What You’ll Learn in Accredited Medical Assistant Classes

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a high demand for skilled medical assistants this decade. With healthcare growing this fast, now is a good time to start looking into accredited medical assistant classes offered in the San Francisco Bay Area, as a medical assistant class that is accredited can make all the difference in securing a well-paying, rewarding healthcare career.  Why?—accredited medical assistant classes meet high industry standards, meaning employers take them seriously and, with the class being accredited, students may qualify for financial aid. So, let’s look at the reasons why enrolling into an accredited medical assistant class is important—and what prospective students can expect to learn.

Why Accreditation Is Essential

An accredited medical assistant class has been reviewed and approved by agencies such as Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS) or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Institutions like these are rigorous in ensuring that schools and colleges meet certain criteria and standards, demonstrating their effectiveness and suitability for providing education. In California, you’ll also want to search for schools recognized by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) and listed on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). Simply, accredited schools and colleges are preferred by employers when looking to hire healthcare graduates; they are eligible to provide their students with financial aid; and they have a training program designed to prepare and equip students for passing national certification exams. Remember, accreditation is more than just a label awarded to a school—it represents a school’s guarantee to a student of quality teaching leading to career readiness.

Clinical Skills You’ll Learn to Work Directly with Patients

One of the most valuable parts of your training is learning the hands-on skills that you’ll use every day on the job. These skills will include:

• Checking vital signs like blood pressure and temperature
• Administering medications and injections
• Assisting during physical exams and minor procedures
• Drawing blood (if phlebotomy training is part of your medical assistant training)
• Running EKGs (if EKG training is part of your medical assistant training)

Part of this training will also include anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and pathology.

Administrative Training in Accredited Medical Assistant Classes

Administrative tasks taught in class, often referred to as back-office skills, are also an essential part of a medical assistant’s workplace toolbox, and this teaching will include:

• Scheduling appointments and greeting patients

• Medication administration
• Medical law and ethics
• Patient records

Administrative competencies such as these make medical assistants more well-rounded and employable professionals.

Building Soft Skills for Patient Care

As medical assistants are usually the face of a clinic or doctor’s office, instructors will also teach students valuable soft skills, qualities and abilities that allow a person to effectively interact with others in a workplace, such as:

• Communicating clearly with patients and coworkers
• Maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA guidelines
• Showing empathy, patience, and professionalism in their work

These people-focused skills will help you create positive experiences with each patient you meet.

Certification and Real-World Experience Through Accredited Medical Assistant Classes

One of the best parts of enrolling into an accredited medical assisting program is how students are well-prepared for national medical assistant certification. Some programs may also include training that provides preparation for national certifications in phlebotomy and EKG—which can really make your resume stand out and take your skills and experience to another level. For instance, Bay Area Medical Academy’s offers the opportunity of gaining three national certifications as part of their 3-in-1 curriculum, giving graduating students a competitive edge in the healthcare field with three in-demand skill sets:

• National Certified Medical Assistant
• Certified EKG Technician, CET
• National Certified Phlebotomy Technician / California Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT-1)

Not only that—students enrolled into an accredited medical assistant class will additionally gain real-world experience through an externship at a hospital, medical office, or clinic, where they will work alongside professional healthcare staff and patients, giving them a strong and confident start to their medical assisting career.

Ready to Begin Your Career in Healthcare?

Accredited medical assistant classes, such as the one Bay Area Medical Academy offers, offer a powerful mix of hands-on clinical training, administrative knowledge, communication skills, and real-world experience students—overseen and guaranteed by accrediting bodies. If you’re ready to get started, take a look at programs like Bay Area Medical Academy’s employer-recommended and accredited 3-in-1 medical assisting training program and contact admissions today.