To enroll in the Medical Assistant Program, please contact Kelly Meyer. You can reach Kelly Meyer by phone at 515-574-1308 or via email at meyer_k@iowacentral.edu. Please don't hesitate to reach out to begin your journey toward a rewarding career in healthcare as a medical assistant!

Medical assistants are versatile healthcare professionals specifically trained to operate in various healthcare environments, undertaking both clinical and administrative responsibilities. The role demands a profound understanding of a diverse array of medical knowledge and specialized skills, necessitating formal education and practical experience to meet professional standards.

The Medical Assistant Program at Iowa Central Community College equips students with theoretical knowledge and foundational skills essential for performing administrative and clinical tasks. This diploma program spans two semesters of theory and laboratory work, followed by a 30-day summer practicum, commencing in the fall and concluding in the summer. To progress in the program, students must achieve a passing grade ("C" or higher) in all Medical Assistant curriculum courses and fulfill prerequisite requirements. For those interested in further education, an option exists to pursue an AAS degree in Medical Assisting, entailing an additional 13 credit hours of mandatory coursework and 6 credit hours of elective coursework beyond the diploma requirements. Graduation mandates successful completion of all diploma and AAS program courses with a grade of "C" or higher, along with receiving a "P" (pass) in the Practicum component. Upon completing the medical assistant diploma program successfully, students become eligible to sit for a national certification exam.

Graduates who qualify for and pass the exam can attain certification as certified medical assistants (CMA, AAMA), enabling them to practice in the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Scholarship Opportunities

• General, Foundation, and External Scholarships: Iowa Central offers various scholarship opportunities, including general scholarships, foundation scholarships, and external scholarships. These scholarships cater to a diverse range of students and academic pursuits.
• Medical Assistant Program Scholarships: The Medical Assistant Program Coordinator selects six students during the spring semester to receive $500 each for the upcoming academic year. These scholarships recognize outstanding achievement and dedication within the Medical Assistant Program.
• Last-Dollar Scholarship: The Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship is an award that covers the remaining tuition and institution-wide mandatory fees after non-repayable state and federal financial aid are applied. The Last-Dollar Scholarship focuses on increasing opportunities for more Iowans to acquire the skills to fill high-demand jobs and meet workforce needs. The Medical Assistant Program qualities for this award! You must fill out a FAFSA to be eligible. https://www.iowacentral.edu/last_dollar

Course Schedule

More Information

Iowa Community colleges have developed the following Core Performance Standards for all applicants to Health Care Career Programs.  These standards are based upon required abilities that are compatible with effective performance in health care careers.  Applicants unable to meet the Core Performance Standards are responsible for discussing the possibility of reasonable accommodations with the designated institutional office.  To view the full Iowa Core Performance Standards, click here.

Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosure Information

For more on Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosure Information, click here.

Accreditation

The Iowa Central Community College Medical Assistant Diploma Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (9355 113th St. N. #7709, Seminole, Florida 33775, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org.) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (2020 N. California Ave. #213 Suite 7, Chicago, Illinois 60647, 312-392-0155, www.maerb.org). According to the Annual Report, the Iowa Central Medical Assistant Diploma Program has surpassed all thresholds established by the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) for outcome assessment in medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). This includes exceeding benchmarks for enrollment, retention, graduation rates, graduate and employer satisfaction, job placement, and credentialing exam outcomes during the most recent reporting period. This outcome is from the 2023 Annual Report Form: The 5-year average for Exam Passage for years 2018-2022 is 90%. This outcome demonstrates the program's commitment to academic excellence and preparing students for success in their careers.

Potential Careers

• Medical assistants work alongside physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities such as medical offices and clinics
• Medical assistants can choose to work in either in primary care or medical specialties such as obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, dermatology, urgent care, general surgery, internal medicine, nephrology, cardiology, neurology, occupational medicine, and others
• Additional potential job opportunities include working at blood donation centers as phlebotomists, assisting with insurance physicals, and health coaching