The Medical Assisting diploma program at ECPI University’s College of Health Science is designed to provide students with foundational knowledge and practical skills for entry-level roles in medical settings. The curriculum emphasizes technical training, computer proficiency, and basic clinical and administrative skills.
Medical assistants work under the supervision of healthcare providers, performing tasks such as checking vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, assisting with lab tests, and managing administrative duties. The program also introduces students to key healthcare procedures and protocols, preparing them to support healthcare teams in a variety of clinical environments.
Best of all, by attending full-time, the Medical Assisting diploma can be completed in as few as 11-months.
Knowledge and Skills
This program prepares graduates with the following knowledge and skills:
Patient Care: Conduct patient interviews and history taking, prepare patients for examinations, and assist with surgical procedures.
Administrative Skills: Review and process patient payments, prepare billing statements, and schedule appointments.
Foundational Clinical Procedures: Checking vital signs, collecting specimens, performing various laboratory tests and EKGs.
University Benefits
Immersive Experience
Combines hands-on classroom learning with externships for real-world practice.
Certification Preparation
Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant Exam (offered through AAMA) and/or the RMA exam (by AMT). Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) or EKG Technician are eligible at course completion.
Finish Faster
Our year-round, accelerated, program lets you earn your diploma in just 11 months.
Students learn the anatomic and clinical terms pertaining to each body system. Study of the basic structure of medical words, including prefixes and suffixes, word roots, combining forms, singulars and plurals.
Medical EthicsMED149
An introduction to medical ethics which examines several approaches to ethics within the interrelated contexts of medicine, healthcare and law.
Program Requirements
To receive a Diploma in Medical Assisting, students must earn 46 semester credit hours. The program requires a minimum of 3 semesters, which is equivalent to11 months or 45 weeks of instruction. This program includes a total of 945 contact hours.
*For allowable substitutions of arts and sciences courses, see the Arts & Sciences Department page. The following courses are available online for Medical Assisting students: course and course.
The Health Science/Medical Assisting programs at ECPI University are accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) at the following ECPI University campuses: Newport News, Northern Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke and Virginia Beach, Virginia; Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville, South Carolina and San Antonio, Texas. This is a programmatic accreditation by ABHES, a recognized accrediting agency for allied health programs, including medical assisting. For more information, visit www.abhes.org.
Institutional Accreditation
ECPI University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees. ECPI University also offers credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.
Questions about the accreditation of ECPI University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
ECPI University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees. ECPI University also offers credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.
