The Medical Assistant program prepares students for employment as a medical assistant in a physician’s office or clinic. The curriculum is designed to provide training in administrative (front office) and/or clinical (back office) medical assisting skills. Instruction is given in basic medical office procedures (including appointment scheduling, billing, and insurance), assisting with examinations, surgical and laboratory procedures (including venipuncture, pharmacology, and injections), electrocardiography, electronic health records, public relations, supervision, and practice-building techniques. An externship experience helps provide the student with the skills necessary to enter the field.
Successful completion of courses will require that a grade of “C” or better be achieved. When a student fails to achieve a “C” or better in any course, the student will be given the opportunity to repeat the failed course once on a space available basis. If a student receives a second grade of less than a “C” in any Medical Assistant course, that student will be dropped from the Medical Assistant Program and will not be eligible for re-entry into the Saddleback College Medical Assistant program. A student may not enter Clinical Experience (MA 217) until all courses are completed with a grade of “C” or better.
ALL THINGS MEDICAL ASSISTING
See our Application to Graduation sheet for everything you need to know from applying to the college to completing the Medical Assistant Program and the cost breakdown for each pathway.
UPDATE: Externships scheduled in spring and fall semesters only.
Certificate of Achievement
• Administrative Medical Assistant Certificate of Achievement
• Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate of Achievement
• Comprehensive Medical Assistant Certificate of Achievement
Occupational Skills Award
• Medical Insurance Billing Occupational Skills Award
Pathways to Additional Programs and Certificates:
- Medical Scribe Certificate of Achievement
- Healthcare Technology Optimization Specialist Certificate of Achievement
- Medical Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement
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CURRENT STUDENT INFORMATION
Pre-Externship Packet (updated 10/29/20)
CCBMA Exam - learn more about the CCBMA and how to take the exam.
CERTIFICATES
***Don’t forget you must apply for a degree, certificate, occupational skills award, or transfer at Saddleback College. These are not automatically issued. You MUST apply for them. Please review the links provided below for further information.***
Graduation / Degree and Certificate Information | Saddleback College
Location: SSC 102
Phone: (949) 582-4555
Email us
Regular Office & Telephone Hours: (Office closed until further notice)
Monday - Thursday
8:00am to 5:00pm
Friday
8:00am to 3:00pm
***FAFSA***
Students may be eligible for financial aid. If interested in applying, please visit Saddleback College's Student Financial Assistance & Scholarship Office https://www.saddleback.edu/fao
Susan White, RN, MSN, CAPA
Department Chair – Medical Assistant Program
swhite16@saddleback.edu
Chelsey Tyson, BS
Program Specialist
ctyson@sadddleback.edu
*Please review the explanation of the Medical Assistant Program Courses by Semester carefully so that you will be certain to enroll in all of the required courses when they are offered. Note that all clinical courses and three of the administrative courses are only offered one semester each year.