Medical Assistants hold critical roles as multi-skilled health care professionals able to work in a variety of settings where they have an impact on public health. Medical Assisting is rapidly growing, with jobs for certified medical assistants opening up across the country in a wide variety of health care settings every day. To work within the medical assisting field, you’ll need specialized knowledge and skills that can be put to use in direct patient care, administration, and health records, as well as the exciting field of medical scribing.
Graduates will receive a one-year Medical Assistant Certificate of Completion, and be prepared for the CMA (AAMA) exam! You can choose to complete the Medical Assisting program at either our main campus in Eugene, or from our campus in Florence, Oregon, located just miles from the beach. Florence students complete coursework via video conferencing, and travel to Eugene for labs.
Do you have a passion for healthcare? Working as a Medical Assistant means you’ll have a direct impact on patient and community health. If you enjoy face to face work with patients, variety in your work day, and want to start working soon, Lane’s Medical Assisting program will give you the skills and certifications you need to excel!
Medical Assisting is projected to be one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our graduates are in high demand in Lane County, and the need for medical assistants here and across Oregon is expected to increase!
Through both practical and hands-on courses you’ll learn to:
- prepare patients for examination or treatment; measure vital signs; accurately record information in the patient chart
- safely assist patients on and off exam table
- sterilize and prepare instruments for physician use
- assist as the physician exams or treats patients, or performs in-office surgeries
- provide medical scribing—charting physician-patient encounters in real time during medical examinations
- administer medications, such as giving injections and immunizations
- draw blood and perform certain laboratory diagnostic testing on blood and urine samples
- code patient diagnoses and procedures using approved ICD-10 and CPT-4 resources
- input patient administrative and clinical information into an Electronic Health Record (EHR)
- calculate medication dosages as well as basic mathematics to process medical insurance claims
- perform administrative duties, which include managing an appointment schedule, organizing patients’ medical records, bookkeeping procedures, and processing insurance claims
- use library resources for research and written assignments for a variety of purposes
Medical Assisting courses are limited to just 24 students. Clinical lab courses are even smaller, with only 8 students for maximum clinical skills interactions! Because of our small class and cohort sizes, MA instructors get to know you. All of our instructors have extensive clinical and teaching experience, and they use that experience to provide you with the personal attention required for mastering the clinical skills and helping you finish the program successfully.
The faculty and advisors for the program can help you meet your career goals. They can answer any program specific questions you might have, and help you find opportunities outside of the classroom. Advisors will help you schedule your classes and plan for the future. You’ll work with them to create a term by term planner that meets your needs and goals to ensure you complete your certificate or degree. You can connect with our health professionals advisors at MAProgram@lanecc.edu.
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Academic Advisor -
Academic Advisor
Lane’s Medical Assistant Program students have the opportunity to complete one-term cooperative education internships in ambulatory care settings, such as local clinics and urgent care! Your internship will provide you with real-world, relevant, and practical experience in the medical assisting field. You may even be able to continue with paid employment at your former internship site following graduation and passing the national certification exam.
You may also qualify for a Basic Health Care Certificate, via the Health Information Management Program. If you’re interested in adding the Basic Health Care Certificate to your degree, talk with your advisor to learn about adding this certificate to your program.
With a few additional courses, you may be eligible for the Associate of General Studies degree! Talk with your advisor for more information on these two options. Earning your degree will help open additional career opportunities to you, and help you stand out in the competitive healthcare field.
The MA clinical lab has state-of-the-art equipment to simulate the experience of being in a doctor’s office environment. With access to the same equipment you’ll use in your career, you’ll have the opportunity to delve into the world of medical assisting before earning your degree.
For students enrolling in the MA program on our main campus in Eugene, you'll take most of your classes in the Health and Wellness building (building 30). This LEED Gold certified building houses Lane’s health professions programs and will be your home on campus. With large windows, orientated to take advantage of the sun, and reclaimed timber throughout the building, building 30 will provide you with a homey, comfortable place to study on campus.
Lane’s main campus is tucked into the foothills of the Oregon Cascades, providing a stunning landscape for your education. With incredible resources on campus like advising, tutoring services, the library, First Year Experience and so many more, you have the opportunity to make the most out of your degree. Lane also offers student housing at Titan Court in downtown Eugene, next to our Mary Spilde Center. Ready to learn more? Schedule a campus tour to explore our beautiful campus and amazing facilities.