College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Department of Technology, Design and Technical Education
Federal Gainful Employment Information
The Medical Assistant Program is a certificate program that can be completed in two semesters in addition to one semester of prerequisites and a five week (minimum) externship following didactic training. The program prepares and trains individuals for a career in health care. Medical Assistants can seek employment with health care providers in offices or other medical settings in both administrative and clinical procedures. Upon the successful completion of coursework and certification testing, students receive a Certificate of Completion from Utah State University.
The Medical Assitant program is offered on the Blanding, Moab and Price campuses via a blended delivery system. Students attending the Moab campus will have to travel to the Blanding campus for lab experiences. The program will attempt to schedule clinical rotations near Moab for students living in and near Moab.
Michele Lyman, M.S., PA-C – Director of Health Professions Programs
Utah State University Eastern, Utah State University Blanding, Utah State University Moab, and Utah State University Price campuses.
Medical Assistant Entrance Requirements
Utah State University Eastern has an open admission policy. Applicants will be admitted without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran disability status or veteran of the Vietnam era.
High school graduation or GED is required. A GPA of 3.0 is required for admission into the Medical Assistant (MA) Program. Throughout the Medical Assistant Program, the student must complete coursework with a GPA of 2.67 (B-) or higher to meet USU MA Program standard guidelines.
Please note that distance education students enrolled in the Medical Assistant Program will have no additional admission requirements or fees.
Student relocation to any state outside of Utah may adversely affect the student’s ability to complete the Medical Assistant Program. Graduation from the Medical Assistant program does not guarantee employment.
General Admissions Procedures
To be officially admitted to the college as a full-time matriculated student, an applicant must submit the following:
- A completed Application for Admission to Utah State University.
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee to Utah State University.
- Official transcripts of all previous high school and/or their GED and college work if the student is a transfer student.
- Placement and evaluation exams (Accuplacer for English, ALEKS for math, ACT [American College Test], SAT [Scholastic Aptitude Test]).
- Follow the instructions for orientation and registration at usu.edu/orientation.
Notification of acceptance and resident status will be sent from the Admissions and Records Office. If a student’s application is incomplete at the time of registration, the student may be admitted on an individual basis. Students applying for financial aid must be matriculated before receiving aid.
A declaration of a major is accomplished through the Application for Admission. Students desiring to change their majors after acceptance are required to complete “A Change of Major” form at the Admissions and Records Office.
Returning Students
A student who has been away for more than two semesters must submit a new application for admission. No admissions fee will be assessed to returning students. Those who have attended other colleges or universities in the interim will be asked to submit transcripts of all college credits.
Enrollment Prior to High School Graduation
An academically qualified high school student who wishes to enroll at USU Eastern, Blanding or USU Eastern, Price must attain an “Approval for Enrollment of High School” form from the Admissions and Records Office. The high school principal must sign the form signifying approval and the form returned to the Admission and Records Office prior to the registration of the student. Students taking courses under the concurrent enrollment program after regular high school hours or at night do not have to complete the “Approval for Enrollment of High School” form.
Students may take HEAL 1000 , HEAL 1500 , HEAL 1008 , MATH 1050 , and ENGL 1010 during high school by following the Concurrent Enrollment Pathway if concurrent enrollment procedures are followed.
Transfer Students
A transfer student from another college or university must submit the following:
- A completed Application for Admission to Utah State University.
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee to Utah State University.
- Official transcripts of all previous college work. (Official transcripts must be sent directly from the previous school. Hand carried transcripts will not be accepted.)
- ACT, SAT, ALEKS or ACCUPLACER test scores. If a transfer student has completed 20 hours and has taken an English course equivalent to USU’s English 1010 they are not required to take the above tests.
- A transfer student cannot transfer credits with D or E (F) grades or credits from developmental or remedial courses.
- The student must be in good standing and eligible to re-enroll at the college or university where they were most recently registered.
- Transfer students will not be matriculated until official transcripts of all previous college or university work are submitted to USU.
Registration Requirements
- Students interested in the Medical Assistant Program should visit with an advisor prior to registration.
- Background check and drug screen results are now processed online through the CastleBranch Compliance Tracking System. Students are required to pay a fee for this service. Blanding students will ONLY be required to complete a background check through CastleBranch. The drug screen will be completed through a local courier service. Vaccination records, the CPR requirement and a CNA Certificate of Completion must be attached to the application. All information must be on file at the campus the student is attending. Students are advised to keep a copy of all records.
Immunizations and Background Check Requirements
Required Immunizations: All immunizations below are required. The program reserves the right to require additional vaccines as stipulated by teaching health care facilities. Administrative and Clinical Experience will not accept students that have not met immunization requirements.
- Twinrix (Hepatitis A and B series): The first injection of this series needs to be completed prior to semester one or in the initial weeks of the semester. The second injection is given one month after the first injection. The third injection is completed six months after the first injection of the series.
- MMR: Documentation of two MMR immunizations or a titer indicating immunity must be completed prior to the end of the first semester. If a student does not have childhood immunization records it is recommended that he or she begin these immunizations or obtain a titer before beginning the program. All students born after 1964 who have received their MMR immunization will require a booster.
- TB: Documentation of a recent two-step TB test is required during the initial weeks of semester one. Students can have this test up to 3 months before starting the program. TB tests are good for one year. If a student’s test expires prior to completion of the program, he or she will need to repeat it.
- Varicella: Students must have two chicken pox vaccinations or a titer indicating immunity.
- Tdap: Students must have at least one pertussis immunization as an adult, within the past two years.
- Meningococcal: Students must have one dose.
- Influenza: Students may be required to have this immunization seasonally as required by the facility.
- Covid vaccine series
Background Check/Drug Screen: Students are required to order and pay for a background check and drug screen through CastleBranch prior to being accepted into the Medical Assistant program.
CPR Requirement: Students must take a Healthcare Provider CPR course and receive CPR and first aid cards to meet the CPR requirement. Periodically, CPR courses are offered on campus. Please make arrangements to attend (including notifying other instructors). This must be completed by the middle of the first semester. CPR certification is usually valid for 2 years.
CNA Certificate of Completion: Students must provide proof of a CNA course completion certificate to be included in the application packet.
*Students will be required to turn in a packet to the MA Program staff assistant or instructor at the campus to which they are applying along with all of the above records including a copy of high school/GED documentation, any college transcripts, and the program application. On the first day of class, the Medical Assistant Student Contractual Agreement should be completed and turned in to the instructor. Students should keep a copy of all records for their own files.
Practicum Orientation: Prior to initiating any clinical externship, students are required to complete an orientation with the sites that they will be attending for their clinical experience. At times this may require students who are completing experiences at more than one clinic to attend orientations for each worksite.
Clinical Experience: Medical Assistant students will train in clinical settings. After students demonstrate proficiency in all areas of clinical aspects through course work and practice, students will be placed in Clinical Rotations to get the best experience possible. These clinical rotations are an important part of the program. Students must commit to attending all clinical rotations they are scheduled to participate in.
Additional Information
For additional information regarding course delivery methods, please see the Academic and Instructional Services website and catalog entry. More information can be found on the USU Online and Service Now websites.
For additional information about Utah State orientation, please visit the Student Orientation & Transition Services website.
Tuition, fee, and payment information can be found on the Registrar’s Office website.
Per federal regulations the following information must be provided to students in route-to-licensure programs. This degree program typically leads to licensure and was designed to meet licensing qualifications in the state of Utah.
Graduation from the medical assistant program does not guarantee employment.
National Certification and Examination
After successful completion of the required coursework, students will have the choice of sitting for the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) through American Medical Technologists (AMT) or the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
Examination applications and practice exams are available at either:
http://www.aama-ntl.org/sign-in?saexam=1
http://www.americanmedtech.org/default.aspx
Accreditation
Utah State University (USU) Blanding and Utah State University Eastern are programmatically accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). ABHES is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency under the provision of Chapter 33, Title 38 of the U.S. Code and subsequent legislation. ABHES provides USU Blanding and USU Eastern programmatic accreditation for the delivery of Certificate of Completion level degrees.
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730
North Bethesda, MD 20852
(301) 291-7550
www.abhes.org
