Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs in San Diego

Dalrada Career Institute offers an accelerated 10-week medical assistant program designed for fast completion. The program includes 160 hours of instruction followed by a 160-hour externship, totaling 320 hours. Students can choose between weekday or evening/weekend tracks, with virtual lectures and live, in-person labs.

Classes cover a wide range of topics including EHR use, billing and coding, anatomy, vital signs, venipuncture, and administering medications. Labs are held in person and use real clinical equipment. Students are trained on tasks such as performing 12-lead EKGs, preparing patients for exams, and assisting with minor procedures.

The program uses a hybrid format, combining online theory with in-person labs and a supervised clinical externship through partner sites. Tuition is $5,000, and payment plans are available. Students must complete their externship within three months of classroom instruction. Upon graduation, students may sit for the NCCT exam for national certification.

Stepful offers an accelerated 4-month medical assistant program that combines online learning with an in-person externship. Students attend live Zoom classes twice a week—typically on Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays—with multiple time slots available in the morning or evening, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule. Instruction covers medical terminology, phlebotomy, EKG, healthcare systems, patient care coordination, and administrative skills.

The program includes 220 hours of online instruction followed by an 80-hour in-person clinical externship, which students must complete during weekday business hours. Stepful supports externship placement through its partnerships, though students should confirm that a site is available in the San Diego area. Graduates are eligible to take the NHA’s Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam, and the program includes prep and testing support.

Career coaching is included, along with resume building and interview prep. Tuition details are not listed publicly, but payment plans and partial scholarships are available. Classes are cohort-based, with rolling start dates and a strong pass rate on the CCMA exam. Students must have a high school diploma or GED and internet access.

The Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute offers an accelerated program that can be completed in as few as 21 weeks full-time or 27.5 weeks part-time. The curriculum consists of 710 clock hours, split between classroom instruction, lab practice, and an 8-week clinical externship. Instruction covers both front- and back-office skills, including anatomy, terminology, diagnostics, insurance processing, and assisting with medical procedures.

Classes are held in person at the campus located at 823 Gateway Center Way in San Diego. Students can choose between six-hour full-time class days or four-hour part-time days. The externship is scheduled Monday through Friday in eight-hour shifts, though limited evening and weekend externship hours may be available. The total program cost is $7,700, which includes tuition, books, and uniforms.

The program is structured around seven instructional modules and follows the MAERB Core Curriculum. Students are required to meet health and safety requirements for externship placement and must hold a high school diploma or equivalent to apply. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for a national certification exam. Prospective students should contact the school directly to confirm upcoming class schedules and externship logistics.

U.S. Colleges offers a 16-week accelerated medical assistant program that totals 300 hours, including 220 hours of classroom instruction and an 80-hour externship at a local clinic or medical office. The program is designed to be completed quickly while still providing hands-on training in a real-world setting.

Students attend classes in a mix of lecture, lab, and practice simulations, with topics covering EKGs, medication administration, surgical assistance, infection control, and patient communication. Morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend options are available, making the schedule flexible. The school also offers a hybrid format, allowing some coursework to be completed online.

Tuition is $3,480, which includes the registration fee and two sets of scrubs. Enrollment is ongoing, and students receive job readiness support and a certificate upon completion.

Health Occupations Center offers a short, 5-month Medical Assistant program that includes both online and in-person instruction. The hybrid format features a combination of lectures, skills lab training, and a required 160-hour internship at a local clinic. Students can choose between a morning or evening schedule.

The full program consists of 160 instructional hours, with classes taught across several modules covering medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, injections, specimen collection, EKGs, patient prep, administrative procedures, and more. Clinical skills are taught in a state-of-the-art lab equipped with phlebotomy chairs, exam tables, and other industry-standard tools. Internships follow completion of classroom training and are scheduled during the day.

Cost for the full clinical and administrative program is $625, with an estimated $255 in additional expenses for supplies, scrubs, and background checks. Students must be 18+, attend an orientation, and provide proof of required immunizations. Although financial aid is not available through the school, assistance may be available through local partners such as the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

This program meets the requirements for certification through the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA). Classes are offered three times a year, starting in August, January, and May.