Jan 30, 2026  
2025-26 Catalog 
    
2025-26 Catalog

Medical Assistant, Certificate


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Learn the practical skills you need for a rewarding, challenging position in healthcare. Work with physicians and providers to increase productivity in medical offices by performing a wealth of administrative and clinical tasks. Gain work experience through a 180 hour externship.

Visit the Healthcare Professions Department Website

Program Requirements


Program Outcomes


  • Perform administrative tasks in the ambulatory care setting.
  • Explain general office policies and establish and maintain patient records.
  • Perform clinical tasks in the ambulatory care setting.
  • Communicate (written, verbal and nonverbal) effectively with diverse patients and staff about patient instructions, community resources and health maintenance and disease prevention.
  • Apply medico-legal knowledge to identify and respond to issues of confidentiality.
  • Perform and document within legal and ethical boundaries.
  • Identify and model professional conduct and appearance in specific, multicultural workplace settings.

Program Notes


  • This information does not substitute for meeting with a faculty adviser.
  • Students must achieve a 2.0 GPA in all HEAL courses and pass required competencies to graduate with their MA certificate.
  • The MA certificate and AAS degree emphasize preparation in specific job skills required for entry-level employment.
  • Not all classes are offered every quarter or at night.
  • Students attending only in the evening must remember it is likely to take more than two years to complete program.
  • Program graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) certification exam. (See Medical Assistant program accreditation statement in the college catalog.highline.edu/content.php)
  • Medical Assistant students: Agencies may require you to complete a criminal background check prior to being offered an internship or employment.
  • The curriculum is developed in collaboration with an advisory committee made up of industry experts, aligned with all required licensing requirements, and approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (MAERBAAMAE).

Internal Coding


Last Updated  
Description Medical Assistant C45
Academic Plan MLAMAC45
CIP Code 51.0801

 

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