In this Article
By: Maddie Cohen
Professional insights: Lisa Sailor
Are you planning a career move into medical assisting? Some programs last several months, while others might require two years or more.
So what’s the actual timeline? The truth is that medical assistant education varies depending on the path you choose, and what works for one student may not suit another. But by understanding your options, you can make a well-informed decision and become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA).
What do medical assistants do?
Many healthcare and allied health professionals are drawn to medical assisting. These professionals perform both clinical and administrative duties, and work in physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals and other medical settings.
On the clinical side, medical assistants perform the following tasks:
Administratively, medical assistants often complete these duties:
The career appeals to those who want variety in their daily work. Lisa Sailor, MS, CMA and Medical Assistant Faculty Advisor at Anoka Technical College in Minnesota, explained why so many students find this career path so fulfilling.
“Every day is different,” Sailor said. “Every patient is different. You never know who is going to walk in that door. You will never be bored because your patients are always different, and so are their needs and wants.”
Medical assistant program lengths and types
Medical assistant education programs generally fall into three main categories:
Certificate and diploma programs (9-12 months)
Certificate or diploma programs are the fastest route to becoming a medical assistant. These focused programs usually take up to 12 months of full-time study to complete.
“For Anoka Tech, we have both diploma and associate degree programs,” Sailor said.
These programs concentrate on important skills and knowledge, including:
Medical terminology:
This includes the specialized language of healthcare, including prefixes and suffixes, plus root words involved in accurate documentation and communication.
Anatomy and physiology:
Programs cover the structure and function of human body systems. The goal here is for students to understand different medical conditions and procedures.
Clinical procedures:
Aspiring medical assistants must learn to take vital signs, administer injections, perform phlebotomy and help with exams.
Administrative tasks:
Training includes scheduling appointments, managing medical records, handling insurance claims and using electronic health record (EHR) systems.
Medical law and ethics:
All medical assistant programs teach healthcare regulations and patient privacy requirements, along with scope of practice limitations and ethical decision-making principles.
The focused nature of certificate and diploma programs helps students prepare for medical assistant roles in an expedited, streamlined way. These programs also include externship experience, which we’ll cover shortly.
Associate degree programs (18-24 months)
To earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in medical assisting, most students go through about two years of full-time study.
“Our associate degree includes additional general education credits that can help students continue their education in other healthcare careers,” Sailor said.
These programs include:
According to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), both types of programs can prepare you for their certification, so long as they are properly accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
“The AAMA is the gold standard of medical assisting because we are required to meet the needs of the cognitive, psychomotor and affective competencies of a medical assistant,” Sailor said. “This accreditation means that students are ready to hit that ground running on day one.”
How long does it really take to finish medical assistant school?
Several factors can impact how long it actually takes to complete your medical assistant education. Here are some variables to keep in mind while you plan for your future career:
Full-time vs. part-time enrollment
Your enrollment status will influence how long it takes to move through your program. Think about your goals and circumstances when choosing between these options:
- Full-time students can wrap up programs in the standard timeframes (up to a year for certificates and two years for associate degrees).
- Part-time students take longer to complete the same programs. A certificate program might stretch to 18 months, while an associate degree could take three or four years.
Many medical assistant students are balancing work and family responsibilities. If this sounds like you, part-time enrollment could be the best fit for your needs.
Program structure and delivery
Program formats vary widely between schools. Each structure offers different advantages for different learning situations:
- Traditional semester-based programs usually follow academic calendars (with defined start dates and breaks between terms).
- Accelerated programs condense coursework into shorter timeframes with fewer breaks.
- Hybrid programs (which combine online and in-person learning) sometimes offer more flexible scheduling.
These differences can add or subtract several months from your timeline. This makes it important to compare program formats while researching your options.
Externship requirements
The clinical externship is an important component of medical assistant training. It gives you real-world experience and puts classroom learning into professional practice.
Most medical assistant programs include an externship in a healthcare setting, usually at least 160 hours. Most externships take four to eight weeks to complete, depending on whether you’re involved full time or part time.
Some programs build the externship into the standard program timeline, while others add it as a final component after coursework is completed. Plan to clarify how your chosen program handles this requirement.
What is the fastest way to become a medical assistant?
For many students, time is of the essence when choosing a medical assistant program. Think about these strategies if you want to enter the workforce quickly:
Please remember that the fastest route isn’t always the best one. As the AAMA notes, a thorough education that actually prepares you for certification and confidence in the workplace is the priority.
Which program type is more common?
Certificate and diploma programs outnumber associate degree programs for medical assisting. This is because they take less time to complete, while still meeting the minimum educational requirements for certifications and employment.
Both options, however, are perfectly valid depending on your needs and goals. Whichever route you take, try to recognize that medical assistants from all backgrounds have a promising future. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these jobs are expected to increase by 12.5% through 2034.
How do program outcomes vary?
Your choice of program affects both your immediate job prospects and future educational opportunities.
Employment prospects
For entry-level positions, employers tend to emphasize certification and skills over the type of program you completed. Most hiring managers don’t distinguish between certificate and associate degree holders, as long as candidates are properly certified.
Future education pathways
If you’re thinking of advancing your education down the road, you may want to enroll in an associate degree program. This is because credits from associate degrees transfer more readily to bachelor’s programs. And the general education coursework in these programs will prepare you for more advanced studies.
An associate degree can give you a head start if you later decide to pursue nursing, healthcare administration or other advanced healthcare roles.
How to make the right decision
When deciding between certificate and associate degree programs, you’ll want to go over a few important questions.
- How quickly do you need (or want) to enter the workforce?
- Can you afford a longer education, or do you need to start earning sooner?
- Are you planning to advance outside of medical assisting?
- Do you enjoy many different academic subjects, or do you prefer more focused, skill-based learning?
Weighing these factors will help you find the type of program that fits your needs. Remember that there’s no universally “best” option, only the right one for your circumstances.
Closing thoughts
While certificate programs are the fastest way to become a medical assistant, and associate degrees give you a broader education over about two years, the right choice for you depends entirely on your timeline and long-term objectives. Both program types can lead to certification and long-term, happy employment as a medical assistant.
