Top 10 Best Medical Assistant Schools Online

If you're searching for the best path to a career as a medical assistant look no further because we've ranked and evaluated the top 10 best medical assistant schools for your to choose from.

Medical assistants play a vital role in the day-to-day work of hospitals, medical offices, care facilities, nursing homes, and clinics. They work directly with patients to offer hands-on care such as running routine tests and taking blood samples, as well as collecting patient medical histories.

Most of us lead very busy lives these days, so finding the time for school while also staying on top of other responsibilities can be a real pain. Luckily, there are several online programs for medical assistants that can work with the busiest of schedule and help you get ahead.

Top 10 Best Medical Assistant Schools Online:

1. Kaplan University

Kaplan University offers an online Medical Assistant Certificate consisting of 57 total credit hours at a total cost of $21,147.00.

Each credit hour is broken down to costing $371.00/each with the courses breaking down as follows:

• HS 101: Medical Law and Bioethics
• HS 111: Medical Terminology
• HS 140: Pharmacology
• HS 200: Diseases of the Human Body
• HS 210: Medical Office Management
• HS 220: Medical Coding and Insurance
• MA 250: Online Professionalism in Health Care
• MA 265: Online Clinical Competencies I
• MA 275: Online Clinical Competencies II
• MA 280: Online Clinical Competencies III
• SC 121: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
• SC 131: Human Anatomy and Physiology II
• MA 295: Online Medical Assisting Externship and Evaluation

2. Herzing University

At Herzing University, you can pursue multiple degrees including a bachelor's, associate's, or a certificate program, with programs consisting of 121 credit hours over 36 months, 60 credit hours over 20 months, and 43 credit ours over 16 months, respectively.

The bachelor's degree program is "designed for future career growth, this program gives graduates the business and management skills required for a leadership or management position in healthcare," with the associate's program covering mostly general education course, and the Diploma in Medical Assisting provides students with the first step to becoming a medical assistant.

3. Liberty University

Liberty University offers an online Associate of Applied Science - Medical Office Assistant degree program designed to "prepare you for a career as a medical office assistant in various health care environments such as public health departments, hospitals, and clinics."

Credit hours cost $375.00 each with a total of 61 to complete the program. Only 22 of the hours are for the major itself though.

Courses include:

• Medical Terminology
• Introduction to Health Professions
• Medical Office Systems and Procedures
• Medical Office Billing and Bookkeeping

Potential career fields include:

• Clerical and Medical Billing Expert
• Doctor's Office Assistant
• Medical Clinic Receptionist

Harrison College

Harrison College offers both medical assisting degrees and diplomas that are designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in the industry. The degree requires 90 credit hours for completion and the diploma is just 62 hours. Both programs are accredited by the CAAHEP and allow you to take the medical assisting certification exams after completing the program.

The associate degree program will set you back $43,200, while the certificate costs only $29,300 to complete.

5. The College of Healthcare Professions

The College of Healthcare Professionals offers a blended delivery program in McAllen, TX to earn a medical assistant certificate.

Skills attained from this program include:

• Physician assistance
• Medication administration
• Performing EKGs
• Phlebotomy
• Minor laboratory procedures
• Monitoring vital signs
• Interviewing patients
• Managing medical records
• Reception duties
• Insurance billing/bookkeeping duties

Coursework includes:

• HIPAA / OSHA / Infection Control
• Medical Terminology
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Nervous System & Special Senses
• Psychology
• Many others

6. San Joaquin Valley College

San Joaquin Valley College offers a medical assistant program as well that offers students the skills they need to jump into the field, including patient care, medical office procedures, laboratory skills, and medical administrative practices.

Coursework includes classes such as basic and advanced phlebotomy, medical assisting competencies, and medical assisting applications. Students that complete the program will be proficient in taking medical histories, assisting with physician procedures, cleaning and sterilizing equipment, performing office accounting, boookkeeping, & billing, and preparing insurance claims.

7. Keiser University

Keiser University offers a Medical Assisting Science online program and provides students with the skills necessary to become certified medical assistants, including:

• Developing a student's ability to perform various clinical, clerical, & administrative duties
• Preparing students with the professional skills needed for employment in Medical Assisting
• Preparing students to take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credentialing examination given by American Medical Technologists.

The program overall consists of 36 hours in anatomy, physiology, medical law & ethics, clinical procedures, and other knowledge necessary to becoming a Certified Medical Assistant.

8. Penn Foster College

The Online Medical Assistant Degree Online program offered by Penn Foster College covers many of the same subjects as other, similar programs available, such as:

• Law and Ethics in Medicine
• Information Literacy
• Medical Terminology
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Pharmacology
• Medical Transcription
• Medical Coding
• Nutrition
• Clinical Procedures

The program lasts 2 years and covers general education and 3 semesters of medical assisting coursework. To graduate, students must achieve a minimum of a 2.0 GPA.

9. Stratford University

The medical assisting program at Stratford University consists of 20 classes at 90 hours total, and can be taken either off- or online over 2 years. Each class is 5-10 weeks long.

Core requirements for graduating include:

• Computer Office Applications
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Medical Terminology
• Medical Insurance, Billing, & Coding
• Clinical Procedures
• Medical Computer Applications
• Medical Law & Ethics
• Phlebotomy
• Electrocardiography
• Medical Assisting Externship

Tuition costs $370.00 per credit hour and, to complete the medical assisting program, it costs $33,300.00.

10. Anthem College Online

Anthem College offers medical assistant technician programs tailored to providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the field. As with many others on our list, the program covers basic subjects, including medical diagnostic and laboratory techniques, pharmacology, phlebotomy, and others.

Skills learned by the end of the program include:

• Assisting physicians during exams
• Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
• Performing basic laboratory tests
• Sterilizing medical instruments
• Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
• Drawing blood
• Taking electrocardiograms
• Removing sutures