Medical assistants keep a doctor's office moving. One minute they're checking vitals and drawing blood. The next they're scheduling patients and handling insurance.
If you're looking at medical assistant programs in Houston, here's what Houston Career Institute's Medical Assistant program covers, how the externship works, and which national exams graduates are eligible to sit for.
What does a medical assistant do?
Medical assistants work on two sides of the office:
- Back office (clinical): checking vital signs, helping with exams, giving injections, drawing blood, running basic lab tests, and recording EKGs.
- Front office (admin): scheduling, records, phones, billing, and insurance claims.
HCI's program trains you for both, so you can see which side of the office fits you best.
What you learn in HCI's Medical Assistant program
The program starts with an Introduction to the Healthcare Profession course. It covers medical terms, anatomy, infection control, HIPAA, OSHA, insurance basics, computer skills, and CPR.
From there, you move through seven modules. Each one pairs a body system with hands on skills:
- Module A: skin, eyes, and ears, plus patient care, physical exams, front office skills, and talking with patients in person and on the phone
- Module B: bones and muscles, infection control, sterile technique, minor office surgery, wound care, and pharmacology, including how to figure medication doses
- Module C: the digestive system, nutrition, first aid, office emergencies, and the money side of a medical office, like billing and collections
- Module D: the heart and lungs, vital signs, and how to place leads and record a 12 lead EKG
- Module E: blood, the immune system, and the urinary system, plus lab procedures and drawing blood
- Module F: pediatrics, care for older adults, and the endocrine and reproductive systems, including helping with prenatal and gynecologic exams
- Module G: the nervous system, psychology, medical law and ethics, office management, and job search skills
Across the modules, you keep practicing core skills like checking vitals, drawing blood, giving injections, and using an electronic health record. You also learn diagnostic and procedure coding for insurance claims.
After the modules, you finish with an externship at an approved facility.
How long is medical assistant school at HCI?
You can finish in as few as 9 months. HCI offers morning and evening classes, so ask admissions which one is open for your start date.
Medical assistant certification
When you search, you'll see a lot of letters: CMA, CCMA, RMA, NCMA, and more. These are different national certifications from different organizations.
HCI graduates are eligible to sit for two national exams from the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT):
- National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA)
- National Certified ECG Technician (NCET)
So you can work toward a medical assistant credential and an EKG credential from the same program.
What is the externship like?
The externship is where you use your skills with real patients at an approved facility, with qualified staff supervising you.
Good to know:
- It's part of your training, so you take part as a student and it's unpaid.
- Externship sites require a background check and drug test.
- Hours can change based on the site's schedule.
- It's a learning experience, not a job offer, but it's a great way to build real world skills.
Where could medical assistants work?
The catalog lists places like medical offices, clinics, urgent care centers, ambulatory care providers, and insurance providers.
Entry level job titles graduates may want to look into include Medical Assistant, Clinical Assistant, Medical Receptionist, Medical Office Assistant, and Patient Registration Representative.
HCI's Career Services Office is there to help graduates look for entry level opportunities in their field. Employment isn't guaranteed, but you won't be figuring it out alone.
How much does medical assistant school cost?
Tuition and fees are listed in the student catalog on HCI's consumer information page.
Financial aid is available for those who qualify, and the financial aid team can walk you through your options.
FAQ
How long is the Medical Assistant program at HCI?
In as few as 9 months, including the externship.
Which certification exams can I take?
Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCCT National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) and National Certified ECG Technician (NCET) exams.
Will I learn both clinical and front office skills?
Yes. You practice vitals, injections, blood draws, and EKGs, plus scheduling, records, and insurance coding.
Can I take classes in the evening?
HCI offers morning and evening classes. Ask admissions what's open for your start date.
Is the externship paid?
The externship is part of your training, so it's unpaid. You take part as a student.
Is HCI accredited?
Yes. Houston Career Institute is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).
Come see the medical labs
Houston Career Institute is at 9700 Bissonnet Street in Houston, close to Sharpstown, Gulfton, Bellaire, and Alief.
Request info or schedule a campus tour, and an admissions rep can go over start dates, class times, admissions requirements, and financial aid for those who qualify.
Houston Career Institute is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Career services assistance is available to students and graduates; employment is not guaranteed.
