Medical Assisting

Medical assistants keep clinics and physician practices running. They take vital signs, draw blood, give injections, update records and help patients feel at ease. This three-semester certificate blends online coursework through RidgeLearn with hands-on lab days on campus, so you can keep working while you train.

What you’ll learn

• Vital signs, EKGs, injections and phlebotomy
• Medical terminology, anatomy and basic pharmacology
• Electronic health records, scheduling and insurance coding basics
• Infection control and clinical safety
• Professional communication and patient privacy

Why Palmetto Ridge

Lab sessions meet two days a week in the Health Sciences Building, where you’ll practice on the same equipment found in family practices and urgent care centers. Your final semester includes a 160-hour externship with a Lowcountry Regional Medical Center outpatient clinic or another local practice, and many students are hired by their externship site. You’ll be ready to sit for a national certification exam such as the CMA or RMA. Credits from this certificate can also count toward our Health Science Transfer degree or support a future application to Nursing, so it’s a smart first step on a longer path.