Medical Assistant

Lamson’s Medical Assistant diploma program provides hands-on training in patient care, clinical procedures and medical office administration. Students learn to take vital signs, administer medications and injections, assist with examinations, perform EKG and phlebotomy, and manage patient records, along with insurance and coding and medical office procedures — practiced in supervised labs, not just covered in lectures.

Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions assisting the physician in medical office examinations, performing basic laboratory skills and back office procedures such as recording and mounting electrocardiograms, tray set-ups, injections, positioning and draping, and charting a patient’s history. In the front office, Medical Assistants handle bookkeeping, records management, appointment scheduling, insurance and practice management. The 720-hour program is seven 80-hour modules followed by a 160-hour supervised externship at an approved San Antonio-area medical facility. It prepares students to take the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) exam through NCCT, and Lamson pays for the first attempt.

Lamson Institute has provided hands-on career training in Northwest San Antonio since August 2007, as a branch campus of the Institute for Business and Technology, which was founded in 1965. The school’s mission is to prepare students for career-focused employment by delivering relevant career training, and its curriculum is reviewed regularly by industry professionals.

• Programs can be completed in as few as 9 to 11 months, with morning and evening classes.
• The campus occupies approximately 55,000 square feet in the Exchange Plaza at N.W. Loop 410 and Bandera Road, with classrooms, lecture rooms, a learning resource center, computer labs, medical labs and specialized instructional areas.
• Small classes: traditional class size is up to 30 students, the maximum student-teacher ratio in a laboratory class is 20 to 1, and computer labs have one-to-one equipment.
• USA TODAY, with research firm Statista, named Lamson Institute one of America’s Top Vocational Schools for 2026.
• Graduates may retake any course they have completed at no charge, apart from books and supplies, when space is available.

To be eligible for enrollment at Lamson Institute, applicants must:

• Have a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent, such as a GED or HiSET certificate, a foreign secondary credential with a third-party evaluation, a qualifying college transcript, or a homeschool credential.
• Be at least 18, or 17 with written parent or guardian approval and turning 18 before their expected graduation date or before beginning any externship, whichever comes first.
• Take and pass the EduReady Admissions Assessment with a minimum score of 75 (two re-tests with an alternate form are allowed). This is waived for applicants with an associate degree or higher from an accredited U.S. school.
• Visit and tour the school and complete a personal interview with an admissions representative.
• Show a valid Social Security card and a valid government-issued photo ID or driver’s license.
• Complete an enrollment agreement, attend a financial aid interview if appropriate, and pay the one-time registration fee.

Students enrolling in the Electrical Technician and Commercial Refrigeration, Heating & Air Conditioning programs must provide evidence of a valid, current driver’s license, because employers in these fields require one. Dental Assisting applicants must also pass a criminal background check and fingerprinting/drug screening and provide a signed order for x-rays (18 fmx/pano) from their dentist.

The program runs in 4-week modules, with classes of 5 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, in the morning (8:00 am – 1:00 pm) or evening (5:45 pm – 10:45 pm) session — a weekly commitment of 20 hours of lecture and lab. The expected completion time is 36 weeks. Students have 8 weeks to complete the externship, but most externships are scheduled at 40 hours per week and finish in one module, so students may complete the program in as few as 34 weeks.

2026 Allied Health start dates (and graduation dates): January 19 (September 25, 2026); February 16 (October 23, 2026); March 16 (November 20, 2026); April 13 (January 1, 2027); May 11 (January 29, 2027); June 8 (February 26, 2027); July 6 (March 26, 2027); August 3 (April 23, 2027); August 31 (May 21, 2027); September 28 (June 18, 2027); October 26 (July 16, 2027); November 23 (August 13, 2027).

Program costs (starts on or after February 1, 2026): tuition $15,846; registration fee $40; books $230; uniforms $50; total $16,166. Students may opt out of buying their books from the school. Tuition is guaranteed for the term of your enrollment.

Financial aid. Lamson is approved to participate in federal Title IV programs for students who qualify: the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Direct PLUS Loans for parents. Apply by completing the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov. Institutional payment plans are available for charges not met by aid, Climb Credit offers third-party financing, and the school can bill employers, workforce agencies or the VA for eligible students.

Job titles on graduation include Medical Assistant and front office personnel. Example entry-level job titles include Front Office and Back Office Clinical Assistant, Pediatric, Geriatric and Orthopedic Medical Assistant, Medical Receptionist, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Records Specialist, Medical Claims Biller, Medication Technician, Patient Registration Representative and Unit Secretary. Passing the NCMA exam is not required for graduation or employment, but it is highly desired by most employers.

Outcomes. In the 2025 ACCET report (students scheduled to complete in 2024), 22 of 31 students completed (70.97%) and 16 of 19 eligible completers were placed (84.21%).

Career services. The Career Services Department helps students and graduates with job leads, resumes, cover letters, applications, interviews and externship coordination, at no additional cost throughout their careers. Lamson does not promise or guarantee employment. Graduates who show 30 days of career-related employment receive a $100 Graduate Employment Gift.

Class schedule. In-classroom programs meet Monday through Thursday for 5 hours each day or evening: the morning session runs 8:00 am – 1:00 pm and the evening session 5:45 pm – 10:45 pm, in 50-minute class periods with breaks. When a holiday falls on a Monday, classes meet Tuesday through Friday that week. All students have a weekly commitment of 20 hours of lecture and lab.

Support. All new students attend an orientation that introduces faculty, administrators and academic life. Tutors are available as needed at no charge, and the Director of Education and Director of Career Services offer advising.

Grading. Grades are A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79) and F (below 70), based on written exams, practical exercises, projects and other work.

Graduation. To graduate you must complete all required courses and credits, earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, complete each course with at least 80% attendance, and pass all required competency and skill testing. Graduating students also complete an exit interview with Career Services and submit an approved resume, cover letter and three references.