*Please Note: This course is offered in a hybrid online format. It combines asynchronous online curriculum, live Zoom lectures with an instructor in real time, and seven in-person hands-on lab sessions that are held on campus.
Clinical Medical Assistant
Certificate Program
Prerequisite: High school diploma or GED equivalent.
The Clinical Medical Assistant course is designed to prepare you for an exciting, challenging, and rewarding career in healthcare through 140 hours of classroom lectures, 10 hands-on labs, and a clinical externship opportunity at a local healthcare provider. This program will train you to assist physicians while covering important topics such as phlebotomy, pharmacology, medication use and administration, taking and documenting vital signs, cardiology, and more.
To be eligible for the clinical rotation, students must successfully complete the 140-hour program, submit to a thorough background check and drug screening, and meet other requirements. Upon successful completion of this program, students will be eligible to sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national examination. Once you’ve earned our certificate of completion, this certificate qualifies you to take the national exams. This exam is separate from our program, and costs an estimated $140.
This program is presented in partnership with a third-party provider and is not taught by California State University, Long Beach faculty. The course is not offered for academic credit and is not degree-eligible.
- Individuals interested in working in medical offices or other healthcare facilities
- How to prepare patients for examination and treatment, routine laboratory procedures, and diagnostic testing
- HIPAA, patient confidentiality, legal aspects of healthcare, and office and patient care-related regulatory issues
- Recording and taking of vital signs, blood pressure, and other patient care items related to the physician's office visit
- Review and administration of medications, allergies, and other pharmacology items
- Laboratory procedures, phlebotomy, and the proper techniques to collect specimens for laboratory analysis
- Cardiology and the proper placement of leads when taking a 12-lead EKG
- Successful completion of the 140-hour curriculum requirement to receive the certificate.
Please Note
All online lectures are held live in real time via Zoom, and are recoded for later review if needed. There are also seven in-person, hands-on lab sessions that are held on the CSULB campus from 6:00pm to 9:30pm.
All other lecture dates are held online through Zoom. See the Full Schedule Link for a complete program breakdown of dates and times in the registration box.
Denice Mitchell S. Bautista Clinical Medical AssistantDan Odum is a remarkable teacher and truly embodies what a teacher should be. Not only did he educate and prepare us well for a career in Medical Assisting, but he really tried to get to know us individually as well. He made class very enjoyable and relevant. At first, I was scared of doing injections and drawing blood, but Dan encouraged me and even asked me to perform a venipuncture on his arm. I appreciate all that he has done for me and I highly encourage everyone to take his class.
Barbara Torres Clinical Medical AssistantI took the CMA course in Spring 2015 with instructor Dan. At first I felt it was going too fast, but he continually reinforced the subject matter. We were given enough practice time and everyone participated and helped each other with lab. This was a very good class. The class took the [National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)] exam the week after our final, and I received my results the following week. I PASSED!
