Select Page
Most of the entry level healthcare careers are utilizing the online education environment and online medical assistant programs one of the fields using it the most. The need for experienced and well medical assistants has never been higher and online training has never been more available and even necessary due to the demand for these types of allied health careers.

Are Online Medical Assistant Schools Right for you?

Students are using combinations of online learning and traditional educational practices more than ever to speed up their individual education duration and timelines. As stated above this is a great idea for those studying to get their medical assistant certification online. A medical assistant is known as a CMA or MA in most states. The title depends on the state you reside in and work in but it is important to remember that the job is going to be in most cases, the exact same.

In this article we cover the overall concepts and topics about online programs. We will do our best to answer the most pressing and common questions, the expectation of training, advantages/disadvantages to online environment, along with what the best online medical assistant schools are! Training to become a certified medical assistant online can be done if you follow the steps laid out below.

 

Find Medical Assistant Programs Online Today

Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Search

Be Sure Your Online Course is Nationally Accredited

Our list of online MA programs are accredited at a national level and will serve you well in your attendance. Before selection any online program one must be sure to check the school credentials with the two national organizations responsible for medical assisting program accreditation in the United States. These are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, also known as (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, also known as (ABHES).

Can you Get a Medical Assistant Certification 100% Online?

Online medical assistant certification cannot be 100% online. Though most of your medical assistant certification training will be done online there is a lab portion of your training that will be done in person. Most online medical Assisting programs provide their students didactic and in-the-field learning experiences that enable students to enter the allied health workforce as entry-level medical assistants.

How Long do Medical Assistant Courses Take Online?

That answer depends on if you are going to get certified or not. The typical medical assistant training program online is between 10 and 16 months and can be up to 24 months if you choose to get your associates degree. Since their are options for medical assistant training it is up to the student to decide their level of education and certification. Below is a snapshot of what most aspiring medical assistants can look at in terms of education timelines.

Associate Degree in Medical Assisting Services – 16 – 20 months
Diploma in Medical Assisting Services – 10 – 12 months
Diploma in Medical Assisting – 10 months

What is the Fastest way to Become a Medical Assistant Online?

To become a medical assistant online in the fastest and most efficient way possible, students must start by having a high school diploma or GED. Typically having a high school diploma is the only requirement for CMA training. Then you must find a doctor or physician that is willing to train you on the job, or students can enroll in online medical assistant programs to receive a certificate or diploma (which takes less than a year in most cases). Below is a step by step to the common path to becoming a medical assistant online. Since certification is not mandated by law in most states deciding of certification is the oath for you is the first question you need to answer.

1 – Decide if you want to get certified
2 – Choose between a diploma or an associate’s degree program
3 – Enroll in an accredited online program
4 – Complete your clinical training
5 – Pass a national certification exam

How Much Does Online Training for Medical Assisting Cost?

The cost of completing online medical assistant programs is typically between $1,000-$4,500. The cost varies depending on the length of the training and the length of the externship program including in the program. If you go for a certificate it will be on the low end of the cost spectrum and if you go for your associates degree it will obviously cost more.

What do Medical Assistant Classes Online Cover?

Your online medical assistant courses will cover the standard duties of a medical assistant, medical terminology and general education classes in most situations. If you are getting an associates degree online, expect to take most of your training classes online. This courses will include your math, English and other traditional classes.
Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

What are the Best Online Medical Assistant Programs?

It s very common for most colleges and universities to offer online programs for parts of their respective educational programs. In general if you don’t need to be in a clinical environment, then you can probably do your work in an online program. If you are attending a local community college for example, sections of the medical assistant program will be available online. We feel that the list of online medical assistant schools below are the best options for online training in the country! All schools are accredited and will get your career in the medical field off on the right track!

The Top Online Medical Assistant Schools

Allen County Community College
Medical Office Assistant Training
1801 N Cottonwood
Iola, Kansas 66749
Contact Email – alliedhealth@allencc.edu
The Allen County Community College medical office assisting program is a 25 credit two semester program that can be completed in 10 months. Costs for training are $2,800.

American National University
Medical Assisting Program
1813 East Main Street
Salem, Virginia 24153
The American National University medical assisting program is accredited by the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. They offer a 48 credit, 12 course, 10 month certificate program and an associate degree program that is 96 credits (includes the 48 for certificate) and is 20 months in length (10 is for certificate).

Bryan University
Medical Assistant Training
4255 Nature Center Way
Springfield, Missouri 65804
Bryan University offers three different medical assistant programs. They offer a diploma program in medical office assisting (40 weeks), a diploma program in medical assisting (50 weeks) and an associates degree for medical assisting (70 weeks).

Bryant and Stratton College-Online
Online Medical Assisting Course
180 Redtail Rd
Orchard Park, New York 14127
The medical assisting programs at Bryant and Stratton College is accredited by the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. They offer a diploma program for medical office assisting, medical assisting and an associates degree in medical assisting.

Central Georgia Technical College
Online Medical Assisting Classes
80 Cohen Walker Drive
Warner Robins, Georgia 31088
Central Georgia Technical College offers many options for training to become a medical assistant. They offer an associates degree, a diploma and certificates in medical assisting. Here is a link to their handbook.

Central Wyoming College
Online Med. Asst. Course
2660 Peck Avenue
Riverton, Wyoming 82501
The Central Wyoming College offers a 31 credit certificate program for medical assisting. The course requires 7 credits of general education before acceptance in to the training program.

Century College
Medical Assisting Classes
3300 Century Ave N
White Bear Lake, Minnesota 55110
Century College is a top rated option for getting trained as a medical assistant. The cost is $186 per credit and the program is accredited by the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Medical Assistant Certificate Program
3520 Central Parkway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45223-2690
The Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is accredited by (CAAHEP) the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and is recommended by the (MAERB) Medical Assisting Education Review Board. Program costs for Ohio residents is $7,751 and for out of state students is $13,103. Here is a link to a full breakdown of the program.

Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Clinical Medical Assistant
Medical Office Assistant
840 Wood Street
Clarion, Pennsylvania 16214
Clarion University offers two medical assisting programs (Clinical Medical Assistant and Medical Office Assistant).

Community College of Vermont
Medical Assisting Certificate
660 Elm Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
The Community College of Vermont has a medical assisting certificate program that is 30 credits. Candidates have to pass a background check and here is a link to the student handbook for the program.

Cowley County Community College
Medical Office Assistant
125 S 2nd St
Arkansas City, Kansas 67005
Contact Email – alliedhealth@cowley.edu
The Cowley County Community College medical office assisting program costs $1,995 for in-state tuition and fees. $2,888 for out-of-state tuition and fees and $1,521 for books and supplies.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Medical Assistant Programs Online
One Maurice Culberson Drive
Rome, Georgia 30161
Georgia Northwestern Technical College offers two medical assisting programs (diploma and associate degrees). The associates degree is 63 credits and the diploma program is 54 credits. Both programs are accredited by the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Med. Asst. Training Classes
495 N Indian Creek Dr
Clarkston, Georgia 30021-2397
Georgia Piedmont Technical College medical assistant diploma program is accredited by (CAAHEP) the
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

Lanier Technical College
Medical Assisting Online Training Courses
2990 Landrum Education Dr
Oakwood, Georgia 30566
Lanier tech is accredited by the the (CAAHP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education from a recommendation by the (MAERB) Medical Assisting Education Review Board. They offer associates degrees, diplomas and certificates in medical assisting.

Liberty University
Online Medical Office Assistant Associate Degree Program
1971 University Blvd
Lynchburg, Virginia 24515
Liberty University is accredited by the (SACSCOC) Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and they offer a 100% online associate degree program in medical assisting that is 64 credits. The tuition cost is $390 per credit.

Martinsburg College
Online Medical Office Administration Program
341 Aikens Center
Martinsburg, West Virginia 25404-6204
Martinsburg College offers a medical office administration that is an 18 credit hour training program.

McCann School of Business and Technology
Medical Asst. Course
2319 Louisville Ave
Monroe, Louisiana 71201
The medical assisting program at McCann School of Business and Technology is an 18 month program that is accredited by the (ACCSC) Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

Midwest Institute
Medical Assisting Online Training
964 South Highway Drive
Fenton, Missouri 63026
The Midwest Institute offers an accelerated program in medical assisting that can be completed in 32 weeks and is available in an online hybrid format. The program is institutionally accredited by (ABHES) Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Minnesota State College Southeast
Medical Administrative Assisting Course
1250 Homer Rd
Winona, Minnesota 55987
Minnesota State College Southeast offers a medical administrative assisting program that is 60 credits and costs $13,975 total including books and supplies.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Medical Asst. Program Online
1414 College Way
Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56537-1000
Minnesota State Community and Technical College offers a medical assisting diploma program that is 37 credit hours and culminates with a 180 hour clinical training program. Graduates of the training can take the (NCMA) National Certified Medical Assistant certification exam.

Minnesota West Community and Technical College
Med. Asst. Diploma Program Online
1593 11th Ave
Granite Falls, Minnesota 56241
Minnesota West Community and Technical College’s medical assistant program is a 44 credit training and all students must have a background check to enroll.

Mitchell Technical Institute
Medical Assisting
1800 E. Spruce Street
Mitchell, South Dakota 57301
The Mitchell Technical Institute offers medical assisting training that costs $15,713 on average and that includes all supplies and books.

North Georgia Technical College
Associates Degree and Diploma Programs for Medical Assisting
1500 Georgia Hwy 197 N
Clarkesville, Georgia 30523
North Georgia Technical College offers both a diploma and an associates degree program to their students. Graduates from the training complete the American Association of Medical Assistant’s CMA certification.

Northcentral Technical College
Online Program for Medical Assisting
1000 Campus Dr
Wausau, Wisconsin 54401-1899
The program for medical assisting at Northcentral Technical College is 32 credit hours and is accredited by the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Estimated cost of training is $6,380.

Northland Community and Technical College
Medical Admin Assistant Program Online
1101 Hwy One East
Thief River Falls, Minnesota 56701
Northland Community and Technical College’s medical assistant training is 60 credits and the school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Oconee Fall Line Technical College
Medical Asst. Training Online
1189 Deepstep Rd
Sandersville, Georgia 31082
The medical assistant training at Oconee Fall Line Technical College has full accreditation by the (CAAHEP)Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs from a recommendation of the (MAERB) Medical Assisting Education Review Board.

Ogeechee Technical College
Medical Assisting Courses
One Joseph E. Kennedy Blvd
Statesboro, Georgia 30458
To complete the training program, students will need to earn a minimum of 54 credit hours. The training takes 5 semester to complete and a total of 1440 contact hours of training.

Orion College
Online Medical Asst. Classes
3500 North State Rd 7
Lauderdale Lakes, Florida 33319
The cost of medical assistant training at Orion Institute is $11,177 for tuition and $2,743 for books and supplies. After completing the training students can take the (RMA) Registered Medical Assistant Exam through the (AMT) American Medical Technologists.

Pittsburgh Technical College
Medical Asst. Online Classes
1111 McKee Road
Oakdale, Pennsylvania 15071
The program at Pittsburgh Technical College has an accreditation from the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs on the recommendation of the (MAERB) Medical Assisting Education Review Board. Most of the training is done in a clinical setting.

Rasmussen College
Medical Assisting Online Training
Locations Nationwide
Rasmussen College offers online training in medical assisting that is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the (ABHES) Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. The program at Rasmussen is a 12 month online medical assistant training program.

Riverland Community College
Med. Asst. Classes Online
1900 8th Ave NW
Austin, Minnesota 55912-1473
The total cost of your training at Riverland CC will cost $7314.12 and it is a 36 credit hour program. Riverland has an accreditation from the CAAHEP on a recommendation from the (MAERB) Medical Assisting Education Review Board.

Ross College
Medical Asst. Courses Online
40 locations nationwide and in 8 states (AL, IN, IA, KY, MI, OH, TN and WV)
Ross College is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and all medical assistant training graduates can become a RMA or a CMA.

Francis Tuttle Technology Center
12777 N. Rockwell Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73142
The Francis Tuttle Technology Center is accredited by the (OBCTE) Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education. Students can expect 1050 hours of training in the program in 10 months if taken full time and 20 months if taken part time.

San Joaquin Valley College
Medical assisting training courses are available at 13 location across California and are available online. San Joaquin College is accredited by the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE). Graduates of the training can become a (CCMA) California Certified Medical Assistant from the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants, a (NCMA) National Certified Medical Assistant from the National Center for Competency Testing, and a (CCMA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant from the National Healthcareer Association.

Santa Barbara Business College
Medical assisting courses are available at 4 locations across California and the medical assistant program is an associates degree program.

Southern Careers Institute
1701 W Ben White Blvd. Suite 100
Austin, TX 78704
Southern Careers Institute in Texas has 8 campuses that offer online medical assistant courses and after completing the training, students can get their CMAA certification.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Community & Technical College
Medical Assisting Courses
505 South Chandalar Drive
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7500
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Community & Technical College has associate degree and certificate programs for medical assisting and the training has accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs on a recommendation of (MAERB) Medical Assistant Education Review Board.

University of Antelope Valley
Online Med. Asst. Certificate Program
44055 Sierra Highway
Lancaster, California 93534
The University of Antelope Valley medical assisting program is a certificate program that is 33 credits, takes 8-9 months to complete and costs $13,500. The program has a WASC accreditation.

Phoenix College
Medical Assisting Certificate Program
1202 W Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85013
The Phoenix College medical assisting course is a certificate program that is 32 credits. Perspective students will have to pass a background check, have current immunizations and have their high school diploma/GED for entry in to training.

West Georgia Technical College
Online Medical Assisting Program
176 Murphy Campus Blvd.
Waco, Georgia 30182
The medical assistant course at West Georgia Technical College is accredited by the (CAAHEP) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and gives graduates of the training access to the certification exams from the (AAMA) American Association of Medical Assistants or the (AMT) American Medical Technologists. It is a 54 credit hour training course.

West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown
Med. Asst. Courses
148 Willey St
Morgantown, West Virginia 26505
West Virginia Junior College at Morgantown’s medical assisting classes offer career services, externships and clinical training in state of the art labs.

What to Expect in a Online Environment for Medical Assistant Training

Online Classroom Settings

With technology improving everyday and online education improving everyday, the online medical assistant course is very streamlined and easy to manage and attend. Courses are book based in nature and will just require the same amount of focus a traditional class will need. There are typically chat rooms and message boards for communication that make everything that much easier. Be as involved online as you would in a classroom and you will be just fine! Ask questions too!

Medical Assisting Clinical Training

Clinical training sessions must be done in person and on campus. They are designed to complement the online instruction programs that are book-based in nature even though they are online. Ask what your respective school does in regards to clinical training opportunities. The only portions of training that wont be online are any clinical training, which is the hands-on parts of the education.

Necessary Visits to the Main Campus

There may be some times when visiting the main campus is mandatory. Clinical settings are all done in person. Clarify this with your school before registering in to a medical assistant program online.

Minimum Technology Demands

Taking an online course requires first and foremost an internet connection that is consistent first and good second. Most internet is good enough. Just make sure it is available to you when you need and as often as possible. Most online platforms require streaming speed considerable to watching Netflix so most people should be just fine. If you can be sure to not have any huge computer malfunctions and time consuming internet issues you will have a good opportunity for a pleasant experience in the online education world.

Advantages to Classes Online for Medical Assisting

There are many advantages to classes and specifically to online medical assistant courses. As you can see in the infographic image the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. From setting your own pace of studies to saving real money, the online education system is advantageous to the student in so many ways. We break those down in detail below.

1 – Save money – Online medical assistant programs are cheaper.
2 – Save time – No travel and flexible schedule.
3 – Set own schedule – Study when you want.
4 – Set own pace – Set your own pace.
5 – Spend more time at Home – More time at home even when you are at class!

Perceived Disadvantages to Online Courses in Medical Assisting

There is no longer a stigma attached to online education. Nobody cares anymore. Just make sure your school is accredited and you are good to go. Nobody is going to ask if you studied online. It just does not happen. If online medical assistant training works for you and your life style, go for it. The system now assists that approach and should be taken advantage of. The perceived disadvantage is actually one of personal need and preference. Some students have a hard time learning online. Even with improved technology and platforms for online learning it is important to be honest and make sure online training is right for you. Don’t let something that may be outside your “comfort” zone get you in a bad frame of mind. Go for it and be positive!

Recommended Online Medical Assistant Schools

Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings