cocc.edu

MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAM

Central Oregon Community College

IS THIS YOU?• Enjoy teamwork• Love helping others• Like to talk with others• Organized• Can take direction• Like to perform a variety of duties• Want employer benefits• Want stable hours• Want a career that offers choice and opportunity

IF SO, BEING A MEDICAL ASSISTANT MAY BE FOR YOUOur program prepares you to assist healthcare providers in a broad range of administrative and clinical skills.

Some duties include taking a patient’s medical history, checking vital signs, assisting with exams, helping with procedures, performing tests, educating patients, drawing blood and administering medications.

DID YOU KNOW?The COCC Medical Assistant Program:• Can be completed in 4 quarters• Is fully accredited• Is financial aid eligible• Was rated positively by 100 percent of graduates

during the past five years• Graduates can earn the respected CMA credential

(only open to students of accredited programs)

Graduates are highly employable since there is a desperate need for more medical assistants in Central Oregon!

COCC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.

11/18MORE INFORMATIONcocc.edu/departments/medical-assistantDebbie Malone • dmalone@cocc.edu • 541.383.7292Shannon Waller • swaller@cocc.edu • 541.318.3722

FIVE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT MEDICAL ASSISTING1. Medical Assisting is a Career that Offers both Options and Opportunity Many of the individuals you thought were nurses in your doctor’s office were probably medical assistants.

• Medical assistants work with licensed providers in every medical field, from obstetrics to cosmetic specialties. • Medical assistants can choose from careers that emphasize hands-on patient care or administrative and receptionist tasks.• Medical assisting can be a fulfilling lifelong career or a stepping-stone into many other healthcare professions.

2. Medical Assisting Can be a Family-Friendly Career Medical assisting is an ideal job for someone looking for stability and the absence of shift-work.

• Unlike many hospital workers, medical assistants usually work daytime hours and are free to spend nights and holidays with their families.

• Medical assistants typically work standard 40-hour weeks, so they have access to the benefit packages afforded full-time employees.

3. The Trend is Up, Up, Up for Pay and Demand The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that medical assistant jobs are expected to grow much faster than average,

around 29 percent by 2026. Salaries continue to rise as well. • According to the 2018 survey by the American Association of Medical Assistants, the average hourly wage for

CMAs in Oregon and the Pacific States was $20.35 per hour. Average salary by years of employment ranged from $34,603 to $43,597.

4. Quality Education and Certification Can Set you up for Professional Success Only certified medical assistants can perform certain tasks required in the modern medical clinic.

• Employers are hesitant to hire non-certified medical assistants.• Completing a quality, accredited medical assistant program, like the one at COCC:

• Enables you to sit for nationally recognized certification exams• Documents professional-level competency• Prepares you to rise to leadership positions in this expanding healthcare field

5. Quality Medical Assisting Education is Affordable at Central Oregon Community College Students of our accredited program receive college credit and qualify for financial aid.

• While costs vary depending on the chosen pathway, the cost of the entire program is generally less than half of the cost of a single year of tuition at an Oregon university.

• Students who prefer an associate’s degree can earn one by completing a few more classes. Program classes may also apply toward an applied bachelor's degree.

Career Pathways: Most medical assistants have fulfilling and challenging careers working in the same field for many years. Others choose to develop particular skills or move into related careers. Medical assistants can follow a variety of associated career pathways. With some experience, certified medical assistants (CMAs) are particularly well suited to become medical office managers, because they have training in both front and back office skills. Some medical assistants prefer to perfect key clinical skills so they may focus on specialties such as phlebotomy, EKG technician or histology technician. Those who chose additional training can go on to become medical billing specialists, nurses, physician’s assistants, radiology technicians or doctors. Medical assisting hours may meet advanced program entrance requirements for work in the medical field (such as those required for Physician's Assistant Programs).

Medical Assistants

Average SalaryEast Cascades

Region$37,862

0-2 YearsAdditional

Training

� Specialty Medical Assistant: median national salary varies by type. For example, histo-technician $45,500

� Medical Office Manager: median national salary $48,877

� Phlebotomist: average salary East Cascades Region $36,264

� Medical Biller or Coder: average salary East Cascades Region $38,040

2-6 YearsAdditional

Training

� Registered Nurse: average salary East Cascades Region $91,226

� Physician’s Assistant/Nurse Practitioner: average salary East Cascades Region $105,811

� Medical Sales: national mean wage $78,930Sources: where possible, Oregon Employment Data from the East Cascades Region is used. When unavailable, national data from the National Outlook Handbook and payscale.com are utilized.