Medical Assistant

Program Pathway

Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite Courses Details

Credits 12
Enrollment Full-time, Part-time
Program Start Fall, Spring, Summer
Number of Terms 1
Time to Complete 4 months

Prerequisite Courses

  • Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology
    Human Anatomy and Physiology I
    Human Anatomy and Physiology II
  • Fundamentals of Oral Communication
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Medical Terminology

See the Suggested Sequence of Study for cost and additional course details.

Next step: Complete the program admission requirements then continue to Term 1 of the Medical Assistant diploma program.

Medical Assistant Diploma

Program Details

Award Diploma
Credits 31
Program Start Fall, Spring
Number of Terms 3
Time to Complete 1 year
Class Meets Evening for Fall start students
Daytime for Spring start students
Admissions Application Select Academic Program:
Medical Assistant – Diploma
See Program Admission

Suggested Sequence of Study and Cost

Program Courses

Term 1 Fall start: Fall Spring start: Spring
  • Clinical Assisting I
  • Diseases and Disorders
  • Introduction to Computers
    Information Computing
  • Medical Lab Procedures with ECG
  • Medical Office Management I
Term 2 Fall start: Spring Spring start: Summer *
  • Clinical Assisting II
  • Medical Assisting Pharmacology
  • Medical Laboratory Procedures II
  • Medical Office Management II
Term 3 Fall start: Summer Spring start: Fall
  • Medical Assistant Practicum
  • Medical Law and Ethics
  • Seminar

See the Suggested Sequence of Study for the full list of courses, cost, and additional course details.

You have completed the Medical Assistant diploma program. Check out the Health continuing education courses to keep up to date in your profession.

Careers

Positions

Graduates may find employment working as a medical assistant in doctor's offices, clinics, specialty clinics, or hospitals under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional. The medical assistant profession is expected to grow by 18%* through 2024 in Iowa.

Example Careers and Average Wages

Entry Average Experienced
Medical Assistants $35,470 $42,980 $46,870

Source: 2023 Iowa Wage Report, Iowa Workforce Development — Statewide Wages

Program Admission

In order to be considered for the Medical Assistant program, students must provide the Admissions office with official documents showing completion of all requirements. Appropriate documentation consists of:

  • Official high school or GED/HiSET transcript
  • Official college transcript (if applicable)

It is the student’s responsibility to:

  1. Monitor their progress towards meeting admissions requirements
  2. Notify the Admissions office when requirements have been met
  3. Provide the Admissions office evidence of meeting the requirements
  4. Keep their contact information up to date and to routinely check their Hawkeye email

STEP #1: Apply at Hawkeye

  1. Apply for admission at Hawkeye.
  2. Send official transcripts to Admissions.
  3. Demonstrate college readiness.

You can check the status of your application by logging into your Admissions Account.

Hawkeye's Equal Opportunity Statement

STEP #2: Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite coursework may be completed at Hawkeye Community College or at any accredited transfer institution. See the suggested sequence of study for a list of prerequisite courses.

Once all prerequisite coursework is completed, contact the Admissions office immediately.

STEP #3: Program Admittance

  • The Medical Assistant program registers 20 students each fall for the evening option and 20 students each spring for the day option.

  • Applicants who successfully meet all admission criteria and prerequisite coursework will be given an Eligible-Start Date to be Determined (ETBD) application status.

    • The Eligible-Start Date to be Determined status date is according to the student’s prerequisite completion date. If students share the same prerequisite completion date, the registration date for the final prerequisite course will be used.

    • Eligible-Start Date to be Determined (ETBD) application status does not guarantee program admittance. Program admittance is based on seat availability.

  • The Admissions Office admits Eligible-Start Date to be Determined (ETBD) candidates ongoing for the next available term. Once seat capacity has been reached the remaining Eligible-Start Date to be Determined (ETBD) candidates will continue to be considered and contacted accordingly, should a seat become available.

  • It is the student’s responsibility to keep their contact information up to date and to routinely check their Hawkeye email.

Changes are taking place within healthcare facilities nationally. These changes directly affect all health programs at Hawkeye Community College. The Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO), which accredits healthcare facilities across the country, enforced background screening September 2004 and has set requirements mandating that students in a healthcare field must now complete the same background check as hospital employees. As a Health student of Hawkeye Community College, you will be required to complete a criminal background check which includes fingerprinting that searches the following databases of sex offender, child abuse and dependent adult registry, and Medicare/Medicaid Fraud. The outcome could possibly affect your opportunities to participate in the clinical setting

Equal Opportunity Statement

Program Contacts

Admissions
Email Admissions 319-296-4000 Hawkeye Center 114
Program Director / Faculty Advisor
Gwen Mahloch Email Gwen Mahloch 319-296-4022 Grundy Hall 110E
Academic/College Success Advisor
Kelly Kobliska Email Kelly Kobliska 319-296-4014 ext.1624 Hawkeye Center 208F

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