Medical Assisting

A Certificate or Degree in Medical Assisting programs perform both administrative and clinical duties in healthcare settings. Medical Billing & Coding specialists learn foundational healthcare for insurance billing and coding, and Medical Receptionists learn customer service and administrative skills as well as medical terminology and legal guidelines to use in their field.  Specialized careers that seek these various skills include:

• Medical Assistant

Visit O*Net OnLine to view these and other career opportunities. 

Admission Requirements:

1. Fluency in the English language (reading comprehension and writing); a necessary requirement for profession of a Medical Assistant.
2. Students must meet the English placement requirement by placing into ENGL& 101. This can be met in one of the following ways:

   1. English Placement using high school transcripts/test scores  

      If you plan to use your high school transcript or SBA test scores to replace the ENGL 091 or ENGL 099 prerequisite, you will need to complete the English and Math Placement Request Form prior to applying. The placement guide can be found on the Course Placements and Prerequisites webpage. Here you will find the equivalency tables to see if placement would replace the prerequisite. Placement with SBA or high school transcripts will expire after 1 year past high school graduation.

   2. Accuplacer Reading & Writing score of 260 or higher (if using placement to satisfy the ENGL 091/099 prerequisite), or
   3. Completion of ENGL 099 with a 2.0 or higher, or Completion of ENGL 091 with a 3.3 or higher, or
   4. A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college
3. Students must meet the math requirement by placing into MATH 099, This can be met in one of the following way:
   1. By completing MATH 094 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
   2. Achieve a score of at least 255 on the Accuplacer Math – Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics. Contact the Assessment and Testing Center to schedule.  
   3. If you plan to use your high school transcript to replace the MATH 094 prerequisite, you will need to complete the English and Math Placement Request Form prior to applying. The placement guide can be found on the Course Placements and Prerequisites webpage. Here you will find the equivalency tables to see if placement would replace the prerequisite.
4. Courses completed in Spring or Summer quarter with the required grade or better will be included in the student’s file for fall admission consideration.      
    

Prospective students must meet the following additional requirements to be admitted to the Medical Assisting Program:

a) Must have proof of high school graduation (high school diploma, GED, or high school transcripts) or will have high school diploma by end of program and

b) Must be 18 years old upon completion of the program

*Visit the Assessment & Testing Services Website to register for the assessment. 

The following support courses do not need to be completed before applying but are awarded factor points for successful completion with a 2.5 grade or higher by the June 30th. 

1. MEDA 112:  Medical Law and Ethics
2. MEDA 130:  Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology I
3. MEDA 131:  Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology II
4. MEDA 162:  Medical Terminology
5. MEDA 163:  Medical Billing Insurance

Projected Cost Estimate for One-Year Program

  Tuition for this program may vary. See the Tuition and Fees webpage for more information.

The Olympic College Medical Assisting Certificate of Specialization is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St N. #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350

Student Outcome Information:

1. The Medical Assisting Program at Olympic College has a five-year average of 70% for job placement for the years 2019-2023.
2. The Medical Assisting Program at Olympic College has a five-year retention rate of 84% for the years 2019-2023.
3. The five-year average for the exam passage rate for the years 2019- 2023 is 93%.

Olympic College has determined that the Medical Assisting curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification in Washington State. The curriculum does not meet educational requirements for licensure/certification outside of Washington State. We encourage students who plan to work out-of-state to check relevant local licensure/certification requirements.

Students in the Medical Assisting Program:

• Olympic College’s Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Transcript verification will commonly be required for credentialing and employment.
• Requirements to become a Medical Assistant-Certified (MA-C): Students who successfully complete our program AND successfully pass one of the exams specified by the Washington State Department of Health are qualified to be Medical Assistants-Certified in Washington state. An application (with the appropriate fee) must be submitted through the Washington State Department of Health. More information may be found on the Washington State Department of Health website.
• Information regarding the different categories, the application process, current fees, and future requirements regarding certification for Medical Assistants should be reviewed at the Washington State Department of Health website.
• Renewal, payment of fees, and continuing education requirements in post-education training and advancement needs for Medical Assistants should be checked before certification expiration through the Washington State Department of Health website.
   

Olympic College Military & Veteran Programs (MVP) helps military-connected students achieve their educational goals. We strive to provide responsive academic, social, and administrative support to student Veterans, Active Duty, and dependents. If you are a prospective student eligible for VA benefits, please reach out to MVP to learn more about veteran benefits. 

Please review the Medical Assisting Application Instructions below before completing the application.

Submit the Medical Assisting Online Application Form

• Before you begin your online application, you must have an OC student ID#.
  • If you do not have an OC ID#, visit our Admissions page to apply to OC (note: application review and approval takes several days to complete).
  • If you have forgotten your OC ID# follow this link to retrieve your ID: Forgot My Password.

Office of Admissions:  
Medical Assisting Program 
Certificate of Specialization
Application Instructions

Revised January 23, 2026 

Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

9355 – 113th St N. #7709 
Seminole, FL 33775 
P: 727-210-2350 
www.caahep.org

Olympic College provides equal educational and employment opportunities without regard to race or ethnicity, creed, color, sex, pregnancy or family status, national origin, age, marital status, religion, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, reliance on public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran in its educational programs, admissions, activities, and employment policies, in keeping with the letter and spirit of all equal opportunity and civil rights laws. 

Application to the Medical Assisting Program is a separate procedure in addition to the application to Olympic College. If you have not applied to Olympic College, you will find admission steps and instructions to apply online on the Admissions webpage before proceeding with this application. The Welcome Center's Virtual Office may be helpful in speeding the application process.

After admission to Olympic College, activate your student accounts (ctclink, email, and Canvas accounts) before proceeding with the OC Medical Assisting Program Application. For this application, you will need to gather your OC student ctclink ID#, OC student email account, and password. For help, visit the Student Accounts webpage.

To promote equitable access to healthcare education programs at Olympic College and support student success through focused academic and clinical progression. Due to the competitive nature and limited clinical capacity of our Health Science programs, students may not be concurrently enrolled in more than one limited-entry [high demand] program. This policy ensures fair and consistent access to limited-capacity healthcare programs and encourages students to fully engage in and complete one program at a time. It aligns with Olympic College’s commitment to student success and workforce readiness.   

Complete the online application. 

• To access the form, you must sign into your Olympic College Microsoft 365 account.
• Save the unique URL in your web browser when you access the form. You may return to this form at any time during the process by copying the unique URL in the address bar. Information on the page will only be saved when you click "next". To return to your application, paste the URL into your browser. 

Healthcare Pathways Success Coach Contact Information:
Phone: 360-475-7748, extensions 1 or 5
Email: @email 
 

A print application packet may be requested from the Healthcare Division Office:
1600 Chester Ave.
Bremerton, WA 98337
Building 5, Room 341, Bremerton Campus 
Main office phone: 360-475-7748
Main office email: @email

Print application must be submitted by email to @email or in person at:
Olympic College
Office of Admissions, 1st floor Building 4  
Welcome Center
1600 Chester Ave.
Bremerton, WA 98337
 

Or submit by US mail to:
Olympic College
Attn: Office of Admissions, 1st floor Building 4 (HSS) 1600 Chester Ave.
Bremerton, WA 98337

Student Disability Services

Olympic College is committed to providing access to higher education for students with disabilities. Any student with a permanent or temporary disability is encouraged to contact Student Disability Services at (360) 475-7540 or email @email to discuss appropriate accommodations.

The Application Deadline

The Medical Assisting application priority deadline is April 30th. Application and all supporting documents must be received by the deadline. Applications will be considered until cohort is full or start of Fall quarter.

When to Apply

• Applicants may submit the application and all supporting documents when they have completed the following:

• English & Math Placements using high school transcripts/test scores 

  • If you plan to use your high school transcript or SBA test scores to replace the ENGL 091 or ENGL 099 prerequisite, you will need to complete the English and Math Placement Request Form prior to applying. The placement guide can be found on the Course Placements and Prerequisites webpage. Here you will find the equivalency tables to see if placement would replace the prerequisite. Placement with SBA or high school transcripts will expire after 1 year past high school graduation.

  • If you plan to use your high school transcript to replace the MATH 094 prerequisite, you will need to complete the English and Math Placement Request Form prior to applying. The placement guide can be found on the Course Placements and Prerequisites webpage. Here you will find the equivalency tables to see if placement would replace the prerequisite. 

• Accuplacer Placement – Reading and Writing. You need a score of at least 260 on the Reading and Writing sections of the Accuplacer if you are using placement to replace the ENGL 091 or ENGL 099 prerequisite. You do NOT need to take the Accuplacer if you already have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college, or you completed ENGL& 101 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

• Accuplacer Placement – Math – Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics. Minimum score of 255 is required ONLY IF placement will replace the MATH 094 prerequisite.

• Required prerequisite courses must be completed by the April 30th deadline with a 2.0 grade or higher for priority consideration. 

  *Courses completed in Spring or Summer quarters with the minimum required GPA will be included in the student's file for Fall admission consideration, but will not receive factor points. 

Prerequisite Courses (26 Credits total)

1. ENGL 091 – Reading & Writing in Life & College with 3.3 or higher, 5 credits OR ENGL 099 - Reading/Writing Academic Disciplines with 2.0 or higher, 6 credits, OR placed into ENGL 101 with Reading and Writing Accuplacer or high school transcript/test scores.
2. MATH 094  – Elementary Algebra with 2.0 or higher, 5 credits, OR placed into MATH 099 with Math: Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, & Statistics Accuplacer (If math course was taken over 6 years ago, the Math Accuplacer is required) or high school transcript/test scores. 

The following support courses do not need to be completed before applying, but are awarded factor points for successful completion with a 2.5 grade or higher by June 30th:

1. MEDA 112 – Medical Law and Ethics, 3 credits
2. MEDA 130 – Anatomy, Physiology, & Pathophysiology, 4 credits
3. MEDA 131 – Anatomy, Physiology, & Pathophysiology, 4 credits
4. MEDA 162 – Medical Terminology, 5 credits
5. MEDA 163 – Medical Insurance Billing, 3 credits

All Applicants   

• Attend an Information Session (dates and times available on the website).
• Meet with the Healthcare Student Success Coach if you need assistance with planning or have more questions (this can be scheduled with @email).
• Complete Accuplacer placement assessment if needed for Math and English. Visit the OC Placement website for testing information or­ contact the Assessment and Testing Center at 360-475-7238.
• Complete Math & English Placement Request Form if needed for Math and English. Visit the Course Placements and Prerequisites website for equivalency and placement information.
• Complete the online application.
• Submit completed application and the following documents to the Office of Admissions on the Bremerton Campus, HSS building 4, Records and Registration counter, or via email to selectiveadmissions@olympic.edu.
  • Official Accuplacer Reading and Writing Comprehension Proficiency Test scores. Reading scores from any other placement exams will not be accepted.
  • Official Accuplacer Math – Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics Test scores.

Applicants who have attended any institution other than Olympic College

• Complete the course review process for any transfer courses if applicable.
• Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges other than Olympic College
  • Electronic official transcripts can be sent to @email Sealed official transcripts can be mailed to: Olympic College, Registration & Records, 1600 Chester Ave., Bremerton, WA 98337.
  • You must provide an official transcript from each school you have attended, even if the course(s) was from a non-accredited school, was taken for “no credit”, or is not applicable to Medical Assisting. Showing transferred courses on one transcript will not be considered.
  • Submit a Transcript Evaluation Request.

Admission Procedure

The program is open to all qualified candidates and is a full-time program. The program admits up to 24 students, fall quarter only. Acceptance is based on a factoring system that includes academic metrics.

Application to the Medical Assisting Program is a separate process from the application to Olympic College. Enrollment in the Medical Assisting Program is limited; therefore, admission to Olympic College does not guarantee admission to the Medical Assisting Program. Formal application to the Medical Assisting Program should be made when the applicant has completed or is registered for their last prerequisite course. The Medical Assisting Application MUST be received NO LATER THAN April 30th of the academic year the applicant anticipates entering the Medical Assisting Program for priority consideration. Applications will continue to be accepted until all spots are filled or Fall quarter starts. 

*Courses completed in Spring or Summer quarters with the minimum required GPA will be included in the student's file for Fall admission consideration, but will not receive factor points. 

Students who are applying for more than one program, e.g., CM-PN and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and/or Radiologic Technology (RADT), will be asked to list and rank the order of preference for all programs they are applying to at Olympic College. If a student is offered admission to their first choice, their application will be removed from the applicant pool for other healthcare programs. If a student is offered admission to a subsequent choice ranked lower than their first choice, they may still be considered for admission to their first choice program if space becomes available.  

Admission Requirements

1. Fluency in the English language (reading comprehension and writing); a necessary requirement for profession of a Medical Assistant.
2. If you are replacing the ENGL 091 or ENGL 099 prerequisite with Accuplacer placement, you must achieve a score of at least 260 on the Accuplacer Next Generation Reading and Writing Assessment. Contact the Assessment and Testing Center at www.olympic.edu/student-life- support/enrollment-services/assessment-testing-services/placement to schedule.
3. If you are replacing the MATH 094 prerequisite with Accuplacer placement, you must achieve a score of at least 255 on the Accuplacer Math – Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics.
4. If you are replacing the ENGL 091 or ENGL 099 prerequisite with your high school transcript, you must place into ENGL 101 by either your SBA score or having taken English in your Junior or Senior year with a B or better and an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher. Only valid by the Spring after graduation. 

5. If you are replacing the MATH 094 prerequisite with your high school transcript, you must place into MATH 099 by meeting the required conditions. See the Math Course Placement table for more information on how to meet required conditions. 

6. Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of 2.0 in each course: ENGL 091 or ENGL 099 or placed into ENGL 101 through placement, and MATH 094 or placed into MATH 099 through placement. 

7. Completion of the following support courses prior to applying will result in additional factor points: MEDA 112, MEDA 130, MEDA 131, MEDA 162, MEDA 163.
8. Courses completed in Spring or Summer quarter with the required grade or better will be included in the student’s file for fall admission consideration.   
    

Prospective students must meet the following additional requirements to be admitted to the Medical Assisting Program:

a) Must have proof of high school graduation (high school diploma, GED, or high school transcripts) or will have high school diploma by end of program and

b) Must be 18 years old upon completion

The application and supporting documents must be received no later than April 30^th for priority consideration (i.e., late applications will only be considered based on Medical Assisting Program discretion). Olympic College is not responsible for errors in submitting applications. The applicant is responsible for verifying that all required documentation is received by the Office of Admissions. Applications and transcripts received after April 30^th may not be considered for admission to the program for that year unless there is space available. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. If your application is not complete, you will be notified. All application materials become the property of Olympic College. 

Important Note About Retaking Classes 

Students can take a prerequisite or support course up to three times. If an applicant has retaken a required course multiple times, the grade for the most recent attempt will be considered. If the grade for the final attempt for a required class is below the minimum GPA required, the student will be considered ineligible for application to the Olympic College Medical Assisting program. 

Students with Previous Medical Assisting Education

Students who are applying for more than one program, e.g., CM-PN and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and/or Radiologic Technology (RADT), will be asked to list and rank the order of preference for all programs they are applying to at Olympic College. If a student is offered  admission to their first choice, their application will be removed from the applicant pool for other healthcare programs. If a student is offered admission to a subsequent choice ranked lower than their first choice, they may still be considered for admission to their  first choice program if space becomes available.

Past Disciplinary Action Petition Letter

Students with official disciplinary action or warning or deemed “not in good standing” at Olympic College or any previous higher education institution must include an admission petition letter as part of their application materials. The petition letter must address the disciplinary action, contributing factors, and a mitigation plan to promote future success. Medical Assisting entry is NOT an option if the student was disciplined due to a critical safety element. 

Background Inquiry

Students who have any previous legal charge or conviction must include a letter indicating the nature of the charge and final disposition with their application. For all students accepted to the Medical Assisting program, a national background inquiry completed by a Certified Background check service is required to disclose any history of criminal record or abusive behavior (Child/Adult Abuse Information Act, RCW; 43.43.830 through 43.43.840). If the results of this information cause any clinical agency to deny you privileges to rotate through that agency, withdrawal from the Medical Assisting Program will be required.  

Re-entering Olympic College Medical Assisting Students

Reentering Olympic College Medical Assisting students must submit a Medical Assisting Program Admissions Application.
 

Acceptance into the Medical Assisting Program is based on a factoring system that includes academic and non-academic metrics. Once applications and supporting documents are received, an admission score is determined according to a factoring system and applicants are ranked according to the total number of factor points. 

Factor points are only awarded if courses/requirements are completed by the application deadline. If a student retakes a course, the most recent attempt is used for assigning factor points

ACADEMIC METRICS: PREREQUISITE & SUPPORT COURSES 

In the event of a tie, the following tie breakers will be used in order (1-3) to determine ranking for admission:

1. Support course pass with 2.5 or higher (MEDA 112, MEDA 130, MEDA 131, MEDA 162, MEDA 163) completed by June 30th
2. Combined GPA of the support courses
3. Overall cumulative GPA for all colleges attended

Office of Admissions Timelines

1. Medical Assisting Program Admissions Application and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by April 30th for priority review.
   1. Medical Assisting Program Admissions Applications received after April 30th may not be considered for the upcoming cohort if all spots are filled.
   2. All students whose application materials (prerequisites and required documentation) are not complete may need to apply for the following year's cohort.
2. Applicant files will be reviewed by the Office of Admissions. A letter will be sent to applicants advising them of any missing documents. Incomplete applications turned in within the last three weeks of April are not guaranteed to receive notification from the Admissions Office prior to the application deadline. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit application materials as soon as they are eligible to apply. Any required documents missing from the application packet will make your application ineligible for the current year.
3. The admission letters for the Medical Assisting Program will be sent via email (listed on the application) by the Admissions Department (not the Medical Assisting Program). Students will receive notification of their status prior to July 16^th if priority deadline is met.
   1. Please do not contact Admissions or the Medical Assisting Program prior to July 16th regarding the status of acceptance letters.
   2. After July 16th, if you have not received notification of your status, you may contact Selective Admissions at 360-475-7206.
4. Due to the competitive nature and limited clinical capacity of our Health Science programs, students may not be concurrently enrolled in more than one limited-entry [high demand] program.
   a.    A student cannot switch to another selective healthcare program without fully withdrawing from the first program unless the student is on track to graduate and will have completed their current program prior to the start of the new program.
   b.    A student cannot hold spots in multiple high-demand programs simultaneously and must withdraw from any other OC healthcare program they are enrolled in and have not completed prior to the start of the Medical Assisting program.

The Olympic College Medical Assisting Program includes clinical experiences in patient care at cooperating health care facilities. The clinical agencies require students to provide evidence of the following prior to beginning clinical experiences:

1. Current immunizations, uploaded to and confirmed by Medical Assisting Program staff;
2. National Background Check, Washington State Patrol Background Check, and Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) background check within acceptable parameters of clinical agencies;
3. Annual criminal history disclosure;
4. Current Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers Certification (American Heart Association for the Healthcare Provider) that is valid through expected date of graduation;
5. Non-refundable liability and malpractice insurance (purchased through Olympic College fees);
6. Proof of personal health insurance; and
7. Learning modules and trainings as required by clinical facilities.

Please do not turn in documents pertaining to items 1-7 above with your application. Applicants accepted into the Medical Assisting Program will be required to fulfill the above requirements during their first quarter in program. 

Students may complete the Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T): Medical Assisting after successfully completing the Certificate of Specialization (CS): Medical Assisting. This degree program is designed to qualify students for supervisory and/or management roles that require an Associate degree and to allow for transfer opportunities to continue their education at The Evergreen State College.

Transfer agreements are not currently in place outside of this particular articulation agreement for Medical Assisting programs.

Certificates of Specialization (CS) or Completion (CC) are designed to provide entry into a technical or semi-professional occupation or additional training for those already working in a field but desiring advancement.

For further information, contact your Student Success Coach or a Faculty Advisor to create your academic plan or visit the Olympic College Transfer Center webpage for more info.