Medical Assisting Programs

• ONLINE & ON CAMPUS •

12-Month^* Medical Assisting Program in Bangor, Maine

If you’d like to be on the front lines of healthcare, responding to the needs of both patients and medical workers, consider Beal University’s Medical Assisting program, available as an Associate’s Degree or Diploma to best suit your needs. Medical Assistants complete technical, clinical, and administrative tasks. They have a wide range of knowledge and responsibilities and are indispensable for keeping a physicians’ office, hospital, or clinic running smoothly.

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Your Future as a Medical Assistant

The Medical Assisting program prepares you to become a competent, entry-level Medical Assistant. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board.  This approval allows successful graduates to sit for the national certifying CMA exam, provided they meet all eligibility criteria.  If you pass your exam, you will be a Certified Medical Assistant.

The best way to see if Beal University is the right fit for you is to contact an admissions representative. Get more information on the Medical Assisting program, class schedules, and financial aid options so that you can make an informed decision about your future. Get more info or Book a Tour.

Prepare to Become a Medical Assistant at Beal University

Throughout the Medical Assisting program you’ll develop the ability to recognize and respect cultural diversity; adapt your communication to an individual’s ability to understand; identify and respond effectively to verbal, nonverbal, and written communications; use medical terminology appropriately, and provide instruction to individuals according to their needs. Lastly, you’ll be trained in how to perform administrative functions and, in doing so, meet the highest legal and ethical standards of the profession.

With flexible online and on-campus schedules, smaller class sizes, and accelerated programs, you will feel prepared and supported to pursue your career goals upon graduation.

During the Medical Assisting program, you’ll study:

• Introduction to Medical Assisting
• Medical Terminology
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Pharmacology
• Medical Ethics & Law
• Medical Office Procedures
• Medical Assisting Certification Exam Review
• Electronic Information Systems in Healthcare
• Keyboarding and Medical Insurance
• Billing & Coding
• 4 Medical Assisting Labs

If you choose to take the Medical Assisting Associate’s Degree program you will complete an extra 6 months^* of general education courses in addition to the curriculum mentioned above.

Get Real-World Experience

During the Medical Assisting program, you will complete a 160-hour externship in an actual medical setting after you complete 4 Medical Assisting labs. While some schools use a virtual environment, which does not give the same quality of education, Beal University provides you with first-hand experience working in the field. The externship mentally prepares you to handle a multitude of situations that a Medical Assistant will encounter. The experience is valuable, as it will get you thinking like a Medical Assistant, and acts as a bridge between being a student and becoming a professional.

Medical Assisting – Diploma

Our 12-month^* Medical Assisting Diploma will prepare you for entry-level technical, clinical and administrative positions in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and clinics. This program is intended for students who wish to pursue a career in Medical Assisting in a shorter period of time.

Medical Assistant – Associate’s Degree 18 months^*

Certification Makes You Employable

Upon successful completion of the Medical Assisting Diploma or Associate’s Degree program, you will be able to sit for the national Certified Medical Assisting (CMA) exam. Passing the exam allows you to pursue employment as a Certified Medical Assistant.

Diverse Career Prospects

Medical Assistants work in a variety of settings, including physicians’ offices, hospitals, and clinics. With a Medical Assisting Diploma or Associate’s Degree, you could hold job titles such as:

• Medical Assistant
• Certified Medical Assistant
• Phlebotomist
• Medical Lab Assistant
• Medical Office Assistant

Medical Assisting Professionals Are Needed to Fill Many Roles

As a Medical Assistant, it is essential that you have strong communication skills for dealing with both patients and other healthcare providers, coordinating patient care information with healthcare colleagues, and displaying professionalism when working as a member of a team. Your administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, and billing and coding information for insurance purposes. The clinical duties entail taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, drawing blood, administering vaccines, and giving medications as directed by a physician.

As a Medical Assistant, you’ll perform tasks such as:

• Preparing treatment rooms for patient examinations and keeping the rooms neat and clean
• Showing patients to examination rooms and preparing them for the physician
• Explaining treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians’ instructions to patients
• Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
• Collecting blood, tissue, and urine samples or other laboratory specimens, logging the specimens, and preparing them for testing
• Establishing patient screening procedures, obtaining patient histories and vital signs, and recognizing and responding to emergencies
• Using proper aseptic techniques and infection control
• Preparing and maintaining examination and treatment areas and complying with quality assurance practices
• Arranging and administering correct medications and immunizations, and keeping proper medication and immunization records
• Preparing patients for and assisting other healthcare professionals with examinations, procedures, and treatments

Why Programmatic Accreditation Matters

Beal University’s Medical Assisting Diploma and Associate’s Degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Employers look for programmatic accreditation. It means the Medical Assisting program is recognized by a governing body that sets the best practices for that industry.

When you graduate from a programmatically accredited degree, it grants you access to take the state board examination (CMA) so that you can become a certified professional. Once you become certified, you can pursue employment as a Medical Assistant in a variety of clinical settings, having demonstrated that your skills meet the nationally accepted level of competency.

Medical Assisting Educational Review Board

2020 Outcomes from the 2022 Annual Report for Beal University:

• Graduate Participation: 100.00%
• Graduate Satisfaction: 100.00%
• Job Placement: 100.00%
• Employer Surveys Sent: 100.00%
• Employer Satisfaction: 100.00%
• Exam Participation 95.65%
• Exam Passage 95.45%
• Retention: 52.17%

Medial Assisting Student Group

A dedicated student-run study group to help you succeed!

The purpose of the Beal University Medical Assisting Student Group is to broaden the knowledge of Medical Assisting students and promote interest in the Medical Assisting profession and the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). The Medical Assisting Group is not intended to function as a chapter, but instead as an addition to a chapter. The group will provide opportunities to exchange information with members of the medical community, explore career opportunities, develop leadership skills, render community service, and interact with Certified Medical Assistants. Interested in joining? Contact Joyce Curtis. Available at our Bangor campus.

Is a Rewarding Career in Medical Assisting Right for You? Get More Info…

If you’re interested in learning more about a career in Medical Assisting, fill out the form on this page to receive more information. A friendly Beal University Career Advisor can answer career questions, guide you to our virtual tour, and get you helpful financial aid information. Get the answers you need to discover the perfect career path for you.

For immediate questions, call 207-307-3900

*Program length when completed in normal time.