Medical Assisting

The Associate in Science in Medical Assisting prepares students for a career as a medical assistant in medical offices, clinics, or other related medical fields. The medical assistant is the first face patients often see most as they play an important role in the patient experience. This program gives students the administrative skills such as greeting patients, scheduling, filling out medical records, electronic medical record keeping, and interacting with insurance companies. Students also acquire clinicals skills to obtain vital signs, take medical histories, prepare patients for examinations, assist in medical procedures, injection administration, performing laboratory diagnostic testing, basic phlebotomy, and electrocardiograms (EKG). 

Career opportunities are many and varied from urgent care to family practice and all medical specialties. Medical Assistants may advance to supervisory, clinical, and administrative management roles. The program prepares students for continued education opportunities in medical assisting. 

Upon graduation, students may apply and test for either or both a National and/or California state Certified Medical Assistant examination.  Graduates are encouraged to maintain their certification with continuing medical education. 

The department also offers Certificate of Achievement in Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy Technician. 

An Associate in Science in Medical Assisting requires 60 units, including general education and at least 21 units required by the major.

Please meet with an academic counselor to determine which general education pattern best meets your goals and create a pathway to completion. Visit our general education page for additional information.

Students planning to transfer should select courses that meet requirements of the intended transfer university. For UC and CSU campuses, these major requirements can be found at www.assist.org.

Meet with an academic counselor to ensure you are taking the required courses for your goal.

The Medical Assisting program is projected to have an enrollment of 50 students/year with 50 completing the degree annually.

Cabrillo College is seeking approval from the Chancellor’s Office for the Medical Assisting Associate in Science in Career Technical Education.  The medical assisting program is designed to train and educate students to work in the field of medical assisting. The need for certified medical assistants has been advocated for by local health clinics and organizations plus regional and state laboratories, and supported by current, regional labor market research (TOP 1208.00).  The Medical Assisting program is aligned with Cabrillo’s mission, master plan, career technical education, and statewide community college work in Guided Pathways.  Approval of this program will benefit regional employers, fulfill health and human service needs of the local community, augment college enrollment, and support non-traditional and underserved minority students in a viable career and academic path. This program will give our students the workforce preparation, knowledge, and skills they need to pass the state board license examination and gain employment in the field of medical assisting. The potential for a median hourly wage in the Santa Cruz-Monterey subregion is $21.67/hour and the Bay Area region is $28.64. 

An Associate in Science in Medical Assisting requires 60 units, including general education and at least 21 units required by the major.

MA101Medical Assisting Externship3Year 1, Semester 1

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Cabrillo has modeled our medical assisting and phlebotomy programs to be consistent with similar programs in the California Community College system. The Labor Market Index (LMI) data report also provides student outcomes data on employment and earnings for programs on TOP 1208.00 - Medical Assisting in the state and region. There are several vocational programs in Cabrillo’s surrounding service area, but few community colleges that offer a similar medical assisting program. Gavilan College is the nearest college in the regional area that offers a similar program. The sequencing of courses is designed to prepare students to be successful in the medical assisting field, phlebotomy, and other health professions. Furthermore, program content and program mapping have been chosen based on student needs. Based on all available LMI data, there appears to be a significant shortage and undersupply of medical assistants in the Santa Cruz-Monterey sub-region (Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties) with over 1,000 annual job openings. This program will help meet anticipated employment needs in our region and possibly the surrounding regions.