Clinical Medical Assistant

What is a Medical Assistant? A medical assistant’s primary tasks involve recording patient information, conducting basic laboratory tests, disposing contaminated supplies, sterilizing medical instruments, drawing blood, and informing patients about medications, among other responsibilities. Curriculum includes medical terminology, how to take vital signs, foundational phlebotomy skills, electronic medical records systems, and more. Obtain professional skills that potential employers may be looking for and increase your earning potential.4 Includes certification preparation.5 Prepare to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant exam, Registered Medical Assistant exam, and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam.5 Prepares you for the field-specific skills needed to pursue entry-level roles. Includes certification preparation.5 Remote Learning from the Comfort of Home If remote learning is ideal for your schedule, pursue your education online while still gaining the clinical skills needed. *Our Clinical Medical Assistant programs are currently only offered to Florida residents.

What is a Medical Assistant? A medical assistant’s primary tasks involve recording patient information, conducting basic laboratory tests, disposing contaminated supplies, sterilizing medical instruments, drawing blood, and informing patients about medications, among other responsibilities. Curriculum includes medical terminology, how to take vital signs, foundational phlebotomy skills, electronic medical records systems, and more. Obtain professional skills that potential employers may be looking for and increase your earning potential.4 Includes certification preparation.5 Prepare to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant exam, Registered Medical Assistant exam, and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam.5 Prepares you for the field-specific skills needed to pursue entry-level roles. Includes certification preparation.5 Remote Learning from the Comfort of Home If remote learning is ideal for your schedule, pursue your education online while still gaining the clinical skills needed. *Our Clinical Medical Assistant programs are currently only offered to Florida residents.

Ultimate Medical Academy was founded in 1993 to serve the Tampa community’s need to train healthcare professionals, launched its online campus in 2009, and since 2015 has been owned by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (now Vocate Education Solutions). UMA says it has supported more than 100,000 graduates.

• UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education.
• Many programs are fully online, and tech support is available 24/7.
• Standardized testing is not required to enroll: no SAT, GMAT, GRE or ACT.
• Tuition includes coursework materials (textbooks, e-books and software), online and on-campus libraries with librarian support, and externship or professional practice experience in select programs.
• Student support includes one-on-one academic assistance, a personalized student portal, committed advisors from start to finish, and laptops for those who qualify.
• Certification preparation, where applicable, with exam-focused material and support at no additional cost.
• Job search assistance that begins before graduation, resume and mock interview sessions, and ongoing alumni services.

General admissions requirements. Before enrolling, prospective students must have completed a valid high school diploma or equivalent (a standard diploma, official home-schooling, a GED, HiSET or TASC, a state-recognized equivalency certificate, or a DD-214 showing high school completion; special diplomas are not accepted), be proficient in verbal and written English, and be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in Florida. Students in an entirely online program must pass an Identity Verification (IDV) check.

Enrollment steps. Applicants interview with admissions, complete all required admission documents and an Attestation of High School Graduation or Equivalent, participate in orientation before the program starts, and attend a financial aid appointment. A Level I background check must be completed satisfactorily by the eighth calendar day after the start (Level II for Patient Care Technician). Every new student is first registered on a provisional basis for the first module (the first two modules for Health Sciences - Pharmacy Technician); provisionally registered students do not pay tuition, and those who cancel during this period incur no tuition obligation. Standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT are not required.

Skills assessment. Prospective Clinical Medical Assistant and Health Sciences - Clinical Medical Assistant students complete a skills assessment while in their first course, with one attempt allowed. Provisional students who score in the Level 2 range in all areas (math 21 and above, reading 53 and above, writing 33 and above) meet the assessment criteria; a Level 1 score in any area cancels the enrollment.

Externship and lab. A 180-hour clinical externship is required; before it, students complete basic life support training including CPR. UMA Online students complete lab components through screen-based simulation and training kits, and need an internal or external webcam and microphone.

Florida residents only. The catalog lists this program for Florida residents only.

Length. Instructional time is 42 weeks and normal time is 47 weeks for 34.5 semester credits (1,690 total clock hours (740 clock hours and 950 recognized outside clock hours)). UMA’s programme page describes it as a 11 months program. Normal time is UMA’s more realistic completion estimate because it includes scheduled breaks; actual completion can vary with leaves of absence, transfer credit or repeated coursework.

Format. The program is offered fully online through UMA Online, where lab components use screen-based simulation and training-kit instruction, or blended at the Clearwater campus, where the didactic portion is delivered online and labs are on campus. Externship is conducted in a healthcare setting for both campuses, and out-of-class work is required.

Courses and starts. Each course is a module of 5 to 16 weeks depending on the program, and attendance online is based on completing academically related activities such as discussion boards, assignments and tests. UMA Online classes start every 2-3 weeks. At Clearwater the programme runs in days and evenings. Externship hours are based on a minimum of 30 hours per week and are offered during the site’s regular business hours; UMA does not guarantee night or weekend hours.

Tuition. Tuition for the 34.5-semester-credit Clinical Medical Assistant diploma is $16,387.50, calculated at $475 per credit hour, with books included, so the total cost is also $16,387.50 (published for both UMA Online and Clearwater). Tuition varies when courses are failed and must be repeated; retake fees are charged at full tuition equal to the original cost of the course. UMA tuition includes coursework materials (textbooks, e-books and software), online and on-campus libraries, student services and laptops for those who qualify.

Financial aid. UMA offers Federal Student Aid to those who qualify, including Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS loans for parents, and Federal Work Study at the Clearwater campus. Students apply by completing the FAFSA each award year, listing UMA’s school code 035493. UMA also participates in military and veterans’ benefits (Tuition Assistance, the GI Bill® chapters, MyCAA and the Yellow Ribbon Program, with special military pricing published in the catalog) and Florida state aid such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant and Bright Futures. Student Finance advisors help applicants understand their options.

The program prepares students for entry-level employment in allied health settings as a clinical medical assistant. Medical assistants work alongside physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities such as medical offices and clinics; their duties typically include collecting patient histories, maintaining medical records, preparing patients for procedures, taking vital signs, assisting physicians during procedures and minor surgeries, taking samples, and running tests in a lab.

UMA reports that graduates of this program have found entry-level work in these environments:

• Physicians' offices
• Hospitals
• Outpatient care centers

Certification. Graduates of the Clinical Medical Assistant program meet the educational eligibility requirements to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam offered by American Medical Technologists (AMT), and the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

UMA’s Career Services advisors help graduates with resume reviews, job search strategy, interview preparation and the application process, and provide on-the-job support for a graduate’s first weeks of employment. UMA does not guarantee employment.

Support from start to finish. New Student Advisors help students adjust to UMA during their first 10-15 weeks, after which each student is assigned a Learner Services Advisor who stays with them through graduation. Academic Specialists answer questions about discussions, assignments and assessments and connect students with instructors, who can also be reached during office hours or by email.

Resources. The UMA Virtual Library holds thousands of peer-reviewed, full-text articles available at any time, with a full-time librarian for research help. The Student Success Center, Wellness Center and Puma Den Information Center offer on-demand webinars, instructor sessions and help with laptops and technical support, and the UMA Student Guidance Center provides confidential counseling 24/7 at no additional cost.

Externships and careers. In select programs the Externship Team helps students find real-world experience before graduation; Certification Services helps students register for certification exams; and more than 125 Career Services advisors offer resume, interview and LinkedIn coaching, with Alumni Services continuing after graduation.

Attendance and graduation. Online attendance is based on completing academically related activities such as discussion boards, assignments and tests; students absent for 14 consecutive calendar days are withdrawn. To graduate, students complete all required courses and any externship, clinical or PPE hours, earn a minimum CGPA of 2.0, and satisfy attendance requirements.