Medical Assistant

Medical student measures pressure of a fellow student while in a practical session
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Medical Assistant program ranked #1 in the nation! This program requires a general College application and a program-specific application. See below for application steps and important dates.

Delivery: Fall daytime and online classes; Spring daytime, evening, and online classes.
Start: Fall or Spring Semester; Full- or Part-Time.

Prerequisite and General Education/MnTC courses are available daytime, evening, and online; Fall, Spring, and Summer; Full- or Part-Time.

Diploma

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Interested in a career in healthcare?

Students can start now by taking their prerequisites along with the general education courses required for the program. 

Working on your prerequisite courses? The prerequisites needed are HLTH 1001, BIOL 1024, and either CAPL 1010 or CSCI 1020. There are also two MEDA courses that students can take along with the General Ed courses: MEDA 1020 and MEDA 1030 (after meeting the prerequisites for the courses; refer to the course catalog).

Century College Medical Assistant Diploma Program was recently awarded Editor’s Pick among the Best Online (Hybrid) Options for 2020-21.

Offering flexible start dates and scheduling options, and backed by a track record for exceptional graduate outcomes, the Century College Medical Assistant Diploma easily earns its place on our list of Top Picks for the Best Online Medical Assistant Programs for 2020-21!

Read more about this exciting recognition!

Editor's Pick: Top Online Diploma, Certificate, and Associate's Degree Programs 2020-21

In addition, the Medical Assistant Program was awarded the Excellence in Curriculum Planning Award by the Minnesota State System. Read more.

About the Program

The Medical Assistant program is designed for career opportunities as a professional, multi-skilled person dedicated to assisting in patient care management. The medical assistant performs clinical, laboratory, and administrative skills in clinics, doctor offices, and other health care agencies. The clinical practicum is under the direct supervision of mentors in the clinic, which includes but is not limited to providers, nurses, lab technicians, medical assistants, and clinic managers. It is a 300-hour unpaid experience. Century College students will:

  • Enhance the quality of patients’ lives using professional skills, methods, and technology.
  • Perform clinical, laboratory, and administrative tasks in classrooms, clinics, doctors’ offices, and other healthcare agencies
  • Be a multi-skilled professional dedicated to assisting in patient care management.

Graduates of the Medical Assistant program are eligible to take the Certification Exam of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

Based on the most recent Annual Report Form submitted to the Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP), the following average 5-year outcomes of the Diploma Medical Assistant Program at Century College in White Bear Lake, Minnesota are noted below:

Graduate satisfaction: 100%
Employer satisfaction: 100%

The Medical Assistant Program at Century College has an average 5-year retention rate of 90.10%. There are a number of support services available to students so that they can successfully pass the national certification examination.

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Special Application Required

This program requires special admission. You must apply for general admission first before submitting the special application.

Planning for Your Program

Medical Assistant Program Information Packet 2024

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Cost & Financial Aid

As a two-year public community and technical college, Century College receives funding from the State of Minnesota, keeping tuition rates significantly lower than private colleges and universities. With affordable tuition rates and financial aid and scholarship opportunities, our students avoid student loan debt.

Financial Aid

Century College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and our programs qualify for financial aid including grants, loans, and college work-study. Eligibility for financial aid is determined annually based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Century College’s Federal School Code is 010546.

Scholarship Opportunities

Each year, the Century College Foundation awards more than $300,000 in scholarships to Century College students involved in several areas of study. Students are encouraged to create an account and apply for scholarships online.

2024-2025 Cost Per Credit Tuition graphic - Century College $207, UMN-TC $516, Private Colleges & Universities $1,472.

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Accreditation

The Century College Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assistant Education Review Board (MAERB).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 113th Street N #7709
Seminole, FL 33775-7709
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

Transfer

Student practicing stitches on mannequin hand.

Potential Job Titles

Medical student taking nurse's blood pressure.
  • Medical Assistant
  • Certified Medical Assistant
    (after successfully completing the AAMA certification test)
  • Registered Medical Assistant
    (after successfully completing the AMT certification test)

Salary Data

Medical Assistant
Average Wage: $23.79/hour
Top Earners: $24.80/hour

Information gathered pertains to the seven-county metro area - careerwise.minnstate.edu

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Certification Disclosures

    Program Faculty

  • Experience: Michelle Blesi is a Certified Medical Assistant with 14 years of industry experience, who worked in the family practice area for 10 years, emphasizing clinical and laboratory skills. Changing her focus to leadership, she worked as a lead in the Nursing/Lab department and as a Clinical Manager prior to moving into education. As a Program Director and Unlimited Full Time Faculty member in the Medical Assistant Department at Century College since 2001, Michelle enjoys bringing her career experience into the classroom and making a difference in students’ lives. In addition to being Program Director, she teaches both Clinical and Laboratory courses, a Medical Assistant Refresher Course through CECT, and Administrative Procedures for Medical Assistants, both traditional and online. Additionally, she is the practicum coordinator and oversees the clinical externships for the program. Michelle’s expertise in the subject matter has sought the attention of many medical assistant/allied health textbook publishers, which has resulted in the review of their content. Michelle has contributed to many Cengage initiatives as well as authoring a Medical Assisting textbook.
    Teaching Approach: Teaching provides me much opportunity for continual learning and growth and allows me the possibility to pass these opportunities on to my students. I am grateful to provide opportunity to my students and love to do so in the following manner:Opportunity to: foster critical thinking; educate students on what it means to be an educated person in the allied health field; share my desire as an educator to assist students to reach their fullest potential by providing a stellar education in the psychomotor, cognitive and affective domains; be a guide for the student providing them with the tools on how to make their own discoveries; teach them how to get excited about what they can accomplish; absorb the diversity and uniqueness of each individual student and teach them how they can learn so much from each other and their individual experiences; follow CAAHEP curriculum, yet making it unique and exciting for the students; leave the students at the end of the class wanting more, and anticipation for the next time we meet.
    Education: Diploma in Medical Assisting and certification through the AAMA; Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Community Psychology; Metropolitan State University, TES (Teacher Education Series) courses in spring 2005 at the University of Minnesota (coursework included Introduction to Vocational Teaching, Course Development, Instructional Methods, Philosophy and Student Training and Assessment).
    Michelle Blesi
    Faculty/Program Director
    Bio
    Medical Assisting
    E 2296
    651-748-2610
  • Jen Colburn
    CLA 1
    Medical Assisting
    E 3391
    651-773-1731
  • Experience: Shari Lambrecht attended 916 Vocational Technical College and received her diploma as a Medical Assistant in 1984. She is certified through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and has maintained current through continuing education. Shari worked in an ambulatory care facility as a Certified Medical Assistant for 20 years and provided clinical, laboratory and x-ray skills to patients before coming to Century College. In fall semester 2005, she started working as a CLA 2 and became an Instructor in spring semester 2006. Shari teaches hybrid courses in Clinical and Laboratory courses as well as Administrative Procedures, which is taught on campus.She has completed the Teacher Education Series (TES) in the spring of 2008 at the University of Minnesota. Courses included: Introduction to Vocational Teaching, Foundations of Instructional Methods, Course Development, Student Assessment and Philosophy and Practice of Career and Technical Education.
    Teaching Approach: As an Instructor, my goal is to create a learning environment that is beneficial to active and engaged learning. I strive to create a safe space for learning and to make the educational experience fun. My style of teaching is practical and occasionally humorous, which i believe leads to a collaborative learning process that benefits everyone involved.
    Education: AA Degree, Century College; Medical Assistant Diploma, 916 VoTech
    Hobbies: Gardening
    Shari Lambrecht
    Faculty
    Bio
    Medical Assisting
    E 3391
    651-773-1731

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