgery centers, specialty clinics within the hospital, or emergency department fast-track units​. In these roles, MAs perform tasks similar to those in clinics, focusing on patient prep and clerical support.

• Public Health & Community Health Centers: Community clinics, public health clinics, and nonprofit health organizations often use Medical Assistants to support doctors and nurse practitioners in serving community populations.
• Chiropractic, Podiatry, and Other Allied Health Offices: Beyond primary care, MAs can also work with chiropractors, podiatrists, and other healthcare providers who run outpatient practices, performing both clinical aid and office administration.

Each of these environments will make full use of the skills you learned – from greeting patients and managing paperwork to assisting in exam rooms. While no training program can guarantee employment, completing a reputable Medical Assistant program greatly expands the range of job opportunities you can pursue in the growing healthcare field​.

Getting started in the Medical Assistant program is straightforward. Prospective students must meet the following admission requirements:

1. Application Form: Complete the Mission Career College application and enrollment agreement. (An admissions representative can guide you through this process.)
2. Proof of Education: Provide a high school diploma or GED. (If you do not have a high school equivalency, you may qualify by passing an approved entrance exam.)
3. Government ID and Social Security Card: Present a valid photo ID (e.g. driver’s license or passport) and an SSN card for identification and records.
4. Health Clearance: Undergo a basic physical exam and submit immunization records. Students must be in good health and up-to-date on vaccinations. Externship sites typically require proof of certain immunizations and a recent TB test (and/or chest X-ray clearance).
5. CPR Certification: Obtain a current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification for healthcare providers. (If you don’t have this yet, MCC often provides an opportunity to get certified during the program.)
6. Background Check: Complete a Live Scan fingerprint background check (required for working with patients in most healthcare facilities). A clear background is needed as certain convictions may disqualify individuals from working with vulnerable patient populations.
7. Financial Arrangements: Meet with the financial aid office (if applying for financial aid or payment plans) to ensure tuition arrangements are in place before starting classes.

Note: Admission is open to adults of all backgrounds who meet the above criteria. If you have any concerns (such as a prior medical condition or legal issue), please discuss them with our admissions team. We maintain a supportive, inclusive admissions policy but also must ensure all students can safely participate in clinical training.

Externship Site Requirements: Keep in mind that some externship partner sites may have additional requirements. For example, hospitals or larger clinics might require a drug screening, seasonal flu shot, or proof of COVID-19 vaccination. MCC will inform you of any site-specific prerequisites before your externship so you can be prepared.