Starting a new career, like becoming a medical assistant, can feel out of reach when you already have a lot on your plate.

If you work full-time, take care of family, or just can’t afford to upend your daily schedule, you will be relieved to hear that there are medical assistant programs you can attend part-time.

For example, with our Medical Assistant Program here at Stepful you can choose between morning, evening, and night classes that take place online twice a week.

This guide goes over Stepful's part-time medical assistant program as well as other options that don't require you to attend classes full-time.

About Stepful’s Part-Time Medical Assistant Classes

Our medical assistant program offers live online classes with real instructors, takes only four months to complete, and includes in-person clinical hours and one-on-one job coaching.

You’ll start your journey by choosing your class times and days. Depending on when you start, your classes might take place on Tuesdays and Fridays or Mondays and Thursdays. Class times include:

• 6pm to 8pm ET
• 7:30pm to 9:30pm ET
• 9pm to 11pm ET

In addition to those live classes, you should also set aside about 90 minutes each day for assignments. From this material and other resources, you’ll learn all the essential knowledge for medical assistants, including:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Healthcare systems
• Lab procedures
• Medical law
• Medical terminology
• Patient care coordination
• Phlebotomy and venipuncture

After four months of classes, you’ll be ready to pass the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). 87% of Stepful students pass this exam and earn their certification, which is 10 percentage points higher than the national average.

Once you’re certified, Stepful staff will help you prepare to find your first medical assistant job with mock interviews and one-on-one coaching. Apply now to kick off your medical assistant career in just four months.

Other Part-Time Medical Assistant Programs

Besides Stepful, there are several other programs that offer part-time or self-paced courses and night classes. Here are some fast facts about some of the most popular programs.

US Career Institute

If you’re prepared to spend up to seven months and nearly $2,000 completing a program, you can have plenty of control over your schedule with the U.S. Career Institute’s self-paced program.

Self-paced programs don’t have live classes or peer interaction, but give you the freedom to set your own schedule.

Here’s what you need to know about the U.S. Career Institute’s online medical assistant certificate program:

• Number of classes per week: Self-paced
• Time to complete: 4 to 7 months
• Cost: $1,439-$1,739
• Class Type: Online
• Certification: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Penn Foster

Another self-paced option is Penn Foster’s online medical assistant program, which can take up to four years to complete and awards an associate’s degree.

Over the course of four semesters, you’ll study the essentials of working as a medical assistant on your own time.

If you’re the kind of person who has no trouble holding themselves accountable to a strict schedule over a long period of time, check out these details on Penn Foster’s program:

• Number of classes per week: Self-paced
• Time to complete: Up to 4 years
• Cost: $6,100-$6,600
• Class Type: Online
• Certification: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

MedCerts

If you choose to take a part-time approach to MedCerts’ medical assistant program, you’ll be able to finish it in about seven months.

You won’t get the live classes or peer support you’ll find at Stepful, but the program’s $4,000 price tag does include exam fees.

Here are the fast facts about the online medical assistant program offered by MedCerts:

• Number of classes per week: Self-paced
• Time to complete: 28 weeks
• Cost: $4,000
• Class Type: Online
• Certification: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Phlebotomy Career Training

One of the most affordable options for part-time medical assistant training, Phlebotomy Career Training’s online CCMA medical assistant course is entirely self-paced but does assign you an instructor you can email questions to.

Like Stepful’s program, Phlebotomy Career Training requires that you complete in-person clinical hours at an externship in order to graduate.

Here are the details on Phlebotomy Career Training’s medical assistant program:

• Number of classes per week: Self-paced
• Time to complete: Up to 6 months
• Cost: $650
• Class Type: Online
• Certification: National Clinical Medical Assistant Certification through the AMCA, NHA, or the NCCT

Your local community college

If you’d rather not pursue training online, you can always look into an in-person program at your local community college. Most colleges and trade schools offer part-time programs for aspiring medical students, including night classes.

What to Look for in a Part-Time Medical Assistant Program

Feeling overwhelmed by all of these options? Not to worry—we’re about to walk you through the biggest factors to consider before you choose a part-time medical assistant program.

Class schedule that fits your availability

If you’re looking at a part-time program, chances are that you have some existing responsibilities you need to work around. Since you won’t be able to complete a program you can’t attend, your top priority should be finding programs with schedules that don’t conflict with yours.

Certification exam pass rate

Another top priority should be checking program websites for their certification exam pass rates. Different programs will prepare you for specific tests. For example, Stepful’s program prepares you to pass the CCMA exam offered by the NHA.

Any worthwhile program will demonstrate that their graduates are ready to get certified and start working.

Cost

No matter how well a program fits your schedule or trains its graduates, you won’t be able to attend without making plans to cover the cost.

Some medical assistant programs have financial aid, while others offer some sort of financing option so you don't have to pay completely upfront.

Some even offer scholarships or other discounts for veterans, military spouses, and other groups.

Be sure to inquire about any grants or scholarships that may apply to you.

Length to complete

Once you’ve found a few programs that fit your budget and schedule, it’s time to think through how much time you’re willing to dedicate to your medical assistant training. Program length can range from a few months to a few years, and longer programs will generally cost more.

Remember that completing a longer program won’t necessarily increase your eventual salary despite costing you more in the long run.

Help finding an externship placement

Towards the end of your program, you’ll need to earn in-person clinical hours at a local healthcare facility. Keep an eye out for programs that will help you land an externship where you can earn these hours, instead of leaving you to figure it out alone.

Help with finding a job

Along the same lines, you’ll want to find a program that won’t leave you high and dry once you’ve graduated. The best medical assistant programs include one-on-one assistance with prepping applications, practicing for interviews, and writing resumes.

They may have listings for job openings and contacts at local healthcare facilities that can help you find opportunities.

Advantages of Part-Time Medical Assistant Programs

Here are the biggest advantages of choosing a part-time medical assistant program over a full-time one:

• Maintain your existing responsibilities. The most obvious advantage of a part-time program is its minimal impact on your existing schedule.
• Keep working to offset the cost of the program. If you work part-time while studying, your income can help cover the cost of the program and help you avoid taking on debt.
• Pay less than you would for full-time programs. You’ll probably have a lower initial price tag for a part-time program, although you could end up paying more in the end if you take longer than usual to graduate.

Drawbacks of Part-Time Medical Assistant Programs

Unfortunately, choosing a part-time program does come with a few downsides, including:

• It takes longer to finish your program and start working. Most obviously, you’ll end up spending more time in a part-time program than you would completing the same studies full-time. With that being said, part-time programs like Stepful's can still be completed in just four months.
• You have fewer options for training. Although there are plenty of part-time programs, you won’t have quite as many options as a student who could go full-time.
• You may have to adjust your schedule for clinical hours. Even in a part-time program, you might be expected to make yourself available during regular working hours when it comes time for your externship.

Learn More About Medical Assistant Programs

• Medical Assistant Programs With Night Classes
• Self-Paced vs. Live Medical Assistant Classes
• Medical Assistant Externship: What It Is & How To Find One
• Are Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs a Good Idea?
• How to Pay for Stepful’s Online Medical Assistant Program With Financial Aid
• What You Should Know About Accredited Medical Assistant Programs