Discover Medical Assistant Programs with Externships

You can learn the basics in a medical assistant program and pass the tests, but still feel unsure when it’s time to do the job. With an externship, you can practice the skills you’ve learned in the classroom to build confidence before you’re hired. But not every medical assistant program handles externships the same way. Some arrange your placement for you, while others leave it up to you to secure a site. Below are five medical assistant programs with externships already included.

The following professionals lent their expertise to this article:

Author: Maggie Aime, RN, MSN, CPC

HealthcareMedical CodingNursing

Editor: Jordan Cosselman

HealthcareOnline Learning

Updated: 06/10/2026

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What to Expect
School Profiles
FAQs

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What to Expect
School Profiles
FAQs

What to Expect from a Medical Assistant Externship

An externship is a required part of many medical assistant programs, where you practice the skills you learned in a healthcare setting, usually toward the end of your schooling. Most programs require around 160 to 240 supervised hours during an externship, and these are typically scheduled Monday through Friday during regular daytime hours.

During your externship, you can expect to:

Prepare exam rooms
Manage patient intake
Take vital signs
Assist with basic clinical procedures
Support front office duties and administrative workflows

The tasks you perform during an externship depend on the site and your level of supervision, but the overall goal is to see how the different parts of the role fit together in an actual work environment.

One major perk of an externship is that healthcare sites often hire from their extern pool. For many students, the externship often acts as an extended interview for their first medical assistant job.

A big part of the externship experience is how you’re matched with a site, and schools handle this differently.

Some programs have established clinic partnerships and assign your site directly.
Others may offer some direction but expect you to secure your own site, which can be stressful if you’re not sure where to start.

Details of Medical Assistant Programs that Include an Externship

The medical assistant programs below include an externship as part of the training. Here’s what you can expect from each to help you compare.

Daytona College

Not everyone can commit to a two-year degree, and Daytona College’s hybrid Medical Assisting programs offer a more flexible path, with options to earn a diploma in about 40 weeks or an associate degree in around 70 weeks.

Both formats combine online coursework with in-person training. Graduates qualify for the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam, plus the EKG technician and phlebotomy technician certification exams through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

These programs include a required 160-hour externship completed before graduation. Students gain experience in hospitals, clinics, or physicians’ offices, with skills such as:

Taking vital signs and basic clinical tasks
Assisting with patient intake
Performing administrative duties such as scheduling, billing, and documentation
Supporting procedures like specimen collection and diagnostic testing
Building practical experience in a healthcare setting before entering the workforce

Stepful

Another online option is Stepful’s Medical Assistant program, which takes five months to complete and runs on a structured but flexible schedule, with live, virtual classes, daily assignments, simulations, and mock exams.

The program prepares students to earn the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) credential through the NHA.

During the externship, you complete 80 to 160 in-person hours at a local healthcare facility. Instead of assigning placements directly, the program provides access to a booking platform to help students connect with nearby sites. Skills learned during the externship include:

Taking vital signs and assisting with basic clinical tasks
Supporting patient intake and care coordination
Handling administrative duties such as scheduling and documentation
Applying classroom knowledge in a hands-on healthcare setting

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Health

The UCLA Medical Assistant Program is offered through a partnership between UCLA Health and UCLA Extension. The four-quarter program includes 68 units of coursework and prepares students to sit for the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) exam. Instructors are active nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals.

The externship requires 200 hours in a clinical setting, where you work under the supervision of an instructor and preceptor to perform duties, such as:

Applying clinical skills toward direct patient care
Handling front-end administrative and patient service tasks
Practicing the hands-on skills needed for an entry-level medical assistant (MA) role

Bossier Parish Community College

If you’re looking for flexibility in addition to externship placement, Bossier Parish Community College offers several medical assistant program options, including an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), technical diploma, and certificate pathway. You can complete coursework at a flexible pace, with most programs taking between two and five semesters. The curriculum prepares students for the CCMA exam.

You’ll complete a minimum of 220 hours during the externship. The school assigns students to their practicum sites throughout Northwest Louisiana, which means placement is handled for you.

The experience typically runs for eight to 14 weeks, with students working about eight hours a day, three to five days a week. Duties you might expect to perform during the externship include:

Clinical and administrative tasks in an ambulatory care or medical office setting
Hands-on patient care under supervision
Application of skills covered throughout the program

Advanced eClinical Training

The fully self-paced, online medical assistant program offered at Advanced eClinical Training can be completed in as few as eight weeks, with the option to extend up to 12 months. It includes simulation-based learning and no set class schedule, while preparing students to sit for the CCMA exam.

In this program, students have access to a nationwide network of clinical partners, with guaranteed placement support rather than having to search on their own. The externship typically includes 160 to 200 hours in a healthcare setting. During this time, you may:

Build experience that can help with job placement after becoming certified
Practice clinical tasks such as taking vital signs and assisting with patient care
Support administrative workflows, including documentation and scheduling
Apply skills learned through simulations in a hands-on environment

Frequently Asked Questions

Are medical assistant externships paid?

Generally, medical assistant externships are not paid. They are considered part of your training, similar to a clinical rotation, and are required by many programs before graduation.

Even though they’re unpaid, the experience often pays off later by helping you:

Build confidence
Get references
Make connections that can lead to your first job

Can I do my externship at a site I already work at?

Whether or not you can do your externship at a site you already work it depends on your school’s policies and whether your workplace meets the program’s requirements for supervision, scope of practice, and documentation.

You’ll usually need approval from your program, and the site must be able to support both the clinical and administrative skills you’re expected to practice.

What happens if I can’t find an externship site on my own?

Your graduation date may be delayed if you can’t find a site to complete your externship, which is why it’s important to understand how much support a program provides before enrolling. In this case, reach out to your school’s clinical coordinator early to request placement help.

Does completing an externship guarantee a job offer?

Completing an externship does not guarantee a job offer, but it can help. Many facilities hire directly from their extern pool, especially students who show strong skills and good work ethics.

Even if a job isn’t offered right away, you’ll leave with experience and references that can help with your job search.

Do I need to complete an externship to sit for the CMA exam?

For the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), you must graduate from an accredited medical assisting program, which typically includes a supervised externship. Other certifications, like the CCMA, have different eligibility criteria.

Check directly with the certifying organization for the most current requirements.

Discover Medical Assistant Programs with Externships

What to Expect from a Medical Assistant Externship

Details of Medical Assistant Programs that Include an Externship

Daytona College

Stepful

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Health

Bossier Parish Community College

Advanced eClinical Training

Frequently Asked Questions

Are medical assistant externships paid?

Can I do my externship at a site I already work at?

What happens if I can’t find an externship site on my own?

Does completing an externship guarantee a job offer?

Do I need to complete an externship to sit for the CMA exam?

Maggie Aime, RN, MSN, CPC AUTHOR

Jordan Cosselman EDITOR