Program Overview
Are you interested in working alongside doctors and nurses? Do you enjoy fast-paced work and caring for others? If so, a career as a Medical Assistant might be the perfect fit for you.
Our Medical Assistant Certificate program provides enhanced learning opportunities in our new Medical Assisting simulation lab at the Health Education Center. Our graduates leave with the skills needed for today's modern healthcare settings.
No prerequisites are required.
Our fully-accredited program is designed to prepare graduates for their Certified Medical Assistant examination. Students who pass this examination become nationally certified, and are eligible to apply for Washington state-level certification.
Degrees & Certificates
Medical Assisting Certificate
Certificate programs provide students with a set of skills to find a job or stay current in a profession. Many certificates are designed to build on top of each other and eventually lead to a longer-term certificate or degree. These are called “stackable” certificates.
- Credits to complete: 57.0
- Estimated program length in quarters: Full Time - 4 | Part Time - Part Time Option Not Available
Program Update: New admissions process for the Medical Assisting program!
A new CMA cohort begins in the fall and spring, with space for 24 students in each cohort. There are no prerequisite requirements to get started in the CMA program. Interested students must apply to the program during an application period (March-June for fall quarter start), (September-December for spring quarter start).
Steps to Enroll:
- Apply at Seattle Central College online. The New Student Checklist is a helpful resource in navigating the college admissions process
- Complete the online application for the Medical Assisting program (available during application periods)
Beginning in March 2026, students will be required to submit an application in order to join the Seattle Central College Medical Assisting program. The new application is linked to the Medical Assisting program webpage. The application for the Fall 2026 cohort will be available starting March 1, 2026.
The new application will ask for a personal statement, a letter of recommendation, as well as uploaded records of your immunizations, which are required to participate in the clinical portion of this program. Click here for the list of required immunizations. It is highly recommended that you begin obtaining your immunizations and/or titers before the application period opens, as this process can take some time to complete.
Applications will be scored based on completeness and adherence to the instructions contained therein.
The online application for the Medical Assisting program will close at the end of June. Students will be notified of their acceptance in August, and the program will start fall quarter (end of September).
You will need an active MySeattleColleges login to access the medical assisting application.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Healthcare & Human Services Division office at AlliedHealth.Central@SeattleColleges.edu
Medical Assisting is a profession with many rewards, as practitioners can perform both administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in a variety of healthcare environments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly outlines that it is a growth field, with an anticipated 18% growth from 2020 to 2030.
A typical day on the job includes: Taking patient vitals, preparing patients for surgery, reviewing daily patient schedules with a physician, organizing charts, filling out paperwork and health forms. Our graduates work in emergency departments, primary care clinics, nursing homes, outpatient clinics and more.
Over the past five years, we graduate 76 percent of our students who start with us and 98 percent of our graduates are satisfied with the program.
Medical Assistants work directly with providers and patients, with the goal of providing healthcare and ensuring patient safety. It is a position with a great deal of responsibility. As with any healthcare position, certain occupational risks come into play with being a medical assistant, and those hazards include the following:
- Exposure to infectious diseases
- Sharps injuries
- Bloodborne pathogens and biological hazards
- Chemical and drug exposure
- Ergonomic hazards from lifting, sitting, and repetitive tasks
- Latex allergies
- Stress
Learn more about this program's Gainful Employment information(pdf).
The Seattle Central College Medical Assisting program is a chapter of the National Technical Honor Society, which provides scholarships to career and technical education students who choose a skilled trade as their career.
The Seattle Central College Medical Assistant Certificate Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
Exam Passage: 90.45% is the five-year average from 2020-2024
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
1361 Park Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
727.210.2350
Seattle Central College's Medical Assisting program is intended to meet the educational requirements for licensing/certification in the State of Washington only. Seattle Central College has not determined if the Medical Assisting curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensing/certification in any other state. Additional information about licensure/certification concerns can be found on the NC-SARA webpage. Please contact eLearning with any questions at eLearning@seattlecolleges.edu.