Medical Assistant Program Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Certified Medical Assistant and a Certified Nursing Assistant?

CNA duties typically consist of assisting patients with activities of daily living, such as bathing, feeding, and incontinence care. Some CNAs receive additional specialized training from their employer, and can advance to Patient Care Tech in a hospital setting, or Certified Medication Aide in an assisted living facility.
Certified Medical Assistants are cross-trained, allied health members. This means that they can be utilized in either a clinical or clerical capacity in ambulatory care settings, such as a physician’s office. Some clerical duties include checking patients in, obtaining insurance information, scheduling, and collecting co-pays. Clinical, or back office, duties included obtaining vital signs, performing lab tests, giving injections, and drawing blood.

Certified Medication Aides are CNAs who have completed additional training and taken a certification exam in order to be able to dispense medications under a physician’s order. They are used in assisted living facilities to assist with daily medication distribution.
Certified Medical Assistants can dispense medication as well, without undergoing additional training or certification. They can perform this task in addition to their other clinical duties, such as those listed above.

Family Practice Clinics
Specialty Clinics – OB/Gyn, Urology, Orthopedics, Cardiology, Pulmonology, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Pediatrics, Oncology, etc.
Urgent Care Centers
Universities & Colleges – Student Health Centers
Correctional Facilities
Insurance Companies
Outpatient Labs
Some departments of the hospital, such as medical records, or the lab*

*MAs do not typically work on the patient care floors of the hospital

Medical Terminology
Anatomy & Physiology
Safety & Regulations
Law & Ethics
Front Office Procedures – Scheduling, Basic Billing & Coding, Managing Office Finances
Communication Styles
Clinical Procedures – Injections, EKGs, Phlebotomy, Point of Care Testing
First Aid & Emergencies
Workplace Readiness

No one likes being stuck by a needle, but the only way to become competent in a skill is to practice! Invasive procedure training and practice are mandatory. Failure to participate will result in dismissal from the course.

Personal presentation is important in the healthcare field both to find employment and to maintain it. Students are to present themselves for class in the same manner as they would within the workplace. Wearing scrubs and closed-toed shoes to class on skills days will aid in preparing students for the workplace and is therefore mandatory. Scrubs may be any color of your choice, but must be clean, wrinkle-free, and fit appropriately. Long hair should be tied back, and artificial fingernails will not be permitted, as they harbor bacteria.

Attendance is of huge importance due to the amount of information covered in each class period. This is a condensed course, and topics are covered at an accelerated pace. Regularly missing class will hinder your ability to be well prepared for the national certification exam. Furthermore, poor attendance is one of the biggest reasons employers site for firing employees. It is in your best interest to make good attendance a priority not just in your school life, but your work life as well.

The NHA is the National Healthcareer Association, a national certifying body for allied health professions. Obtaining your certification indicates to employers that you have met the standards of competency set forth by the NHA and proves that you are knowledgeable within your field.

The National Healthcareers Association (NHA) certification exam fee is included in your tuition; you will not have to pay out of pocket for your first attempt. The exam will be scheduled for a date approximately 1 week after your class ends and will be administered here at Laurel Ridge. If you need to retake the exam, you must wait a minimum of 30 days, and the cost is $160.