Medical Assistant

Medical Assisting is an exciting and rewarding career. Graduates from our program are eligible to become Nationally Certified once they complete their certification exam. Once certified, it opens the door for new Medical Assistants to work in a variety of clinical settings, which includes: Primary Care, Urgent Care, Cardiology, Pulmonology, Neurology, Urology, Dermatology, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, General and Orthopedic Surgery, and more.

The field of Medical Assisting involves, but is not limited to the following duties:

  • Taking and recording patient medical histories and vital signs (temperature, weight, blood pressure)
  • Preparing patients for examinations and procedures
  • Assisting providers with patient examinations and procedures
  • Administering medications and injections as directed by the provider
  • Drawing blood and performing basic lab tests
  • Cleaning and sterilizing medical equipment
  • Instructing patients about medications and treatment goals
  • Updating patient records
  • Assisting with prior-authorizations for medications and procedures

As directed by the Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB), LBCC is happy to report the following national exam pass rate:

Year Exam Pass Rate
2024 100%
2023 88%
2022 100%
2021 90%
2020 100%
Five-Year Average 96%

HCC meta major logo Health, Healthcare & Culinary

Photo of a student using a microscope

 

Special Admission

Medical Assistant is one of LBCC’s programs with limited enrollment and special application deadlines.

View Medical Assistant Application Guide

Medical Assistant, One-Year Certificate

This four-term certification program prepares you to be a proficient, multi-skilled Medical Assistant in a culturally diverse healthcare setting.

View Medical Assistant Program Map

The estimated cost of the Medical Assistant program includes tuition, books, and additional costs associated with the program.

Estimated program costs for the 2024-25 academic year:

Item Cost
Tuition and Fees $8,878
Textbooks $300
Scrubs $50
National Exam $125
Background Check $72
Drug Screening $65
Total $9,490

The Oregon Employment Department recently reported that Medical Assistants have one of the fastest job growth rates in the nation.

The high demand for Medical Assistants by all major health systems make it one of the easiest access points to a career in healthcare.

Currently, the average salary range in our service district is between $20 and $30 an hour. Indeed reports that the average annual salary in Oregon is currently $48,776. Some geographic areas may pay even more (e.g. Portland as well as many parts of the Oregon Coast).

Many health systems are offering signing bonuses or relocation allowances as an incentive ($1,000 - $5,000).

The Medical Assistant Program starts fall term and consists of four terms of full-time study. Upon completion, you will attain a Certificate of Medical Assisting.

The program uses a cohort model of delivery, which means all students start the program together, progress together, and graduate together. Students graduate at the end of summer term. The program also offers the flexibility of in-person or remote learning options for many of the classes (this excludes all clinical classes).

The Medical Assistant Program offered by LBCC is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

Students who successfully complete our program are eligible to take the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) National Credentialing Exam as well as a variety of other exam opportunities.

The goals of the Medical Assistant Program are:

  1. To promote a safe and equitable learning environment
  2. To maintain program accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP)
  3. To prepare medical assistants who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession
  4. To graduate students who can pass the national exam on the first attempt
  5. To help all graduates secure the medical assistant job they desire

 

If you have any additional questions, please contact Pauletta Huffman (Program Support Specialist).

 

 

Healthcare meta major logoHealth, Healthcare & Culinary

Request More Information

*indicates a special admission program with limited enrollment and special application deadlines.