Medical Assistant (MA)
Medical Assistants provide both clinical and administrative support to doctors and other health care professionals. Mid offers two pathways to help you start a medical assisting career. Our associate degree and NEW 10-month training credential provide you with the necessary skills to succeed as a medical assistant.
Mid's Medical Assistant Associate Degree pathway prepares you to effectively perform the wide-range of tasks often assigned to medical assistants. This pathway takes approximately 6 semesters and includes 64 credit hours covering topics such as medical terminology, insurance billing, pharmacology, laboratory procedures, and more.
Mid's Medical Assistant Training Credential pathway includes 39 credits and takes approximately 2 semesters to complete. Key medical assisting topics are covered and this pathway allows you to enter the workforce more quickly and then return to ladder your learning and your skills toward completing the MA associate degree.
Mid's Medical Assistant Program & Pathways prepare you to sit for the National Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the National Association of Medical Assistants (CMA AAMA), and is taken during the capstone Medical Assistant course. Successful completion of this certification exam means MA Program graduates enter the healthcare workforce with confidence and documented achievement of the skills they have mastered.
The Medical Assistant Program is a selective admissions program with limited seats.
Medical Assistant Application Deadline is August 1st, annually.
MEDICAL ASSISTANT ONLINE APPLICATION
This Application Information Packet is designed to provide you with information about the program, admission process, and curriculum requirements for the Medical Assistant Program at Mid.
MEDICAL ASSISTANT INFORMATION PACKET 2023-2024 (GOOGLE DRIVE PDF)
Minimum acceptable mental and physical qualifications of an applicant for professional medical assisting include the following abilities.
Applicants to the Medical Assistant Program are responsible for determining their own eligibility in light of these qualifications, for informing the College of any potential problems, and for notifying their instructors of any accommodations they may need.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to connect with Student Accommodations and may utilize these services to determine appropriate accommodations. Students with disabilities who enter the program do so with the understanding that they will be expected to meet course requirements with any reasonable accommodation that may be provided by the College.
Medical Assisting is a profession with many rewards, as practitioners can perform both administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in a variety of healthcare environments.
Medical Assistants work directly with providers and patients, with the goal of providing healthcare and ensuring patient safety. It is a position with a great deal of responsibility.
As with any healthcare position, there are certain occupational risks that come into play with being a medical assistant, and those hazards include the following:
At the same time, there are protections set up with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and those protections are particularly important within a healthcare environment. OSHA has a series of standards that protect the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
Accredited medical assisting programs are required to teach students about the hazards that they face on the job and the protocols that can be put into place to ensure a workplace culture that prioritizes safety.
The admission criterion has several different elements that will be weighted:
Applications will be available on the Mid web site. Applications will be available on January 1. The application deadline for the Fall admission cycle is May 1 of each year.
With the new selective admission process, students will be able to apply to the MA program immediately. If accepted, they will begin the program the following Fall semester.
Yes. The student’s final admission to the MA program is pending the result of the criminal background check and a clear random drug screen. Students MUST be aware that any applicants who have a felony or certain misdemeanors will NOT be admitted to the MA program.
Moving to the Selective Admission Process will help to ensure that student’s prerequisite courses are current and that the health-related language/science/insurance information can be used within the MA Program.
Long periods on the current MA Waitlist risk outdated information that will require prerequisite course repeats or extensive review time spent in MA Program core courses. The Selective Admission Process will also ensure that students are prepared to make the necessary commitment and progress to complete their associate’s degree and earn the CMA (AAMA) credential upon graduation.
This accomplishment will also establish compliance with the newly implemented Assessment-Based Recognition program, which allows only credentialed medical assistants order-entry for electronic health records. The new requirement under the September 5, 2013 rule for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs was implemented to improve protection of patient and providers.
Mid MA Program Students are continuing to be hired before they even complete their second semester within the MA Program core courses by health care facilities in the surrounding communities.
Moving to the Selective Admission Process will help to ensure that student’s prerequisite courses are current and that the health-related language/science/insurance information can be used within the MA Program.
Long periods on the current MA Waitlist risk outdated information that will require prerequisite course repeats or extensive review time spent in MA Program core courses. The Selective Admission Process will also ensure that students are prepared to make the necessary commitment and progress to complete their associate’s degree and earn the CMA (AAMA) credential upon graduation.
This accomplishment will also establish compliance with the newly implemented Assessment-Based Recognition program, which allows only credentialed medical assistants order-entry for electronic health records. The new requirement under the September 5, 2013 rule for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs was implemented to improve protection of patient and providers.
Mid MA Program Students are continuing to be hired before they even complete their second semester within the MA Program core courses by health care facilities in the surrounding communities.
You may be wondering how employers will know what skills you've mastered by completing your degree at Mid. To highlight these skills, Mid has partnered with a variety of organizations to award industry-recognized skill certifications. Industry-recognized certifications provide a return on your education investment by demonstrating the skills you've developed to employers and increasing your employment potential.
MA students at Mid sit for the CMA (AAMA) exam in the Medical Assistant capstone course. The CMA (AAMA)® exam is the only medical assisting exam administered the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and that uses the National Board of Medical Examiners to oversee the exam. The CMA (AAMA) is internationally accredited by the International Accreditation Service and Nationally by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
This certification demonstrates to employers that medical assistant graduates have been educated and tested in a wide scope of general, clinical, and administrative responsibilities. And employers rely on the AAMA to verify certification status of current and potential employees. CMA (AAMA) certification holders must complete re-certification every 60 months.
The Training Credential: Medical Assistant program is accredited through CAAHEP - Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355 - 113th St. N, #7709 Seminole, FL 33775, www.caahep.org, (727) 210-2350; and the Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB) 2339 N. California Ave. Chicago, IL 60647, www.maerb.org, 1-800-228-2262.
Accreditation for this program was obtained on April 30, 1999, and has been granted reaccreditation until 2024.
CAAHEP-accredited medical assisting programs have the responsibility of accurately informing their communities of interests of their accreditation status. Accreditation is a publicly held status and, as such, CAAHEP-accredited programs must provide the communities of interest accurate and easy access to the accreditation status.
The Mid Michigan College Training Credential for Medical Assisting is proud to publish the following information from its 2023 Annual MAERB Report.
"I am 25 years old, from Shepherd, MI, and have been working as a medical assistant since graduating from Mid Michigan College. Choosing Mid as my college was easy as my older sister who attended enjoyed the small class sizes and instructors, and the campus was close to home. The instructors at Mid showed great knowledge of the subjects they were teaching and also pushed me and my classmates to meet a higher standard. The instructors came to class with a positive and upbeat attitude, took the time to work one-on-one with students, and provided constructive criticism. If I ever had questions I felt comfortable asking my instructors for clarification. While attending my externship, I felt confident in performing general clinical and administrative tasks, and I was well prepared for what could happen while on the job. My confidence came from having instructors who wanted us to be successful and pushing us to achieve our potential. My overall experience at Mid was wonderful, I would recommend it to anyone."
—Brenda
