Program Overview

The online application for our 2023-2024 ROP Medical Assistant Program is now closed.
​
Sign up for our Email Newsletter to receive updates about our programs. ​
Program Description
This 36-week program (1080 clock hours) prepares students with the necessary manipulative skills, technical knowledge and experience for entry-level employment as an Administrative Medical Assistant and a Clinical Medical Assistant in a doctor’s office, medical clinic or health care agency.
  • Administrative Medical Assistants are responsible for the front desk administrative and clerical work in medical offices, hospitals, other medical facilities, or private physician offices. They keep records, answer phone calls, handle correspondence, bill patients, and complete insurance forms. They also greet patients, operate computers, maintain office supplies, schedule appointments, obtain medical histories, arrange hospital admissions and schedule surgeries.
  • Clinical Medical Assistants are responsible for the back office work in medical offices, hospitals, other medical facilities, or private physician offices. They perform a variety of tasks including but not limited to assisting the provider in treating patients, recording patient histories, measuring patient vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, administering medications under the providers supervision, arranging and caring for instruments and equipment in examination rooms. They can also complete and maintain patient records, schedule appointments, scribe for the provider as well as arrange for patients’ hospital admissions.

Through a combination of lecture, laboratory and clinical experience, students will receive skills training in the following: health care systems, ethics and law for the Medical Assistants, necessary skills to interact with patients and families, introduction to anatomy and physiology, introduction to computer literacy, telephone techniques, medical records management, introduction to medical coding and medical insurance, infection control, assisting with the physical examination, assisting with minor office surgeries, performing EKSs, pharmacology and administration of medications, basic laboratory skills, assisting with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, specialized medical practices and Basic Life Support certificate and First Aid. This program also provides students with the technical knowledge required to work in the ”front and back office.”

Community classroom is a component of this program that provides students with unpaid on-the-job training experiences at sites in the field. Correlating classroom instruction with regularly scheduled, supervised and planned work-based learning, this type of experience supports students in preparing for a successful transition into the workplace. For the MA Program, the Community Classroom consists of instruction in a medical office working side by side with an Administrative Medical Assistant and a Clinical Medical Assistant.

Program Objectives 
Students successfully completing this program are eligible to sit for the California Certifying Board of Medical Assistants exam in Administration and Clinical areas.
​
Financial Aid
This course is approved for federal financial aid. Please complete a FAFSA application to determine eligibility. Butte ROP's school code is 042205.

Additional Resources

What is a Medical Assistant? (Video)
Student Success Story
Classroom Photos (Slideshow)