Medical assistants work in the frontlines of medical care, helping physicians and specialists with medical procedures and administrative duties. It is a good profession for someone who wants to quickly enter the field of healthcare. Students in this program will learn how to set up patients for examinations, draw blood for basic lab studies, administer medications, perform EKGs, assist with minor surgical procedures, and perform front-office tasks related to medical records and billing. The program includes a clinical practicum where students will practice their skills in the field. The student must complete 160 hours of unpaid hours in a clinic during the fourth quarter of the program in order to meet the licensing criteria for Washington State. Students will be prepared to take all four nationally recognized medical assistant credentialing exams. Passing any of the exams earns a person the credential to work as a medical assistant.
The Medical Assistant program at Renton Technical College had an average retention rate of 84% and an average pass rate for the national exam of 91% over the last 5 years. The program’s annual report for the Medical Assisting Education Review Board shows an 83% retention rate and a 86% exam passage rate in 2022 (MAERB, 2023).
Note: Students must meet the background check and immunizations requirements prior to enrolling. Many clinical partners require that students provide proof of COVID vaccination. Clinical placements may be unavailable for students who are not fully immunized.
This recorded information session and the accompanying slideshow will provide additional details about the program.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the Medical Assistant Program, a prospective student must meet the following requirements:
(High School student or) High School Diploma/GED (or equivalent) at time of enrollment
English Fluency (verbal and written)
Upon invitation and acceptance to the Medical Assistant Program, students must provide confirmation of an account established with CastleBranch.com and pass a nationwide criminal background check (Crimes Against Persons list).
Cost: $106 (do not create an account prior to invitation and registration to the program)
Screening and Tracking Requirements
After invitation to the program, students must meet vaccination and program-specific health requirements in compliance with the Center for Disease Control Healthcare Provider immunization guidelines, including the submission of original lab results, x-ray reports and immunization records, which must be dated and signed by their healthcare provider.
*Vaccinations must be current while on externships
Annual Tuberculosis skin test. TB tests must show as current through the entire clinical experience at the time of onboarding. Renewal may be required before one year.
Annual seasonal Influenza vaccine
Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine within last 10 years
Hepatitis B vaccine (series of three vaccines and immunity titer)
Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (two vaccines or proof of immunity titer)
Varicella vaccine (two vaccines or proof of immunity titer)
Annual background-check through CastleBranch.com
Personal health insurance upon entry and for the duration of the program
Although the COVID vaccination is not currently a program admission requirement, our clinical partners may require a student to provide proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID. Clinical placements may be unavailable for students who are not fully immunized.
Current (within one year) physical evaluation by a physician or nurse practitioner to ensure student and patient safety. The evaluation should address the following areas in respect to the student's ability to perform the laboratory skills and clinical responsibilities related to becoming a Medical Assistant:
Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds and to reach overhead
Ability to stand or walk for long periods
Bridge to Health and Human Services
Are you new to health care? Please consider taking our Bridge to Health and Human Services class to help you set up for success! You will get an introduction to subjects taught in health care programs, learn about different medical careers, learn about background check and immunization requirements, as well as information about how to pay for the program and the steps to register. Check out the flyer here. Email askccp@rtc.edu or talk to an entry advisor to register!
UPDATE: All healthcare students who have clinical rotations, externships and internships must follow the vaccination requirements of the healthcare institution where they will be working-i.e., must be fully vaccinated or have an exemption prior to their clinical rotation, externship or internship experience. Read the latest COVID-19 Allied Health Policy.
Course Information
Course #
Course Title
Credits
COL 101
College Success
2
MEDA 102
BLS Provider CPR/AED
1
MEDA 108
Anatomy and Physiology I
4
MEDA 109
Anatomy and Physiology II
4
MEDA 117
Medical Terminology and the Human Body
4
MEDA 121
Administrative Medical Procedures
4
MEDA 122
Introduction to Medical Insurance and Coding
5
MEDA 125
Introduction to Clinical Procedures
6
MEDA 126
Clinical Procedures I
6
MEDA 127
Clinical Procedures II
6
MEDA 130
Career and National Exam Preparation
2
MEDA 132
Introduction to Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
3
MEDA 133
Human Health, Disease and Treatment
3
MEDA 150
Medical Law and Ethics
2
MEDA 171
Communications and Human Relations in Healthcare
4
MEDA 192
Practicum
7
MEDA 193
Practicum Seminar
3
AMATH 168G
Healthcare Mathematics
4
Total
70
General Education Course Requirements for AAS Degree:
Course #
Course Title
Credits
AMATH 175
Financial Math
5
CMST& 101
Introduction to Communication
5
COMP 100
Applied Composition or
ENGL& 101
English Composition
5
PSYC& 100
General Psychology
5
Total
20
General Education Course Requirements for AAS-T Degree:
Course #
Course Title
Credits
ENGL& 101
English Composition
5
MATH& 146
Introduction to Statistics or
MATH& 107
Math in Society or
MATH& 141
Pre-Calculus I
5
PSYC& 100
General Psychology
5
CMST& 101
Introduction to Communication
5
Total
20
Program Outcomes
Enter the allied health workforce as a competent entry-level medical assistant in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
Display professionalism in appearance and job performance.
Demonstrate ability to work as a team member.
Successfully pass a nationally recognized medical assistant credentialing examination upon graduation.
Communicate effectively with a wide variety of patients from different age groups and cultures.
Perform administrative duties related to scheduling, billing, finances and coding.
Practice health information management and utilize Electronic Health Record systems.
Recognize the processes and perform the duties of clinical support.
Apply legal concepts within the scope of practice for medical assisting and the healthcare field.
Develop life-long learning skills and the initiative to critically evaluate information and apply it to their personal and professional lives.
Accreditation
The Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 US Highway 19 N., Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 210-2350
