Program Overview

The mission of the Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) program is to prepare students to function as professionals in multiple healthcare settings. Medical assistants with a clinical background can perform various clinical tasks including assisting with the administration of medications and with minor procedures, performing an electrocardiogram (EKG), obtaining laboratory specimens for testing, educating patients, and other related tasks.

Burning Glass, an online tool designed to aggregate data through job postings, projects a high demand for this occupation and an 18.9 percent growth in the next ten years for Erie County. This profession offers a national certification exam from the National Healthcare Association. The starting wage range for Clinical Medical Assistant programs is $14.00 to $18.00 in our region.

We have collaborated with the National Healthcare Association to provide an 18-week hybrid program with classroom and online learning. 

Students who complete this comprehensive course would be prepared to sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national certification examination.

Dates: Classes meet weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. from January 16 to May 25 (with no class the week of April 1), with open skills day on some Saturdays. Students should anticipate an additional ten hours of work outside the classroom.

Price: $3,900*

* This program is approved for full funding through CareerLink upon qualification—contact them directly.
* Payment plan available.

  • Price includes online content, exam prep guide, practice test, exam fee, and stethoscope.
  • The National Healthcare Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national certification examination is part of this course. The exam will be administered two to three weeks upon completion of the course.

Refund Policy:100-percent refund before payment due date; 75-percent refund between payment due date and course start date; no refund after the course start date.

CMA Program Overview

The purpose of the Clinical Medical Assistant program is to prepare students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office.

This course covers the following key areas and topics:

  • Clinical responsibilities of the medical office—assisting the physician with patient-related care
  • Preparing patients for examination and treatment, routine procedures, and diagnostic testing
  • HIPAA, patient confidentiality, legal aspects of healthcare, and regulatory patient care issues
  • Recording and taking of vital signs, blood pressure, and other patient care items related to the physician's office visit
  • Review and administration of medications, allergies, and other pharmacology-related items
  • Laboratory procedures, phlebotomy, and the proper techniques required to collect specimens for laboratory analysis
  • Cardiology and the proper placement of leads when taking a 12-lead EKG

Education Information

  • Medical Terminology: Body Structures, Systems, Diseases, and Treatments
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • PersonAbility™
  • Principles of Health Coaching
  • Patient Care, Teamwork, and Communication Skills
  • MA SkillsBuilder™—Medical Administration: HIPAA, Patient Confidentiality, Legal Aspects of Healthcare, and Regulatory Patient Care Issues
  • MA SkillsBuilder™—Clinical Procedures
  • Exam Preparation to Become a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

Register for the Clinical Medical Assistant program

Find Out More

Please contact Alicia Wagner at [email protected] with questions.