Can You Get Your Medical Assistant Certificate Online?

Medical assistants handle administrative duties in healthcare clinics. You can earn your medical assistant certificate online in 4-12 months and launch your career. Getting additional certification post-graduation can open up even more job opportunities.

Learn about medical assistant certificates, including typical coursework, requirements, and career outlook data.

Medical assistant certificate programs typically require only a high school diploma or GED certificate for admission. Some programs may also have minimum GPA requirements and request a criminal background check.

Classes vary by program but usually include anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology courses. Many programs also provide practical administrative skills training and require at least 100 hours of hands-on training through an internship.

The type of certificate program may affect your coursework. For example, general and administrative medical assistant certificate programs emphasize clerical duties, while clinical medical assistant certificates focus more on patient care.

After graduation, you can also pursue industry certifications, such as certified medical assistant (CMA) or certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA).

An online medical assistant certificate typically features the same coursework as traditional in-person programs. Both online and in-person programs offer the same credentials and lead to the same opportunities.

However, these programs differ in study schedule and learning style, with many online programs offering asynchronous and independent learning modules. While these methods provide more freedom for location and scheduling, they also demand more self-motivation and organization.

Not all online programs run completely online, as those with field experiences will still require you to complete on-site clinical work. Many of these allow you to choose a site near you to reduce your travel requirements.

After completing a medical assistant certificate online program, you can qualify for CMA or CCMA certification.

For the CMA credential from the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), you must pass the 200-question exam within three hours in person at a partner testing center.

For the CCMA credential from the National Healthcare Association (NHA), you must pass the 150-question exam within the three-hour time limit. You can complete the exam at a testing center or through live remote proctoring.

Though not mandatory for employment in most states, certification can improve your career outlook in many ways. The following section explores various benefits of earning these credentials.

Accredited medical assistant certificate programs lead to professional certification, which showcases your dedication to professional excellence. With professional experience, you can pursue more advanced certifications, such as the registered medical assistant (RMA) credential from the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

You might also continue your education in healthcare and pursue a nursing degree or diploma, which your medical assistant credits could count toward.

Certification can make you more valuable to potential employers and lead to financial rewards as a medical assistant. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical assistants earned a median annual wage of $42,000 as of May 2023. The highest 10% of earners in the field, including those with the most advanced credentials, earned more than $56,480.

National certification from the AAMA, NHA, or AMT makes it easier for medical assistants to move between and work in different states. These credentials may also qualify you for positions in more diverse work environments. While some healthcare professionals are limited to working in hospitals, certified medical assistants may work in:

Certified medical assistants enjoy daily and long-term job stability. Highly qualified professionals may also access more desirable positions with standard office hours. They can also qualify for more career opportunities, making it easier to find and switch jobs.

Certified medical assistants can perform many duties, including generalist, administrative, and clinical tasks. In some organizations and facilities, you may even have the chance to develop a specialty, such as cardiology, ophthalmology, or pediatrics.

There are many accredited medical assistant certificate online programs across the country, but finding them can be challenging due to varying certificate names and accreditation organizations.

Several associations offer directories that include accredited medical assistant certificate programs. Depending on the tool, you can search for these programs and filter or sort by delivery format to find online options.

Here are two such tools:

The following list highlights some online medical assistant certificate programs that lead to certification: