Online Medical Assistant Programs in NY: Finding Your School
Medical assistants perform key clinical and administrative functions at medical facilities nationwide. In New York, the demand for medical assistants outpaces the national need almost 2 to 1. This EduMed guide offers a detailed look at online medical assistant programs in New York today. We break down admissions requirements, program content, cost, curriculum, and more.
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How They Work: Inside Top NY Programs
There are a number of New York colleges and universities that offer medical assistant education programs that you can access online, providing you with tremendous convenience and flexibility in your studies to fit your already busy lifestyle. There are also a number of MA credential options you can pursue, including:
- Associate degrees
- Certificates
- Diplomas
- Professional certification prep courses
Choosing the right option for you requires serious consideration of your individual career and personal goals, study format preferences, time you can invest on your education, etc.
Its important to note that most online medical assistant programs in New York include some in-person components often taking the form of campus-based labs and hands-on clinical experiences attended at local medical practice facilities. Also, some programs offer synchronous classes (attended online at specific times) while others feature asynchronous content (that you can access and complete at any time.)
We’ll cover all of these program types and options below. But to start you off, here are spotlights of three online medical assistant programs available in New York today to give you a better idea of how online education works for MA students.
Lehman College — Certificate
The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Online program at Lehman College prepares students with the administrative and clinical skills needed to succeed as a working medical assistant in a variety of practice settings. Accredited by the National Healthcareer Association, this program includes:
- Fully-online didactic coursework delivered synchronously (classes attended evenings online via live stream.)
- Hybrid-formatted clinical practice sessions and CPR training.
- A 120-hour in-person externship at which students apply the knowledge and skills learned in class sessions to real-world practice.
The program culminates in preparation to sit for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification exam.
Students may be eligible to use Workforce1 Individual Training Grant vouchers for tuition.
Duration: Approx. six months
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $3,900 (not including books, exam fee, etc.)
Admissions Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
Curriculum:
- Medical Terminology/Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Office Business Practice
- Clinical Practice
- Job Readiness & Externship
- CPR for Clinical Medical Assistants
- Certification Exam Review
FIND PROGRAMS NEAR YOU:
SUNY Corning Community College — Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Certification Preparation Course
The Online Clinical Certified Medical Assistant prep course at SUNY Corning Community College offers one of the quickest and most convenient options to prepare for and get started on your medical assistant career.
The hybrid-formatted curriculum consists of two main components: online classroom instruction and a 130-hour clinical externship. Coursework is delivered entirely online in an asynchronous format, meaning students can log on and complete their studies at any time.
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the CCMA certification exam. Students can access career advisors after the course is completed and receive online support throughout the course.
Duration: Self-paced (12 months access to online course materials)
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $3,799
Admissions Requirements:
- At least 18 years old
- High school diploma or equivalent
Curriculum:
- Medical Assistant Career Introduction
- Anatomy and Physiology
- General Patient Care
- Pharmacology
- Infection Control
- Testing and Laboratory Procedures
- Patient Care Coordination and Education
- Communication and Customer Service in the Healthcare Office
- Electronic Health Records
- Medical Law and Ethics
- Phlebotomy
- EKG and Cardiovascular
- Career Success
- Fundamentals of HIPAA
- Clinical Externship Experience
City College of New York — Certificate
CCNY’s hybrid-formatted Certified Clinical Medical Assistant program provides students with a combination of clinical and administrative skills to assist physicians in the care of patients in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and private doctor’s offices. Topics covered include (among others):
- Appointment scheduling
- Maintaining medical records
- Billing and coding for insurance
- Recording vital signs
- Preparing patients for examination
- Drawing blood
All courses are taught by certified medical assistants with at least 15 years of real-world experience. Graduates are prepared to sit for the exam for CCMA certification.
Duration: 320 hours
Mode: Hybrid, with synchronous or asynchronous online coursework paired with in-person labs and clinical training sessions
Cost: $3,224 (exam and textbooks not included)
Admissions Requirements:
- High school diploma, GED, or HSE
- 18 years of age or older
- Able to work legally in the U.S.
Curriculum:
- Medical Terminology/Anatomy and Physiology
- General Discipline of Medical Assisting & Medical Office Administration
- Electronic Health Record (EHR)
- The Clinical Medical Assistant (EKG, phlebotomy, vital signs)
- Professional Training and Assistance
FAQs for NY’s Medical Assistant Students
As you review your online medical assistant program options, you’ll likely have some questions that need answering before you’re ready to hit “submit” on your application. To help you out on that front, here are the answers to five frequently-asked questions by prospective New York online MA students.
Are scholarships or grants available for online medical assistant students in NY?
There are a lot of financial aid resources that qualifying MA students in New York can tap into, both those offered through their schools and beyond. These include:
- Scholarships and grants
- Employer tuition reimbursement
- Tuition discounts
- Student loans
- Tuition deferment and installment plans
Among the many sources to check into are New York State’s Higher Education Services Corporation and the NYC Small Business Services’ Individual Training Grants and Workforce 1 Career Centers webpages.
Are there professional groups or networking opportunities for New York medical assistants?
Absolutely. The most prominent professional organization for MAs in the state is the New York State Society of Medical Assistants, through which you can take advantage of a wide variety of activities, events, and other networking opportunities to help take your career to the next level.
Another group to consider is the New York Health Information Management Association, which offers education, advocacy and alliances through its many resources and meetings offered throughout the year.
What are the admissions requirements and prerequisites I need for New York medical assistant programs?
For most online medical assistant programs in New York, you’re only admission requirements are to be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent (like a GED).
There are some online certification prep courses you can take with no admission requirements whatsoever. However, you will need a high school diploma or equivalent to sit for the corresponding certification exam.
Nevertheless, it’s important that you carefully review the specific admission requirements for any program you consider for any required or suggested prerequisites. For example, the City College of New York strongly recommends that incoming students complete its Knowledge of Medical Terminology and Anatomy courses before beginning the program.
For more on admission requirements for healthcare programs generally, be sure to check out EduMed’s Admissions Handbook.
Expert Insight
If a program requires you to submit transcripts, make sure you submit these on time. A lot of times, programs require them prior to allowing you to enroll. I created a to-do list for myself in order to go through and complete things needed in order to enroll for a program. You can do the same and make one of the items to submit transcripts, if needed. This can help you be more efficient in managing enrollment into your program.n
How much should I expect to pay for my program?
The exact cost of your online MA program will depend on a number of factors, the most important being the particular school and credential (diploma, certificate, degree, etc.) you choose.
That being said, you’ll find that most online medical assistant programs in NY will cost somewhere between just over $3,000 to around $4,000, with associate degrees running substantially higher (as much as $18,000 or more.)
It’s important to note here that the total costs quoted on program websites may or may not include such items as books and other study materials, as well as the fee to take a certification exam. So, be sure you have a clear understanding of what exactly a program’s cost covers before your enroll.
It’s also important to remember that you may be eligible for any of a number of financial aid resources to help lower your program’s total price tag.
What’s covered for an online medical assistant curriculum in New York?
The goal of all online medical assistant programs in New York is to:
- Provide students with the administrative and clinical knowledge and skills needed for competent practice as an MA.
- Prepare graduates to sit for the exams for one or more professional medical assistant certifications. (More on certifications below.)
Typical topics covered include:
- Medical terminology
- Electronic health records
- Medical billing and coding
- Basic medical procedures
- Anatomy and physiology
- Legal and ethical aspects of medical assistant practice
Most online MA programs additionally include some form of in-person component, often a hands-on clinical externship experience attended at a program-approved medical facility in the student’s local area.
Certifications and Continuing Education in New York
There are no State-mandated license or certification requirements to practice as a medical assistant in New York. However, most employers either require or prefer MA job applicants who possess professional certification. So, after completing your program, you’ll want to obtain one or more medical assistant certifications, the most common of which include:
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
- Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA)
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
Keep in mind that many online MA programs will only qualify you for one or two specific certifications, so it’s critical that you have a clear understanding of which certifications you’ll be eligible for before signing up for any MA program.
Once you’ve obtained professional certification, you will need to renew it on a regular basis.
The specific requirements and timelines for renewal vary from certification to certification. But, in most cases, you will be required to earn a given number of continuing education (CE) credits during each renewal period.
New York Salary & Career Potential for Medical Assistants
| Area | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | $35,020 | $44,200 | $57,830 |
| New York | $36,980 | $46,040 | $58,250 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $36,900 | $41,880 | $49,920 |
| Binghamton, NY | $35,710 | $39,550 | $50,830 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $36,050 | $44,960 | $54,830 |
| Elmira, NY | $36,410 | $38,820 | $44,990 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $36,540 | $43,640 | $48,710 |
| Ithaca, NY | $37,280 | $48,860 | $49,970 |
| Kingston, NY | $36,810 | $39,990 | $49,980 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $37,960 | $44,150 | $53,060 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $36,020 | $46,890 | $58,610 |
| Rochester, NY | $37,990 | $43,230 | $49,690 |
| Syracuse, NY | $36,280 | $40,930 | $53,040 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $36,250 | $41,590 | $47,880 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $34,870 | $37,910 | $46,680 |
Source: Medical Assistants, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
| Area | Curr. Jobs | Proj. Jobs | New Jobs | Growth % | Avg. Ann. Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 35,250 | 44,680 | 9,430 | 26.80% | 940 |
| 1 – United States | 764,400 | 870,200 | 105,800 | 13.80% | 114,600 |
Source: Projections Central
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
