Medical Assisting

The objectives of this program are to prepare students to become valuable members of a healthcare team by supporting and assisting providers in delivering effective and efficient quality healthcare services, and to prepare students who are proficient in cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavioral) learning behaviors for entry-level medical assistant positions. Graduates of the program will value critical thinking, effective communication, diversity awareness skills, and medical ethics as they pertain to the medical assisting career.

• Medical Assistant
• Medical Office Administrative Assistant

The Medical Assisting Diploma program is only offered at the Central Pasco, Fort Myers, Ocala, and Tampa/Brandon campuses in Florida; the Aurora/Naperville, Rockford, and Romeoville/Joliet campuses in Illinois; and the Bloomington, Eagan, Hennepin/Anoka, and Mankato campuses in Minnesota.

The Medical Assisting Diploma program at the Central Pasco, Fort Myers, Ocala, and Tampa/Brandon campuses in Florida; the Aurora/Naperville (with an ABHES approved separate education center in Mokena/Tinley Park), Rockford, and Romeoville/Joliet campuses in Illinois; and the Bloomington, Eagan, Hennepin/Anoka, and Mankato campuses in Minnesota; is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730, North Bethesda, MD 20852, (301) 291-7550.

Graduates of the Medical Assisting Diploma program offered at campuses listed in the ABHES accreditation statement above meet the educational requirements to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) certification through the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Graduates of the Medical Assisting Diploma meet the educational requirements to sit for the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification awarded by the American Medical Technologists (AMT). The Medical Assisting Diploma is not designed to prepare graduates for any other professional certifications or licenses.

Each state determines its own requirements for licensure or certification as a medical assistant. Not all states require licensure or certification for this profession. In many states, the minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, but employers may value educational attainment beyond the high school level. Other eligibility requirements may apply, including experience working in an allied health setting. For states listed as “Meets” below, the program meets the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification or there is no license or certification. For states listed as “Undetermined” below, Rasmussen makes no determination whether this program meets the educational requirements for professional licensure and prospective students located in these states cannot enroll in this program. Other licensure eligibility requirements may apply; please verify your eligibility against applicable rules, which may change at any time.

• Meets: MN, WI, ND, SD, IA, FL, GA, AL, IL, IN, KY, MO
• Undetermined: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, ID, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WY, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands

Each state determines its own requirements for licensure or certification as a medical assistant. In many states, the minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, but employers may value educational attainment beyond the high school level. Other eligibility requirements may apply, including experience working in an allied health setting. Please check with state agencies in your state for further details as requirements may change at any time.

All Medical Assisting students are required to attend the Rasmussen Externship meeting conducted by the Program Coordinator as well as a site orientation (if required by the site) prior to being eligible to begin the externship.

This program requires specific immunizations prior to professional practice experience. Medical Assisting students must receive the first injection of the Hepatitis B immunization series by the end of week two in the Fundamentals in Clinical Techniques course. Prior to the student beginning their externship, the full three-injection series of the Hepatitis B immunization and all other program required immunizations must be completed.

Medical Assisting students must successfully complete all Medical Assisting competencies before they will be eligible for graduation.

This program contains online, residential and blended courses.

Applicants to the Medical Assisting Diploma program must have passed at least 8 credits or more of designated coursework applicable to the Medical Assisting Diploma program, prior to acceptance to the Medical Assisting Diploma program. The credits may either be transferred to the Medical Assisting Diploma program, following the Rasmussen transfer policy, or be completed at Rasmussen University. Students meeting all other acceptance requirements and coming from an employer based medical assisting apprenticeship program may be exempt from the eight-credit coursework requirement.

At the end of the quarter in which the student has passed 8 credits or more of designated coursework and meets all the requirements of Satisfactory Academic Progress in the most recently attended program of enrollment, the student may request to transfer to the Medical Assisting Diploma program. All Medical Assisting Diploma acceptance requirements must be met to transfer. The student’s Academic Advisor will assist the student in completing the program transfer.

In addition to meeting all other acceptance requirements, Florida and Illinois campus applicants must successfully pass a background check through Rasmussen University’s chosen third-party vendor. In addition to meeting all other acceptance requirements, Minnesota campus applicants at every campus except the Hennepin/Anoka campus must successfully pass a background check through the Minnesota Department of Human Services. In addition to meeting all other acceptance requirements, Hennepin/Anoka, MN, campus applicants to this program must successfully pass two background checks—one through Rasmussen University’s chosen third-party vendor and one through the Minnesota Department of Human Services. An additional background check may also be required during active enrollment prior to practicum or clinical placement depending on site requirements. Any prospective student must also consider their history, lifestyle, and future actions before enrolling in this program, and carefully consider whether their actions may prevent them from attaining employment in the field they choose to pursue. Additional requirements, such as industry-specific training may be required to obtain employment in this field. Applicants for careers in this field may be subject to pre-employment screenings such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks, and drug/or alcohol testing. Employment decisions, including whether to require background checks and other tests, are made at the discretion of the employer.

Developmental Education courses do not count toward total program credits, and are not calculated in GPA. Students must demonstrate mastery of the subject matter in Developmental Education courses through a Rasmussen University entrance placement exam, approved exemption based on previously completed coursework, or by passing Developmental Education courses.

Lower Division