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Medical Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania

Medical Assistant programs in Pennsylvania are the most effective way to prepare for a career as an MA in The Keystone State. As a medical assistant with a degree, you’ll be at the top of every hiring list because you already have the skills employers are looking for when they take on new medical assistants, and they won’t have to spend a lot of time training you. In Pennsylvania, medical assistants with degrees from accredited programs make $38,950 a year, and their job opportunities are projected to soar by more than 18 percent in the next decade. For more info on this exciting opportunity, read the reviews below of the 18 best Medical Assistant programs in Pennsylvania.

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Following are the 18 Best Medical Assistant Programs in Pennsylvania for 2024

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Locations: Clarion

Program Type: Certificate (Administrative Medical Assistant) & Certificate (Clinical Medical Assistant Program)

Are you seeking to enroll in any of the top medical assistant programs in Pennsylvania? If so, you might want to know about Clarion University of Pennsylvania’s certificate programs. You can choose from the two certificate options – Administrative Medical Assistant and Clinical Medical Assistant. While the former is focused on training you to handle front and back-office jobs, the latter emphasizes on clinical and surgical procedures. The administrative certificate mainly covers courses in patient communication, medical records management, health insurance coverage, billing & coding, and medical accounting. The clinical certificate, on the other hand, takes you through phlebotomy, pharmacology, diagnostic testing, routine lab procedures, and preparing patients for examination and treatment. Both programs take one year to complete and regardless of the one you enter; you will complete an externship experience at a local medical facility.



2) Pennsylvania Institute of Technology

Pennsylvania Institute of Technology

Locations: Media

Program Type: Certificate (Clinical Medical Assistant) & Associate (Allied Health-Clinical Medical Assistant)

Pennsylvania Institute of Technology’s certificate and associate degree programs in medical assisting are aimed towards teaching you to perform clinical functions while assisting a physician. The 30-credit certificate takes four terms to complete and upon graduation, should you choose to continue with the associate degree all the credits from the certificate can be transferred. The certificate curriculum includes courses in immunology and pharmacology, medical terminology, human body systems, lab procedures, EKG and cardiovascular systems, phlebotomy, and patient care.

The associate degree on the other hand, not only prepares you for direct patient care but also serves as a stepping stone for career advancement as the curriculum includes courses in communications, biology, computer applications, humanities, and social sciences that can be seamlessly transferred towards a baccalaureate degree. Besides, with the associate degree, in addition to the clinical courses offered in the certificate, you will also take courses that enhance patient communication and critical thinking skills. To earn this degree, you must complete 66 credits, spanning across seven terms.



Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Locations: Johnstown

Program Type: Associate (Medical Assisting Technology)

If you like helping people, and also carry a pleasant demeanor, then you can make a successful career out of medical assisting. By entering any of the reputed medical assistant schools in Pennsylvania you can acquire the required professional preparedness. The associate degree offered by Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is a well-designed four-semester course that prepares you with both, front and back-office medical assisting skills. The minimum number of credits that you require to earn the degree is 60. The curriculum contains general education, electives, and core courses. During the training, you will gain knowledge on clinical procedures, billing & coding, patient examination, clerical duties, and documentation required for the processing of insurance claims. After you complete all the courses, you undergo a practicum where you can apply the newly gained knowledge and skills. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to take the national certified medical assistant (NCMA) examination.



Montgomery County Community College

Locations: Pottstown

Program Type: Certificate

By completing a medical assisting certificate program, you can master clinical as well as clerical skills and enter the rewarding field of healthcare. The 31-credit curriculum not only focuses on the core medical assisting functions but also strives to achieve the professional competencies to excel in this field. The coursework teaches you medical terminology, medical office technologies, medical law & ethics, medical office administration, lab procedures, clinical functions, and the understanding of the human body and disease. An important part of the curriculum is the six-credit capstone course where you practice skills in a real-world setting. This learning experience readies you for smooth transition into the workplace. Depending on your convenience, you can either complete this program on a full-time or part-time basis.



Esperanza College of Eastern University

Locations: Philadelphia

Program Type: Associate

Are you interested in a healthcare career that does not require much investment of time and money? If so, well you must ponder over completing a medical assisting program from Esperanza College of Eastern university or any of the other well-known PA medical assistant schools. The associate degree at Esperanza is designed not only to train you in the front and back-office functions but also serves as the first step for those aspiring higher degrees in the healthcare field. You gain a solid footing in medical billing & recordkeeping, phlebotomy & EKG technology, medical law & ethics, pharmacology, and various other diagnostic procedures. Additionally, the general education courses that form a part of your curriculum, provide for a well-rounded education.



YTI Career Institute

Locations: Lancaster & York

Program Type: Associate

Receiving education that translates into desirable placements is the key to success for any medical assisting program. With this goal in place, YTI Career Institute offers a comprehensive associate degree that covers both, the clerical as well as clinical duties. The college combines didactic lectures with lab training that entails practicing theoretical skills on close to real medical equipment. Additionally, a twelve-week externship enhances the learning experience by allowing you to sharpen on-the-job skills in a medical facility. This 97-credit associate degree program can be completed in 21 months. Apart from the core MA coursework, the curriculum also includes general education courses that impart a well-rounded skill-set. Upon graduation, you will be fully prepared to join the healthcare workforce.



South Hills School of Business & Technology

Locations: Altoona & State College

Program Type: Associate

Getting started with a career in medical assisting can be a stepping-stone to many other healthcare careers. To reach this goal if you are looking at medical assistant programs in PA, completing the associate degree from South Hills School of Business & Technology can be a good idea. The program not only prepares you to work in multiple roles of a medical assistant, phlebotomist, electrocardiography technician, and emergency department technician but also allows the easy transfer of credits towards a four-year college, should you desire higher education in the future. The 125.5-credit coursework is extensive and requires completing a total of 1,853 hours. You will learn to perform basic lab tests, administer medications, prepare the patient for an exam, and apply infection control techniques. Some of the clerical duties this curriculum teaches you include, using electronic health recordkeeping, scheduling appointments, managing billing & coding, and processing insurance claims.



Northampton County Area Community College

Locations: Bethlehem & Monroe

Program Type: Diploma

If you are aspiring to become a medical assistant in PA and are looking at completing your training in a year’s duration, then you can consider the diploma offered by Northampton County Area Community College. With full-time and part-time enrolment options, you can choose a schedule that matches your feasibility. The college admits students into this program on a selective basis, so ensure you have completed the minimum admission requirements of biology and math courses with a minimum grade C. The 34-credit curriculum is designed to teach you both, clinical and clerical skills. Courses are offered sequentially, starting with basics and progressing to challenging topics. In the third semester, you will apply the newly acquired knowledge and skills in a medical facility under the supervision of a mentor. Upon completion, you can take the Registered Medical Assistant American Medical Technologist certification examination.



Great Lakes Institute of Technology

Locations: Erie

Program Type: Diploma

By completing this diploma, you will not only become eligible to take the certification exam to become a certified entry-level medical assistant but also gain eligibility to apply for the phlebotomy technician certification. Great Lakes Institute of Technology prepares you for these credentials in as little as nine months or four terms. You will be educated in clinical, diagnostic, and administrative responsibilities to successfully perform as an entry-level medical assistant in a variety of settings. The didactic training is well complemented by hands-on learning at its lab which is equipped with close to real medical equipment such as exam tables, EKS machines, and phlebotomy chairs. During the concluding fourth term, you will complete courses that prepare you for the smooth transition into the workforce. These courses include career development, certification exam review, and an externship.



Harrisburg Area Community College

Locations: Harrisburg & Gettysburg

Program Type: Certificate

If you are browsing through Pennsylvania medical assistant programs, then you might want to know about the certificate program offered by Harrisburg Area Community College. This 37-credit program that takes 18 months to complete prepares you to become a multi-skilled healthcare professional. Apart from teaching you clerical and clinical functions, the curriculum enhances your written and oral communication skills. Some of the courses you take include medical terminology, introduction to human illness and diseases, medical insurance, lab techniques, pharmacology, ambulatory care for clinical procedures, and medical office administration. At the end of the coursework, you will complete an externship course at a local physician’s clinic. Should you plan to continue your education to complete an associate degree, you will be able to transfer 30 certificate credits towards the degree. What’s more, if you are seeking affordable education, then you could apply for a scholarship that is offered by the HACC Foundation.



Delaware County Community College

Locations: Media

Program Type: Certificate & Associate

Delaware County Community College’s medical assisting education comes with two options, a certificate, and an associate degree program. While the certificate comprises 43 credits, the associate degree requires completion of 62 credits. The certificate program spans across four semesters and includes courses in both, the clerical and clinical functions. You acquire skills in diagnostic testing procedures, phlebotomy, administration of medications, applied microbiology, medical office management, medical coding & billing, and medical office administrate procedures. Also, the coursework includes a three-credit elective course in communication. On the other hand, the associate degree takes five semesters to complete and covers additional courses besides the ones in the certificate. The additional courses include pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical laws and ethics, and an elective course in either math or statistics. Upon completing the coursework, both the programs culminate with an externship course of six credits.



Lincoln Technical Institute

Locations: Allentown

Program Type: Diploma

With the day, afternoon, and evening schedule options that come with Lincoln Technical Institute’s diploma program, you can become a medical assistant in Pennsylvania rather conveniently. While the day and evening schedules are fast-paced and take 38 weeks to complete, if you opt for the evening schedule you can complete the program in 55 weeks. This 34-credit program aims at preparing you to become a multi-functional medical assistant by offering courses in anatomy & physiology, health administration & records management, phlebotomy, clinical procedures, pharmacology, and medical office procedures. Each course is complemented with hands-on experience at the college’s well-equipped lab where you will apply the theoretical knowledge immediately to practice on EKG machines, injection simulators, and autoclaves. Furthermore, the externship experience towards the end of the coursework enhances on-the-job learning by allowing you to practice medical assisting functions in a real-world clinic.



Central Penn College

Locations: Summerdale

Program Type: Associate

Central Penn College’s medical assisting education is offered through its 61-credit associate degree. With a coursework that combines general education and core medical assisting courses, you will receive well-rounded training that not only trains for entry-level medical assistant positions but also lays a solid foundation, should you plan to pursue a higher degree in healthcare. The 39-credit core curriculum includes courses in medical terminology, pharmacology, medical insurance, allied health procedures, medical administrative procedures, clinical procedures, and an internship. The program begins every fall and is divided into five terms. This course is a combination of classroom studies (day or evening), online courses, and lab training.



Berks Technical Institute

Locations: Wyomissing

Program Type: Associate in Medical Clinical Assistant

If you are seeking to enroll in a PA medical assistant program and are keen on learning the clinical functions, then you might want to learn about the Berks Technical Institute’s Medical Clinical Assistant associate degree. The curriculum mainly focuses on teaching you the tools and techniques used to fulfill back office duties at a medical office. You will learn about your scope of practice, legal and ethical responsibilities, integumentary skeletal, muscular and gastrointestinal systems. Upon graduation, you can also take the national certification exams and brighten your career prospects. The college also provides financial aid for those who qualify, and career assisting services to help students with job placements.



15) McCann School of Business & Technology

McCann School of Business & Technology

Locations: Allentown & Lewisburg

Program Type: (Associate Degree) & Diploma

If you are browsing through medical assistant programs in Pennsylvania, you can give a thought to McCann School of Business & Technology that offers both, an associate degree and a diploma program. While the 92-credit associate degree is 18-month long and spans over seven quarters, the 60-credit diploma program, on the other hand, can be completed in just 12 months. The goal of both these programs is to teach you employable skills in front and back-office functions. As such, both the programs offer an extensive curriculum, covering a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from clinical specialties, respiratory and nervous systems to medical coding & billing, the associate degree goes a step further and also includes general education courses that enhance communication and critical thinking skills.



16) Institute Of Medical And Business Careers

Institute Of Medical And Business Careers

Locations: Erie & Pittsburgh

Program Type: Diploma & Associate

Completing your medical assisting education from the Institute of Medical and Business Careers, a well-known PA medical assistant school will not only make you eligible to take the national medical assistant certification exam, but you will also be able to apply for certification as a phlebotomy technician. Depending on your career goals, you can either enroll for the diploma or associate degree. The college also offers an optional on-line component which makes it convenient for you to take some courses from the comfort of your home. Both programs include core courses, program-related electives, general education courses, and career preparation courses such as professional development and an internship. Upon graduation, you can kick-start your career in ambulatory settings or physician’s offices.



17) Butler County Community College

Butler County Community College

Locations: Butler

Program Type: Certificate & Associate

You can become a professional medical assistant by completing a 38-credit medical assisting certificate program offered by Butler County Community College. The certificate is divided into two semesters and a summer session. It also includes an externship where you can practice your skills in a real-world environment. After completion of the certificate program, you can apply for entry-level positions in healthcare settings or further your studies and earn the associate degree by completing an additional coursework of 29-30 credits which would take another year’s time. Regardless of the program, you enter, you must have completed your high school with a minimum GPA of 2.50 to gain eligibility for this program.



18) Bradford School

 Bradford School

Locations: Pittsburgh

Program Type: Diploma

If you are browsing through medical assistant programs in Pennsylvania, then you can give a thought to Bradford School that prepares you to set foot into the healthcare filed in as little as 10 months. This diploma program combines courses in clinical and administrative functions and emphasizes ample hands-on learning. You will learn about anatomy and physiology, billing & coding, scheduling appointments, administration of medication, venipuncture skills, recording medical histories & vital signs, and preparing patient examination room. After completing all the courses, you must complete the externship course to earn your diploma.


Our Ranking Methodology



FAQs Answered


How Many Schools in Pennsylvania are Currently Offering Medical Assisting Programs?

56



What are the 5 Best Medical Assistant Programs in Pennsylvania?

1) Montgomery County Community College

2) Harrisburg Area Community College

3) Delaware County Community College

4) YTI Career Institute

5) Bradford School


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