Allied Health
MEDICAL ASSISTING
Career Certificate
It’s the best of both worlds! In one year, gain the skills to perform administrative and clinical duties in a variety of medical settings. Medical assistants are employed in acute care hospitals, outpatient, ambulatory care facilities, medical offices and clinics.
Learn how to perform critical duties such as:
- Scheduling appointments
- Maintaining patient records and accounting
- Coding and insurance processing
- Preparing patients for examinations
- Medication administration
- Performing basic laboratory tests
This certificate provides a pathway for students to continue in the Nursing and Allied health program tracks.
Program Details
Program Code: 0212
Start Date: Fall
Program Requirements: See Catalog
Program Plan-Course Rotation: (PDF)
Program Length: 1300 Contact hours
Program Cost (PDF)
Students are eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant Exam after completion of the program. Program completion will be contingent upon clinical site availability.
The CMA (AAMA) credential designates a medical assistant who has achieved certification through the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
The CMA (AAMA) is the only medical assisting certification that requires graduation from a postsecondary medical assisting program accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the medical assisting program at St. Johns River State College is to provide an educational experience which will allow individuals the opportunity to obtain the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to function as a Medical Assistant.
ACCREDITATION
The Medical Assisting Program at SJR State is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
To Contact CAAHEP:
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 113th St. N #7709
(727) 210-2350
Fax: (727) 210-2354
Email: mail@caahep.org
caahep.org
To contact MAERB:
Medical Assisting Education Review Board
2020 N. California Ave., #213 Suit 7
Chicago, IL 606047
9312) 392-0155
Email: maerb@maerb.org
maerb.org
How to Apply
(1) Apply to SJR State*
(2) Medical Assisting Application - Deadline April 1 – June 15, 2025 for Fall 2025 enrollment at the Orange Park Campus.
Financial Aid: Apply now!
* Visit our SSN Web page for more information regarding the College's use of Social Security Numbers.
Program Outcomes / Goals / FAQs
Goal
To prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
END OF PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Graduates will be competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
- Graduates will perform within the legal and ethical boundaries of the Medical Assistant’s scope of practice.
- Graduates will integrate and value the needs of the individual patient, within his/her family, culture, society and health circumstances.
- Graduates will display professionalism and cultural sensitivity while interacting and communicating with providers, staff and patients.
- Graduates will participate as team players within the various settings of health care delivery.
| Graduate Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programmatic Retention | 90% | 66.67% | 85.71% |
| Job Placement | 80% | 77.78% | 75% |
| National Certification Exam Passage | 70% | 77.78% | 50% |
The 3-year average for Retention for the years 2020-2022 is 82.61%.
Sources:
St Johns River State College – Internal Database
National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)