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March 26 - 31, 2024

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Medical Assistant

About

Medical Assistants maintain the daily workflow of a medical office. They work directly with physician and patient to ensure a productive experience in a variety of health care environments. 

Work activities for a medical assistant vary depending on the medical setting but often include customer service, administrative and clinical tasks. 

Medical Assisting Handbook

Program Maps

Degrees and Certificates

Request Information

Contact

Sarah Kuzera, EdD, CMA (AAMA), AHI (AMT)
Director of Medical Assisting
360-992-2468
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Information Request Form

Please Note:

Vaccination against COVID-19 is required of all Medical Assisting program students.
We are not able to provide clinical placement options for unvaccinated students; thus no vaccination exemptions are allowed.

Apply Now for Program Entry! 

Medical Assisting Program Application

Applications are accepted at any time however this is a limited-entry program. Candidates who meet the preliminary requirements will be considered for spring-term entry.

Program Options

Medical Assistant – Certificate of Proficiency

Program starting in Fall:

  • Required preliminary courses and application with fee completed by summer.
  • Students notified of acceptance by June.

Program starting in Spring:

  • Required preliminary courses and application with fee completed by winter.
  • Students notified of acceptance by March.

 

Medical Assistant – Associate in Applied Technology

Program starting in Spring:

  • Required preliminary courses and application with fee completed by winter.
  • Students notified of acceptance by March.

Be a Vital Component of the Medical Office

The Medical Assistant program prepares students for both front-office clerical and back-office clinical medical assistant responsibilities by providing cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning competencies. Clark College's Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), on recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Graduates of Clark College's Medical Assisting program are eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Certified Medical Assistant Examination, as well as, the national certification for Medical Assistants. To gain employment as a Certified Medical Assistant students must graduate from the program and pass both certifications.

CAAHEP Accreditation

In compliance with CAAHEP, Clark College makes public annual program outcomes.

Five–year average outcomes for the Clark College Medical Assistant Program:

  • Graduates of the Medical Assisting program at Clark College are satisfied with the education that they receive at Clark College, as there is an average 98% graduate satisfaction rate over the past five years. 
  • The Medical Assisting program at Clark College has an average retention rate of 91.6% for the past five years, and there are a number of support services available to students so that they can successfully complete the program. 
  • The five-year average for employer satisfaction is 100%.

Five-year average outcomes

National Accreditation by: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

CAAHEP logo

25400 U.S Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
Phone: (727) 210-2350
Fax: (727) 210-2354


Medical Assistant Education Review Board
http://www.maerb.org/
20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1575
Chicago, IL 60606
1-800-228-2262

Washington State Department of Health
www.doh.wa.gov
Town Center 2
111 Israel Rd SE
Tumwater, WA 98501
360-236-4700
Fax number: 360-236-4818
Email Address: hsqa.csc@doh.wa.gov

American Association of Medical Assistants
www.aama-ntl.org

 

Career Opportunities

Employment opportunities for Medical Assistants can be found in medical offices and outpatient facilities. The U.S. Department of Labor projects medical assistant jobs growing at a rate of 14 percent over the next five years, with a median wage in the Portland-Vancouver area estimated at $17.94 per hour.