Medical Assisting
Medical Assisting Overview
The Medical Assisting program at San José City College trains students to become clinical or administrative medical assistants, preparing them for employment in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices.
Celebrating Medical Assistants Recognition Week
National Medical Assistants Recognition Week (MARW) runs Oct. 19–23, 2026. San José City College congratulates our medical assisting students on the hard work and dedication they bring as they prepare to enter the profession.
Learn more about the San José City College Medical Assisting program.
Learn more about medical assisting programs at California Community Colleges.
Department Contacts
- Division Counselor
- Lila Chiem, MS
- 408-288-3798
- lila.chiem@sjcc.edu
- Faculty/Program Coordinator
- Dr. Jagrup Kahlon
- 408-298-2181 ext. 3403
- jagrup.kahlon@sjcc.edu
- Instructor
- Dr. Denis Golubev
- denis.golubev@sjcc.edu
- Instructor
- Diana Pham
- diana.pham@sjcc.edu
- Instructor
- Dr. Georgi Tartaski
- george.tartaski@sjcc.edu
- Instructor
- Dr. Inderdeep Kahlon
- inderdeep.kahlon@sjcc.edu
- Instructor
- Dr. Rosemary Bautista
- rosemary.bautista@sjcc.edu
- Instructional
Laboratory Tech I - Niusha Yazdanielahabadi, BSN, PHN, RN, CMA
- niusha.yazdanielahabadi@sjcc.edu
Opportunities for Growth and Success
Students may join the program in the spring, summer, or fall, part time or full time. Students may complete an Associate of Science degree or one of three career certificates:
- Administrative and Clinical Certificate
- Clinical Certificate
- Administrative Certificate
After successfully completing the program, students are qualified to sit for the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) or National Certified Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA) exams offered by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).
Students are also qualified to sit for the California Certified Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA) and the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT).
Read the blog post Start a Career in the Rapidly Growing Healthcare Industry! (opens in a new tab)
Program Highlights
- Open enrollment in spring, summer, and fall semesters, so you can balance education, family, and work
- Strong academic and hands-on training that provides real-world experience
- Externship placement that gives you a competitive edge in the rapidly growing healthcare industry
Resources
- California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA) (opens in a new tab)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT) (opens in a new tab)
- National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) (opens in a new tab)
- Student Health Center Immunizations
- BLS Provider Course Through the American Heart Association (AHA) (opens in a new tab)
Employment Opportunities
With a Medical Assisting certificate or degree, you will have the knowledge and skills to be job-ready for careers such as:
- Clinical Medical Assistant
- Administrative Medical Assistant
- Medical Office Assistant
- Healthcare Support Worker
- Medical Secretary
- Clinical Team Leader
- Medical Office Manager
- Medical Records Manager
- Healthcare Administrator
Employers
Find opportunities to work in a variety of healthcare settings:
- Hospitals
- Physician offices
- Chiropractic offices
- Podiatry offices
- Home health agencies
- Public health agencies
- Urgent care clinics
- Surgery centers
Information for Medical Offices
Externship Placement
If your healthcare facility has an externship available, submit the externship placement form (opens in a new tab) and the Medical Assisting program coordinator will contact you.
Employer Job Postings
To post a medical assisting job opening at your healthcare facility, submit the employer job posting form (opens in a new tab).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Medical Assisting program at SJCC trains students to become clinical or administrative medical assistants, preparing them for employment in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices.
SJCC offers the following options:
- Medical Assisting: Administrative: Prepares students for employment as administrative (front office) medical assistants in physicians' offices or clinics.
- Medical Assisting: Clinical: Prepares students for employment as clinical (back office) medical assistants in physicians' offices, clinics, or hospital settings.
Administrative Medical Assistants are trained to:
- Schedule appointments
- Perform medical reception duties
- Handle financial matters, including medical collections
- Manage medical records
- Process insurance billing
Clinical Medical Assistants are trained to perform a variety of procedures, including:
- Assisting with physical examinations
- Administering medications
- Performing electrocardiography
- Assisting in minor surgeries
- Maintaining medical asepsis
- Conducting phlebotomy
- Handling, processing, and analyzing laboratory specimens
Prerequisites vary by course. Check the SJCC catalog or meet with a counselor to confirm any required prerequisites before you enroll.