-
Nationally Accredited Clinical Medical Assistant Certification (CCMA)
Our 8-week self-paced online course provides comprehensive clinical training designed for students applying to Medical (MD/DO), Physician Assistant (PA), or Nursing (RN/BSN/NP) School. After successful completion of the course, students will take the National HealthCareer Association (NHA) certification exam to obtain a nationally accredited certification as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA).
-
Three-Course Combination
This course combines training from three essential patient care disciplines: Clinical Medical Assistant, EKG Technician, and Patient Care Technician into one expert curriculum which will prepare students to perform vital duties from all three roles as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA). We implement principles of evidence-based teaching methods, and precisely design our foundational curriculum to offer students the knowledge and expertise required to thrive in dynamic and diverse clinical settings.
-
Affordable and Convenient
We are committed to providing pre-health students with the highest level of clinical education and training without losing respect for affordability or convenience. All-inclusive course content with no additional costs required for textbooks, laboratory fees, interactive assignments, or exams. The course is self-paced with unlimited 12-month access to complete the course content at a pace that is most comfortable for you.
Our comprehensive curriculum provides students with essential skills necessary to enter diverse fields of medicine as Certified Clinical Medical Assistants (CCMA) all while gaining healthcare experience/ patient care hours vital for their respective programs.
This course combines curriculum from three healthcare disciplines, as ranked by PA, medical, & nursing schools, to be the most valuable in providing prospective students with the patient care skills and knowledge they need in order to accelerate in their respective programs.
Thus, this course combines valuable patient care curriculum in: Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, and EKG Technician. Upon completion of this certification course, students can confidently seek healthcare experiences with credentials to CCMA roles in various scopes of medicine including hospital settings, surgical specialties, clinic settings, diagnostic testing centers, nursing homes, hospice etc.
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) reports medical assistant to be one of the fastest growing occupations. CCMA are usually found working in outpatient clinics and private doctor’s offices. They are an integral part of the medical team and contribute to the flow of patient care through a wide-range of duties including obtaining detailed patient history, obtaining vital signs, administering point of care testing, medications, injections & vaccinations; They also assist with a variety of clinical procedures including minor surgical in-office interventions which require sterile protocol. Furthermore, they prepare patients for X-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, conduct wound care, change dressings, collect specimens & order proper laboratory studies etc. They also facilitate communication between the patient and other health care professionals.
Patient Care Technician (PCT)
PCTs generally work in the hospital, intensive care unit, emergency room, cardiac care unit, rehabilitation facilities, and nursing homes. They usually work closely with the nursing staff to deliver patient care through various responsibilities including: obtaining vital signs, collecting laboratory specimens, conducting ECG, transporting patients & assisting with ambulation, administering medications etc. Furthermore, PCT are trained to monitor and change Foley catheters, set up feeding tubes, set up IVs, provide patient hygiene including bathing, oral care, peri-care, maintain cleanliness of patient’s rooms etc. Because PCT predominately function in hospital settings, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a top skill they must embody.
ECG (EKG) Technician
ECG technicians perform a variety of diagnostic tests which help providers diagnose and treat cardiovascular problems in patients. ECG techs generally work in the hospital to conduct 12-lead ECG, monitor ECG tracings, administer cardiac exercise stress tests, monitor vital signs (blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart rate) in response to exercise etc. ECG technicians are trained to identify critical heart rhythms and diagnosing respective heart conditions. They embody strong communication capabilities, both written and verbal, with patients and physicians as they are in charge of collecting all cardiovascular data and reporting it to providers. They are responsible for explaining all diagnostic testing procedures to patients, answering all questions, while ensuring the safety and comfort of the patient.
All three disciplines play an integral role in our healthcare system through their direct work with diverse patients in various clinical specialties and settings. This course combines the essential skills from each patient care discipline into an expert curriculum which will prepare you to work in any of the three roles as a certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA).
Student Testimonials
Prospective accelerated BSN student
Pre-PA Student
1st year Family Nurse Practitioner Student
Medical School Student
What's Included
Innovative 8-week self-paced fully online course material available immediately after registration. Unlimited 12 month access to web-based course content 24/7. Convenience pre-health students need with no deadlines or time limits on assignments.
-
Nationally Accredited Certification
-
All-inclusive fully virtual access to complete instructional content including nationally accredited textbooks & journals, downloadable notes & presentations, HD video lectures, study guides, and practice exams.
-
Interactive classroom videos and seminars from leading providers.
-
Learn by doing with laboratory clinic and patient simulations powered by SIMTICS.
-
Virtual ECG simulaition lab.
-
BLS & Cardiovascular Life Support training.
-
Constant instructor support and Feedback. One-on-one mentoring.
-
MD Recommendation Upon Request.
-
Access to our Pre-health community.
-
ACT covers the cost of the national certification exam.
Course Syllabus
Curriculum covers anatomy & physiology, principles of human diseases, healthcare fundamentals, diagnostic methods, clinical procedures, clinical pharmacology and more!
Course consists of 15 modules of instructional content broken down into respective lessons. Each module contains detailed lectures and notes, animated video lectures, interactive activities, real-world clinical cases, classmate interaction, laboratory simulations, constant feedback and support from instructors.
Module 1 Intro to Clinical Medicine |
Lesson: Human Anatomy & Physiology Lesson: Pathophysiology & Disease Processes Lesson: Medical Terminology Lesson: Medical Ethics & Law |
|
Module 2
Patient Privacy & Safety HIPAA Training |
Lesson: HIPPA laws
Lesson: Medical Documentation Lesson: Patient Education & Resources Lesson: Interpersonal Communication
Lesson: Managing Referrals & Prescriptions |
Module 3 Infection Control |
Lesson: Infection Control Terminology
Lesson: OSHA Regulations
Lesson: Hand Hygiene & PPE
Lesson: Blood Borne Pathogens & Universal Precautions Lesson: Standard & Transmission-based Precautions
Lesson: Needlestick Safety & Prevention Lesson: Biomedical Waste Disposal
|
|
Module 4
Quality Control |
Lesson: Quality Control Protocols Lesson: Laboratory Departments Lesson: Common Medical Supplies |
|
Module 5
Medication Management Clinical Pharmacology
|
Lesson: Understanding How Drugs Work
Lesson: Understanding Prescriptions Lesson: Medication Errors Lesson: Medication Administration Lesson: Clinical Pharmacology |
|
Module 6
Vital Signs
|
Lesson: Equipment
Lesson: Temperature
Lesson: Pulse Lesson: Respiration
Lesson: Blood Pressure
Lesson: Pain
Lesson: Oxygen Saturation |
Module 7 Introduction to Clinical Medical Assisting |
Lesson: Patient Interviews / History Taking
Lesson: Medication Reconciliation Lesson: Point of Care Testing (POCT)
Lesson: Specimen Collection
Lesson: Urinalysis & Pregnancy Tests
Lesson: Vision Acuity & Ear Lavage |
Module 8 Clinical Medical Assisting Cont. |
Lesson: Basics of Blood
Lesson: Blood Specimen Collection & Processing
Lesson: Venipuncture Lesson: Introduction to Injections Lesson: Intramuscular Injections
Lesson: Subcutaneous Injections |
|
Module 9
Surgical Asepsis Assisting with Surgical Procedures
|
Lesson: Modes of Sterilization
Lesson: Setting up for Sterile Procedures, Patient Preparation
Lesson: Assisting with Minor Surgical Procedures
Lesson: Post Procedure Care
|
Module 10 Diagnostic Methods |
Lesson: Pediatric & Primary Care
Lesson: Endocrinology & Dermatology
Lesson: Allergy & Pulmonology
Lesson: Obstetrics & Gynecology
|
|
Module 11
Patient Care Technician
|
Lesson: Patient Hygiene
Lesson: Feeding
Lesson: IV set up
Lesson: Ambulation / Transferring
Lesson: Skin Assessment
Lesson: Airway Management
Lesson: Oxygen Therapy
Lesson: Ostomy Care
Lesson: Critically Ill Patient Care
|
|
Module 12
EKG Technician
Cardiac Stress Test |
Lesson: EKG Tech Roles
Lesson: Purpose of Electrocardiograms
Lesson: Equipment / Supplies
Lesson: Patient Preparation
Lesson: Concept of EKG Acquisition
Lesson: Electrode Application / 12-lead Placement
Lesson: Conducting EKG Tests
Lesson: Conducting Cardiac Stress Testing
Lesson: Major Class of Arrhythmias
Lesson: Recognizing Pacemaker Spikes
Lesson: Life Threatening Arrhythmias
|
|
Module 13
EKG Analysis & Interpretation
Monitoring Rhythm |
Lesson: Cardiac Cycle and Electrical Conduction System
Lesson: P,Q,R,S,T Wave Interpretation
Lesson: Calculate Heart Rate
|
|
Module 14
BLS Training - Adult, Child, Infant
|
Lesson: Adult BLS
Lesson: AED for Adults & Children 8 Years of Age & Older
Lesson: Child BLS
Lesson: Infant BLS
|
|
Module 15
Course Review
Clinical Medical Assistant Certification Exam
|
Lesson: Medical Assistant Review Lesson: Patient Care Technician Review Lesson: ECG Technician Review Lesson: Practice Exam Questions |
Clinical Medical Assistant National Certification Exam
Upon successful completion of all course modules, students will be eligible to sit for the nationally NCCA-accredited certification exam at a PSI testing center or proctored online.
The CCMA exam is 150 questions and you have 3 hours to complete.
It will test your knowledge on a variety of topics including, but not limited to: anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology of human disease, pharmacology, clinical patient care, and diagnostic procedures.
ACT covers the cost of the CCMA exam.
FAQ
-
How long is the online course?
There are 15 total modules and you are assigned 2 modules per week. This allows you to complete the course in 8 weeks. However, this course is self-paced and you have unlimited 12 month access to complete all modules and take the national certifying exam. The number of hours per module range from 6-10 hours of instructional content, discussion posts, interactive assignments, and laboratory/ clinical simulations.
-
Can I complete the course sooner than 8 weeks?
Per continuing education (CE) standards and guidelines, the earliest you can finish the course is in 8 weeks. This allows students to fully understand the material, practice clinical skills via virtual simulation, gain feedback, and obtain assistance/ tutoring if they need it.
-
Can I sit for a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national certification exam?
Yes! We are an approved clinical training program through National HealthCareer Association (NHA). Upon completion of our course, you will be eligible to take NHA’s clinical medical assistant certification exam to obtain a nationally accredited certification as a certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA).
-
Do I need to purchase additional books or laboratory material for this course?
There is no out of pocket cost for any exam material, lab material, or learning content. The course is all inclusive therefore the price covers all instructional content and material. ACT also covers the cost of the certification exam.
-
What is National Healthcareer Association (NHA)?
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) is one of the nation’s largest allied health certification providers. The National Healthcareer Association is a national professional certification agency for healthcare workers in the United States. Granting credentials in more than 8 allied health specialties, it is an organizational member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance. Individuals who pass the certification exam will be recognized as Nationally Certified Allied Healthcare professionals. To learn more, please visit: https://www.nhanow.com/about-nha To learn more, please visit: https://www.nhanow.com/about-nha
-
What credentials are issued by NHA?
The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) credential is issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). NHA certifications are accredited and approved by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). National Healthcareer Association (NHA) certifications are standardized, widely-accepted symbols of achievement for health science students who seek to gain a direct patient care role in a specialized part of healthcare. With this certification, you will earn credentials to use with your name, a certification ID card and a certificate.
-
Where can I take the CCMA national exam?
You may take the national certification exam at any PSI testing site near you or online (proctored) through PSI.
-
Is this course strictly meant for pre-health students?
Yes. In order to enroll in our program, you must be an undergraduate, graduate, or post-baccalaureate student with plans/interests to apply to or begin PA, medical, or nursing. Our mission is to provide students who are pursuing an advanced healthcare profession with an opportunity to obtain a clinical certification that will enable them to gain healthcare experience/ direct patient care hours necessary for their respective programs. Therefore, we created the most affordable and convenient CCMA training program in America strictly for health science / pre-health students.
-
What is the benefit of a 3-course combination model?
A 3-course combination course provides students with comprehensive clinical education and skills that can be applied in various clinical settings to treat wide-rang of patients with diverse illnesses and conditions. Thus, this course combines valuable patient care curriculum in: Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, and EKG Technician. Upon completion of this course, students will obtain our Advanced Clinical Training Certificate with preparation to pass the national CCMA certification exam; As a CCMA students will be able to confidently seek healthcare experiences with credentials to obtain entry level direct patient care jobs in various scopes of medicine including hospital settings, surgical specialties, clinic settings, diagnostic testing centers, nursing homes, hospice etc.