How to Become a Medical Assistant in California

The first to finding and maintaining a career as a Medical Assistant in the medical industry is finding the best Medical Technical College you can attend in your locale. If you live in (or are plan on moving to) Southern California, then you know that you’ve got a few options, but what you may not know or might not have considered, is that not all Medical Assistant School or medical colleges are alike. There are many different factors to take into consideration when choosing the right medical college for your needs, and we’ve covered most of those factors in another blog, so today we’ll be focusing on not only becoming an Medical Assistant in California, but going beyond passing the National Certification Medical Assistant (NCMA) Examination in order to thrive in your new career in the medical industry.

First, let’s look at the requirements that Medical Assistant – Back Office students must fulfill in order to work as a Medical Assistant in the state of California. At Modern Technology School, our program is laid out pretty straight-forward and simple:

What Are the Medical Assistant Program Classes at MTS in Orange County Like?

The Medical Assistant course length is broken up into 600 Instructional hours and 750 Total Clock Hours for a grand total of 32 quarter credit hours. Our Medical Assistant Program at MTS is offered in both morning and evening classes, with morning classes starting every other month (rotating) and evening classes varying – please contact Modern Technology School for details! Tuition and fees for the Medical Assistant Program at Modern Technology School is $7,362 and the program covers medical terminology, practical math for health-care workers, OSHA & CDC health-care requirements and regulations, medical law & ethics, HIPAA requirements, basic human anatomy/physiology/pathology and clinical diagnostic examinations.

Procedures included in the Medical Assisting Back Office training:

  • Medical and Surgical sepsis training
  • Office Management
  • Proper use of Body Mechanics
  • Sterilization Procedures
  • Vital Signs
  • Medication Preparation and Administration (injections)
  • Proper Specimen Collection and Processing
  • Blood Collection (capillary and venipuncture)
  • Use of Glucose Monitor & HEMOCUE (blood hemoglobin photometer)
  • Visual Examination (ophthalmoscope/Snellen chart)
  • Ear Lavage (otoscope)
  • Exam Preparation and Instruction
  • ECG/EKG
  • Health-care Provider BLS/CPR with AED
  • Medical Record Management

What Are the Educational Objectives of the Medical Assistant Program at MTS?

Modern Technology School wants to provide the student with didactic, laboratory and internship training needed to enable him/her to meet the entry level requirements for a position as an Medical Assistant – Back Office; with the ability to perform a variety of back office procedures to include, but not limited to, venipuncture, injections, EKG’s, and various other routing laboratory procedures.

After completion of the course, the medical assistant student is eligible to sit for the National Certification Medical Assistant (NCMA) Examination, after completion of didactic, laboratory and clinical training. Completion of entire medical assistant back office program including clinical internship is required before Multi-Skilled Medical Certification Institute, Inc. can issue NCMA certificate through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).

Career Opportunities for Medical Assistant Graduates

Once the graduate has completed the program and passed the NCMA exam he/she can assume a responsible entry-level Medical Assistant-Back Office position as a member of the health care team in a physician’s office, hospital, chiropractic office or clinic. Jobs are available in private practice, industry and government service.

Once these steps have successfully been completed, you will have earned the opportunity to become a Medical Assistant in the state of California. Now while it might seem simple to do just about anywhere on paper, there’s certainly a lot more factors to consider when choosing the right Medical Assistant school in California to not only help prepare you for the NCMA State Exams, but also to provide you with a solid foundation that you can apply for many years to come in your new medical career. But where do you start?

What to Look for in the Best Medical Assistant School in Orange County

If you’re considering a career as a Medical Assistant or in one of the many professions within the medical field, you’re going to want to find an Orange County Medical College that goes above and beyond just the National Certification Medical Assistant (NCMA) Examination. Much like a world class athlete or lawyer would seek out the best school or schools available to them in order to increase their chances of not only passing their tests, but to excel and become front-runners in their respective fields, you’ll want to do the same. Medical Assistant College is no different and so the first thing you’ll want to do is find the right Medical Assistant school and get the best education as well as hands-on training available, from an accredited and well-known medical institution.

The second step is to make sure that the school you’ve chosen is not only approved by the regulation boards and governing bodies at the state, but that it is also accredited. Lastly, you’ll want to see what professional memberships the school has, and whether or not factors like bi-lingual study and courses in English and Spanish as well as financial aid come into the picture when making a decision on the right school for your specific needs. Finally, does the school offer day and evening Medical Assistant classes?

So what does it mean to go beyond simple preparation for the examinations and your regular course of study? The medical industry is ever-changing and the need for licensed medical assistants and back office assistants grows exponentially every year. It’s important to prep to pass the NCMA Exam, but it’s also vital to be a part of a medical and radiology school that holds its instructors and lecturers to the rigorous office and medical industry standards… the same standards that are changing subtly each day.

Modern Technology School Ranks among the Best Medical Assistant School in OC

Small classrooms and a clean, inviting, well-lit and safe environment to learn in, along with state-of-the-art equipment and the latest technique are vital to building a strong foundation for your career, not just simply passing the NCMA Medical Assistant exam. At Modern Technology School (MTS), we not only nurture our new and current students enrolled in our Medical Assistant / Back Office courses, but we value the students who have already graduated and gone on to become successful doing what they at imaging clinics, doctor’s offices and hospitals throughout California. At Modern Technology School, we want to see you pass the NCMA exam, but we also take pride in helping you develop the skills necessary to keep growing in the medical field, long after you graduate.

We work hands-on; enjoy building synergy within our classrooms and creating a team environment that’s not only educational and fundamental for our students, but also fun and creative. Modern Technology School in Fountain Valley is nationally-recognized and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and we are also approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, and our Medical Assistant – Back Office Program is one of the best in the state.

What Makes MTS Unique as One of the Best Medical Assistant Programs in CA

Need help paying for your Medical Assistant education? Look no further. Modern Technology School (MTS) in Fountain Valley, CA is one of the Medical Assistant schools in California that is approved and recognized by the United States Department of Education for participation in the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Pell Grants, and Federal Student Loans. We offer fast-paced Medical Assistant / Back Office classes and hands-on learning in our evening or daytime classes which accommodate & match the busy lives of our diverse student-base. We have a clean and modern facility located centrally to the 405 freeway in the heart of Orange County, complete with several examination rooms, medical laboratories, ultrasound machines, lecture halls, computer labs, libraries as well as the latest in x-ray, and vascular equipment. So while our Medical Assistant curriculum will of course prep and help you pass the NCMA Exam, know that at Modern Technology School (MTS), we truly want our students to succeed in their chosen career within the medical industry right away, we also want to see you succeed in your career paths years down the line. We’ve put a lot of effort and preparation into making sure you’ve got a solid Medical foundation and the fundamentals to keep learning throughout your career in this exciting and ever-changing industry! Please call us at 888-991-8997 to schedule a short campus tour or meet with one of our staff today! We also take walk-ins, so feel free to drop in and take a quick tour!

*for more info on our Medical Assistant – Back Office School accreditations & approvals, visit MTS at: http://mtschooledu.wpengine.com/medical-assistant-back-office/