Medical Assistant Schools in Georgia
Demand for medical assistants in Georgia is projected to soar by a whopping 34 percent over the next decade. But if you want to position yourself to take full advantage of the medical assisting profession’s explosive growth in the Peach State, you’ll need to be a certified MA, and that means you’ll need to graduate from one of the Medical Assistant programs in Georgia.
Medical assisting programs will teach you essential skills such as taking vital signs, collecting lab specimens, changing wound dressings, and communicating effectively with patients. Once you pass your certification exam, you can expect to earn significantly more than the current average salary for MA program graduates in the Peach State, which is $37,560. Start realizing your full professional potential by reviewing this list of Georgia’s 15 best Medical Assistant programs.
Following are the 15 Best Medical Assistant Programs in Georgia for 2024
Locations: Blairsville & Clarkesville Program Type: Diploma (77 Weeks) & A.A.S Degree (24 Months) If you are interested in the health care field, then a career as a medical assistant can be a great starting point. North Georgia Technical College offers a diploma and an associate degree that trains you in both, administrative and clinical skills. The curriculum of both courses includes general education and core medical assisting courses. The core courses are similar in both the programs, whereas general education requirements differ as the associate entails taking a few more courses that are aimed towards enhancing communication and critical thinking skills. The core courses include legal and ethical concerns, pharmacology, medical office procedures, medical assisting skills, medical insurance management, administrative practice, human diseases, and a medical assisting externship. To obtain your degree, you must earn a minimum grade “C” or higher in all the courses. Program graduates can seek entry-level positions in an ambulatory setting, medical office, or physician’s office. |
Locations: Barrow, Dawson (evening), Forsyth, &Hall Program Type: Medical Administrative Assistant Certificate (2 Semesters), Diploma (4 Semesters), & A.A.S (5 Semesters) Medical assistants are in demand to meet the growing healthcare needs of Georgia. Lanier Technical College offers three programs for which you can enroll, depending on your career goals. While the diploma and associate are comprehensive, the medical administrative certificate is focused on the front office duties of this career. If you plan a future career advancement, an associate will serve you better as also includes general education courses, whereas the diploma is ideal for those keen on working at entry-level medical assisting positions. Regardless of the program, you enter, the college emphasizes training you with professional knowledge, skills and attitude that help you excel in the promising healthcare industry. |
Locations: Statesboro Program Type: Diploma (5 Semesters), Medical Office Support Specialist Certificate (2 Semesters) Ogeechee Technical College is a medical assistant school in Georgia that offers affordable tuition, small classrooms, faculty with real-world experience & high job placement rates. While its diploma spans over five semesters and trains you in the clinical as well as clerical functions, the certificate can be completed in two semesters and focuses only on the administrative functions that are carried out at a physician’s office. Both programs include an externship experience, where you are provided with real-world learning to hone your professional skills. Upon completion of the diploma, you will ready to explore positions as a medical secretary, medical receptionist, clinical staff and laboratory assistant, whereas the certificate will open up jobs for the position of medical office support specialist. |
Locations: Americus & Cordele Earning a diploma in medical assisting from South Georgia Technical College prepares you with the theoretical and practical knowledge that not only kick starts your career but also provides a base for higher education as it also includes liberal arts courses. The program is open to high school graduates who are above the age of 17. The curriculum is designed to give you a well-rounded education and includes courses in computer literacy, structure and function of the human body, laws, and ethics, pharmacology, medical insurance management, medical office administration, and back-office clinical functions. The 54-credit curriculum ends with an externship and a seminar that is mainly centered on the application of professional knowledge, review of the certification exam and job preparation. |
Locations: Floyd County & Walker County Program Type: Diploma & Associate If you are looking at completing a medical assistant program in GA, then Georgia Northwestern Technical College offers two options in the form of its diploma and associate degree. The college’s faculty is committed to its student’s success and delivers exceptional results in terms of exam passage and job placement rates. The coursework combines pre-occupational and occupational courses that teach you clinical and clerical skills, apart from honing your communication and computer skills. Before you start with the program you complete a health orientation online and then begin with courses in pharmacology, legal and ethical concerns, medical office procedures, medical assisting skills, medical insurance management, administrative practice management, human diseases and an externship and medical assisting seminar. |
Locations: Warner Robins Central Georgia Technical College’s medical assisting education is designed to meet the individual academic needs of its students by offering a certificate, diploma and associate degree. The diploma and associate programs are comprehensive and suited for students seeking training in a broad spectrum of functions, ranging from the administrative to clinical. Whereas, the certificate is typically meant for those inclined towards the front office aspect of medical assisting. The certificate program comes with three options, a receptionist technical certificate, coding certificate, and medical skin care specialist technical certificate, thereby allowing you to graduate in a specific area of your interest. The college’s student-centric and close-knit environment make it conducive for students to achieve academic success in their chosen field. |
Locations: Swainsboro & Vidalia Although, to become a medical assistant in Georgia you do not need any formal schooling, Southeastern Technical College’s certificate and diploma program prepare you to edge out the competition in the job market as most employers these days prefer trained and certified candidates. While the diploma is ideal if you want to learn both, clerical and clinical skills, the certificate is meant for those interested in learning administrative functions. The 25-credit coursework of the certificate program includes courses in medical office procedures, medical terminology, and legal & ethical concerns and can be completed in a short span of two semesters, whereas the 54-credit diploma curriculum is extensive and spans much longer. To be admitted into the diploma program you will need to first complete all courses offered in the Medical Administrative Technician Certificate program. |
Locations: DeKalb When you graduate from Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s diploma program, you are prepared with the skills and knowledge that make you eligible to take the certification exam and help you excel in this entry-level healthcare field. The program combines medical assisting courses with support courses in English, Mathematics, and psychology. The occupational or core courses that you take, educate you in medical terminology, human anatomy, computer literacy, laws and ethics of a medical office, pharmacology, medical insurance management, medical assisting clinical skills, and human pathology functions relevant to a medical office. Towards the end of the coursework, you will complete a six-credit externship course that provides for valuable hands-on learning at a local clinical site. |
Locations: Augusta, Thomson, Waynesboro, & Columbia County Center Augusta Technical is a medical assistant school in Georgia that offers its diploma program at multiple locations in the state. This full-time day program that starts in fall and spring will need you to earn 54 credits to graduate and topics covered include basic math, anatomy, medical terminologies, basic computers, English, medical office procedures, insurance management, pharmacology, basic psychology and medical assisting skills. You will also participate in a seminar and undergo hands-on learning in a medical setting, as part of your externship. Upon completion of the program, you can explore opportunities at hospitals, clinics, health departments, and insurance companies. |
Locations: Murphy West Georgia Technical College’s medical assisting diploma is a 47-week program that requires completing 54 credits in clinical, administrative and preparatory courses. Coursework includes anatomy, medical terminology, pharmacology, computer applications, human diseases, administrative procedures, medical insurance management, MA seminar, and externship. The program admits students on a selective basis and once accepted, you progress through it as a cohort. To proceed to the medical assisting core courses you must first complete the preparatory courses in anatomy, psychology, English, and Mathematics with a minimum grade “C.” Post-graduation you can apply for a variety of positions such as medical assistant, transcriptionist, receptionist, insurance clerk, office manager, EKG technician & phlebotomist. |
Locations: Atlanta If you are searching for a medical assistant school in Atlanta, then you can consider Atlanta Technical College’s diploma program that spans across five semesters. As a graduate of this program, you are prepared to fulfill a wide range of duties, from clinical to administrative, after which you can work at entry-level positions in medical clinics, hospitals or other health settings. As part of your training, you will also participate in a 270-hour clinical practicum under the supervision of a physician. To earn your degree, you will need to maintain a 2.0 GPA and complete all courses with a grade “C” or better. The degree also makes you eligible to take the RMA or the national certification exam. |
Locations: Albany Program Type: Diploma & Associate of Applied Science Albany Technical College’s medical assisting education is offered through its diploma and associate degree. While the diploma is a 55-credit curriculum, the associate degree requires you to complete a total of 63 credits. The goal of both these programs is to teach you with administrative and clinical skills required to efficiently run the offices of physicians, chiropractors, podiatrists, and other health practitioners. Both programs will include an externship program at a local medical facility. The additional credits in general education courses make the associate degree a better-rounded training option. The college designs its curriculum keeping in mind the changing industry trends and this reflects in 100% of its graduates being successfully placed, soon after graduation. Moreover, the college also boasts of an impressive passage rate in the national certification exam. |
Locations: Dublin Oconee Fall Line Technical College’s medical assisting diploma which is offered in fall and spring can be completed in four semesters. The coursework includes courses in medical terminology, computers, legal and ethical concerns, pharmacology, medical office procedures, and basic & complex clinical procedures carried out while assisting a physician. The externship course which forms an integral part of your coursework allows you to apply classroom knowledge in a clinical environment and gives you a better understanding of the work environment. Also, the culminating course that takes you through job preparation includes resume building, interview tips, and review of the certification exam. So, whether it is the front office functions, back office duties or career guidance, you will graduate with professional skills that help you succeed in this healthcare position. This program apart also gets you ready to practice insurance management at a medical office. |
Locations: Lawrenceville Completing a medical assistant program in Georgia will equip you with the requisite skills, knowledge, and behavior that help you to succeed in this entry-level career. Gwinnett Tech’s diploma aims towards these vital professional traits along with teaching you administrative and clinical functions such as greeting patients, assisting a physician during an exam, preparing lab specimens, taking patient histories, administering medications, measuring vital signs, handling correspondence, coding and filling out insurance forms. The program is offered as a full-time schedule and can be completed in three semesters, provided the pre-requisites are already completed. To earn your diploma, all courses must be completed with a minimum grade “C” or higher. |
15) Wiregrass Georgia Technical College |
Locations: Valdosta & Coffee Program Type: Diploma & Degree If you are keen on entering the healthcare field, then completing your medical assistant training in GA through Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s diploma or associate can serve as a good entry point. Whether you want to learn the clinical skills or master the administrative function carried out at a physician’s office, both the programs equip you with the utmost job readiness. The associate degree curriculum is comprehensive and includes courses in communication, social science, natural sciences, and humanities, along with core medical assisting courses; whereas the diploma entails taking fewer courses but still serves you well for success in this career. The associate degree is ideal if you are planning a future career advancement either as a nurse, physician assistant or any other health career. |
FAQs Answered
How Many Schools in Georgia are Currently Offering Medical Assisting Programs?
41 |
What are the 5 Best Medical Assistant Programs in Georgia?
1) North Georgia Technical College
2) Lanier Technical College
3) Ogeechee Technical College
4) South Georgia Technical College
5) Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Rome
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