The Medical Assisting program at will prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities. Our faculty draw on their knowledge and experience to ensure student success.
Developing Skills for Success
Because this profession is very people-centered, Medical Assisting courses are not offered online. After completing the didactic courses in the program and learning all of their skills, medical assistant students perform a 160-hour internship at a local physician’s office or clinic.
Classes for the program are held at the Downtown Health Sciences Center (formerly El Centro’s Center for Allied Health and Nursing) at Market and Pacific streets, one block northwest of the El Centro campus. Opened to house our allied health programs, the center comprises 55 classrooms and labs that contain some of the most advanced equipment available to educate health care students.
The center’s high-tech equipment includes:
- Teaching labs that simulate surgical and hospital settings for specific program applications.
- Microphones and cameras in each classroom to capture audio and video instruction.
- Three classrooms with videoconferencing for two-way viewing.
- Two simulation labs with computerized patient mannequins.
Professional Organizations
Students in the program are eligible to join the
American Association of Medical Assistants and the Dallas chapter of the
Texas Society of Medical Assistants at special student rates. Students who join these organizations find that the interaction with practicing, professional medical assistants is helpful in finding employment, engaging in meaningful dialogue and learning directly from those in the field.
Nursing (LVN) Pathway
Become a Licensed Vocational Nurse in two steps.
Step One: Become a Medical Assistant
- The Medical Assisting program lasts 13 months.
- Composition I and Introduction to Speech Communication must be completed with a grade of C.
- Must complete an application to the program, which you will receive after viewing the required online information session.
- Must submit required immunizations, a current physical exam and a CPR certification to Castlebranch.
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Contact: Jesse Elizardo (jelizardo@dallascollege.edu; 927-860-5007).
Step Two: Become an LVN
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The El Centro Vocational Nurse program is a 51-credit hour certificate program.
- Must complete Human Anatomy and Physiology and enroll through eConnect.
- Must complete designated sections of the HESI test with a minimum score of 80 percent on each section.
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Must submit required immunizations, a current physical exam and a CPR certification to Castlebranch.
- Composition I, Introduction to Speech Communication and Pharmacology for Health Professions are transferrable.
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Contact: Jesse Elizardo (jelizardo@dallascollege.edu; 927-860-5007).
Transferring
The Medical Assisting program is designed for direct entry into the workforce. However, if you are interested in earning a degree at a four-year institution, please visit the
Transfer Services website for guidance on the transfer process.
Dallas College has an articulation (transfer) agreement with Dallas Baptist University to apply the entire Medical Assisting program toward a bachelor’s degree in Health Services Management. An articulation agreement is also in place with the University of North Texas.
Accreditation and Affiliations
The Medical Assisting 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).
Medical Assisting 5 Year Outcomes
| Year | Retention |
|---|
2022
| 90.91%
|
2021
| 85.37% |
| 2020 | 76.19% |
| 2019 | 80.00%
|
| 2018 | 82.22% |
|
Five Year Average |
82.95% |
Links to Additional Information
Note: Links to the following websites are provided for your convenience and information and do not constitute official endorsement by us.