AMAZON CAREER CHOICE

Medical assistant program

Become a certified medical assistant (MA) in just one year for $500 through Amazon's Career Choice program. Career Choice is an innovative program uniquely designed to upskill Amazon employees who are interested in pursuing a future career outside of Amazon. By partnering with Mercy College of Health Sciences (MercyPLUS), you have the opportunity to jump into one of the most high-demand healthcare careers in the industry. Earn your certificate through 100% online instruction; two, six-hour skills labs held in Washington at Amazon fulfillment centers; and 160 hours of clinical practicum experience with one of our local healthcare partners.

BONUS: Mercy College is partnering with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to provide career opportunities for this program — they offer $21.43 per hour with a $3,000 sign-on bonus!

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Medical Assistant Program Highlights

1-year

online program

in-person skills labs

$500

total tuition cost

start dates in April or October

100%

employment rate among graduates¹

YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE IS CALLING

WHAT DOES A MEDICAL ASSISTANT DO?

Medical assistants provide critical physician support services to ensure healthcare facilities run smoothly. Using excellent communication and interpersonal skills, MAs help keep patients at ease throughout their visit. They are often responsible for administrative as well as clinical tasks, such as maintaining patient records, preparing patients and rooms for examination, assisting physicians with exams, and performing other critical tasks. As an MA you will act as an important patient liaison in a variety of healthcare settings — such as clinic offices for physicians, podiatrists, and other health practitioners.

YOUR 1-YEAR COMMITMENT

2 start dates available in October or April
100% online MercyPLUS coursework
2 six-hour hands-on skill boot camps with an approved instructor
160 hours of in-person clinical practicum (that equates to four 40-hour work weeks)
$10,000 tuition cost
Unlimited flexibility! Hold a full-time job and earn while you learn.

YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE

$38,900 per year is the median salary for MAs in Kent, WA²
100% job placement rate
Work at Amazon while completing the course with coworkers!
20-30% projected job growth in the next 10 years³
Unlimited launchpad for several other healthcare career opportunities
Tuition repayment options available in most MA positions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Your Next Steps

Step 1

1:1 ENROLLMENT CONSULTATION

Speak with a MercyPLUS enrollment coach to answer any program questions and start your MA application.

Step 2

COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION

Our streamlined admissions process is quick and easy and facilitated completely online. Feel free to start, stop and complete all through our enrollment platform.

Step 3

COMMIT TO ONE-YEAR

Your MercyPLUS team and fellow MA cohort peers will be with you every step of the way.

Step 4

LAUNCH YOUR NEW CAREER

After you complete the MA program and pass your Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA) exam nothing will stop you! Mercy College is partnering with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to provide career opportunities for this program — they offer $21.43 per hour with a $3,000 sign-on bonus.

Medical Assisting student practices giving a shot

COMPLETE A FREE APPLICATION

The medical assisting program is a direct-admit program. When you are admitted to Mercy College, you are automatically admitted into the medical assisting program! Complete the Mercy College application to get started. If you are transferring credits, please visit our transfer page to learn more.

The following courses and sequencing is a sample of required courses to graduate from the Medical Assisting program. The following courses are designed to allow students to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA) Exam.

Quarter 1

- Medical Assisting Administrative Procedures I (4 cr)

- Anatomy and Physiology (4 cr)

Quarter 2

- Medical Assisting Lab Procedures I (4 cr)

- Medical Assisting Administrative Procedures II (3 cr)

- Quarter 2 Skills Lab – This in-person, six-hour skills lab will take place at one of the Washington Amazon fulfillment centers during one Friday of the quarter.

Quarter 3

- Diseases of the Human Body (3 cr)

- Medical Assisting Clinical Procedures II (4 cr)

- Quarter 3 Skills Lab – This in-person, six-hour skills lab will take place at one of the Washington Amazon fulfillment center during one Friday of the quarter.

Quarter 4

- Medical Assisting Professional Components (2 cr)

- Medical Assisting Practicum (4 cr) – All medical assistant students are required to complete 160 hours of clinical practicum with a local healthcare partner in order to complete the program. This practicum allows students to experience hands-on learning in actual medical offices.

TOTAL: 28 MAJOR CREDITS

FALL: October
SPRING: April

FAQ: medical assistant careers

How much do medical assistants make?

Mercy College is partnering with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to provide career opportunities for this program — they offer $21.43 per hour with a $3,000 sign on bonus.

According to Indeed.com, the average salary for a medical assistant is $16.11 per hour in the United States, however compensation varies according to many factors, including location, work setting and experience.

How do you become a certified medical assistant?

After completing our one-year medical assistant program, students are eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA) exam to earn their certification.

Do medical assistants draw blood? Can medical assistants give shots?

Medical assistants in our program do learn to draw blood and administer shots as needed, however, it depends entirely on their place of employment if they will perform these duties.

Is medical assisting a good career?

Absolutely. Becoming a medical assistant takes only one-year to complete, pays well and is a high-demand healthcare career option. Medical assisting careers also provide fulfilling, meaningful work — not to mention every day is different. Many have found that medical assisting is a great launching pad into other advanced healthcare career fields as they gain more experience.

How hard is the medical assistant certification test?

Mercy College’s medical assistant program touts an impressive 100% pass rate among graduates for the Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA) exam. The exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions administered in four 40-minute segments. The question categories are general, administrative and clinical.

How is a medical assistant different from a physician assistant?

Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks with physician supervision. Physician assistants examine, diagnose and treat patients while working under a physician, who may or may not be on-site.

FAQ: medical assistant program

How is tuition only $500?

If you are eligible for the Amazon Career Choice program, Amazon pays for 95% of the tuition cost. It’s that simple.

Do I need SAT or ACT scores to enroll?

No, the only requirement for this program is a high school diploma or GED.

How will I complete the required 160 hours of clinical practicum?

Mercy College will work with you to secure 160 hours of clinical practicum with one of our healthcare partners near you. This practicum is very important as it allows students to experience hands-on learning in actual medical offices.

Am I able to continue working full-time for Amazon while getting my MA certificate?

Yes, this program is great if you want to work and earn while you learn.

Is the program all online or in person?

The medical assistant program is 100% online instruction through our MercyPLUS platform, however there are two in-person skills labs that must be completed in order to graduate.

Where are the medical assistant skills labs located and when do they take place?

Both six-hour skills labs (two total) will take place at one of the Washington Amazon fulfillment centers under the supervision of qualified instructor. Skills labs take place in the second and third quarter or the program.

How long does it take to complete the MA program?

Mercy College’s medical assistant program takes one year to complete. This is broken out into four quarters. Our goal at Mercy College is aimed to be as flexible as possible to remove any barriers to higher education, so you can work with your enrollment coach to determine your program trajectory to fit your schedule.

What is online learning like?

The MercyPLUS online platform hosts discussions boards, educational videos, writing assignments, and other activities to enrich your learning experience — all at the click of your mouse. You can read more about online learning here.

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1. Job placement: Job placement statistics are based off of the 2018 graduate cohort.
2. Indicated by Salary.com in August 2021
3. Pass rates: Exam pass rate is based on 2019 graduates.