Medical Assistant (MA)

Clinical Medical Assistant New accelerated 20- week course!

This 20- week Medical Assistant course prepares students for entry-level employment in outpatient medical offices, with an emphasis on both foundational clinical skills and essential administrative responsibilities. Students will develop knowledge and hands-on skills in patient care, administering injections, vital signs, infection control, testing and medical procedures, clinical documentation using an electronic medical record, patient communication, scheduling and other basic front-office functions. The course combines two weekly evening Zoom lecture sessions from 6-9p with Saturday hands-on laboratory session from 9a-2p at Del Norte High School, providing students with opportunities to apply classroom concepts in a practical learning environment and approximately 10 hours of self-study a week.

A course in Medical Terminology is recommended as a prerequisite to help students successfully navigate the clinical and administrative content of the program. Upon successful completion, students will be eligible to participate in a 160-hour unpaid Medical Assistant externship arranged by Poway Adult School. A State or National Certification is not required to begin working as an MA, but highly recommended. Graduates of the Poway Adult School MA program may be eligible to sit for one of the state-approved certification exams. For more details about the State certification exam, visit the Medical Board of California. This course is taught by a Certified Medical Assistant and Credentialed Career Technical Education (CTE) Instructor.

Winter 2027 Program Dates & Tuition:

Saturday January 16 - Saturday June 26, 2027 (No classes scheduled 4/12-18, 5/29, 5/31)
Lecture 6-9pm on Zoom every Monday and Wednesday
Labs 9a-2p at Del Norte High School every Saturday
Tuition $2499 includes one set of scrubs, BLS CPR training and course materials. *additional fee may be required for CPR card through American Heart Association
Optional externship will be available after completion of the course for eligible students (see below)
Scholarships are available to students between the ages of 16-26 through the Palomar Health Foundation Prebys grant. Learn more about this scholarship at the Information Session!

160 hour (4 week) Externship

Students who complete Medical Assistant with a passing grade of 75% and meet clinical medical compliance are eligible for placement in a 160 hour externship with a local health care facility or clinic. Externships require student participation M-F, 8-5pm for 4 weeks. Upon completion, students may chooses to sit for one of the Medical Board of California's Medical Assistant Certification exams. Externships may be either arranged by Poway Adult School or students may find their own clinical sites. There is no tuition for externship participation but students may be required to pay for an onboarding platform subscription used by major healthcare organizations to upload medical and compliance documents.

How to Enroll

Create an account on www.powayadultschool.com
Register for a Free online Information Session (see online catalog for dates)
Registration for the 20 - week Medical Assistant course will open December 9th at 8am
Payment plans are available

High School Student Requirements

Students between the ages of 16-18 years old are considered for this program after completing an information session and an interview and approval by the instructor, a Poway Adult School counselor or Sharon Mah, Career Education Specialist. For more information students under 18 should email Sharon at [email protected]

Overview of Certification and Training Agencies

Link Medical Board of CA (click here)

Your Goals, Our Data

This course is provided by State funds and your fees. In order for the School to comply with State requirements, we need to collect information from students about their goals, job outcomes and starting salaries when hired after our programs. Please help us by answering the data questions when asked during and after your class.