Vermont's Top Online & Campus MA Programs

There are many great paths into the healthcare industry, from going to medical school to becoming an RN to working in healthcare administration. Being a medical assistant stands out, though, because this career path offers high job security, healthy salaries, and a low barrier to entry.

You must complete a course from an accredited university or college to become a medical assistant in Vermont. Fortunately, there are multiple fully online or hybrid medical assistant programs in the state to choose from, making it easier to balance coursework with work and personal obligations. Plus, some of these online medical assistant programs in Vermont take as little as one year.

Looking through the plethora of available programs can be overwhelming, and your time is better spent applying to the right program and starting coursework sooner. To help speed things up, this guide includes everything you need to know about medical assisting programs, including the best online medical assistant programs in Vermont. It provides a better idea of whether becoming a medical assistant program is your next career move and overviews the best universities and colleges in the state for medical assisting.

Popular Online Programs for Vermont’s Medical Assistant Students

Determining the best online medical assistant program in Vermont can be difficult, since “best” is subjective. However, the three online programs below stand out in terms of academics, accreditation, and affordability. One may be the right fit for you, or all three could be quality barometers to compare other programs against.

Vermont State University

Vermont State University features one of the best online medical assistant programs in Vermont. This 12-month Certified Clinical Medical Assistant program can be completed online, and coursework is self-paced where you watch lectures and complete coursework at your own pace instead of at set times. Video lectures and assignments are provided in an online learning platform that also lets you communicate with professors and fellow students and upload assignments easily. This medical assistant program includes two courses that prepare you to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam. These courses cover a range of topics, including medical terminology, anatomy, HIPAA rules, healthcare laws, laboratory testing, and medical scheduling. Students also learn about the systems in the human body and how basic medical coding works. The program costs $2,795 and includes a voucher for the CMA exam. Vermont State University, which is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), also offers a monthly payment plan to make it easier to fit the tuition cost into your budget.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s (BMHH) BMHH/CCV Medical Assisting Program easily ranks among the best online medical assistant programs in Vermont. Students have control over when and how they learn with the option to take coursework online or at one of Brattleboro’s 12 in-person locations. They can also elect to take more courses per semester or fewer, depending on their work, family, and life obligations. Students can graduate in six months if they choose a full courseload, making this one of the fastest programs in Vermont. While fast, the curriculum is comprehensive. Courses cover topics like anatomy, medical terminology, human biology, and pharmacology and include foundational courses that provide an introduction to healthcare and an overview of a medical assistant’s duties. Tuition is $280 per credit for Vermont residents and $560 per credit for out-of-state students. The school also offers medical assistant scholarships and payment plans. This program is a partnership with the Community College of Vermont (CCV), which is accredited by NECHE.

Vermont’s Salary & Career Outlook for Medical Assistants

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023

Source: Projections Central, 2020-2030

Vermont is a great place to work as a medical assistant because the average annual salary ($44,710) is over $1,000 more than the national average of $43,350. Vermont’s 17.4 job growth rate is slightly lower than the national level of 18.4%, though, but at 17.4% is still well above the average job growth rate. All this means new medical assistants in Vermont can expect job security and healthy earning potential.

Vermont does fall short compared to the nation as a whole when it comes to earning potential. While medical assistants in the 90th percentile nationwide make around $56,480, the 90th percentile wage in Vermont is $52,160. This trend is even more pronounced in the Burlington area where the average salary is $44,310 but those in the 90th percentile make $50,640.

Medical assistant roles are often entry points into the healthcare field. If someone wants to make more or take on additional responsibilities, they can enroll in a nursing or healthcare administration bridge program. It’s sometimes also possible to pivot into higher-paying managerial roles, even if you don’t enroll in bridge programs, after a few years of experience.

Answers to Your Questions

How much does a medical assistant program cost?

Most medical assistant programs in Vermont costs $2,795 to $4,300. Many schools also have financial aid options, including scholarships, payment plans, and discounts when students enroll in an online program option. Plus, many hospitals and community colleges in Vermont offer affordable medical assistant programs. If cost is a top concern, define your budget ahead of time and find scholarships or other ways (e.g., a part-time job) you may be able to make additional money while in school.

How do I know if a program is accredited?

When looking at medical assistant programs, there are two layers of accreditation, institutional and program-specific. Both should be advertised on a college’s website, but you can ask an admissions counselor if it’s not. Verify any accreditation by heading over to the accrediting agency’s website where there should be a list of all the programs they accredit. Medical assisting programs usually fall within a school’s program-specific accreditation for its healthcare programs, either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Graduates of medical assisting programs accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES are eligible to take the CMA exam. At a minimum, a school should have institutional accreditation.

What kind of jobs can a medical assistant do in Vermont?

Medical assistant programs in Vermont provide the essential skills required to work as a medical assistant in a variety of healthcare settings. With this degree, you can work in a private practice, hospital, or emergency room. Plus, most programs provide opportunities to explore working in different healthcare settings. Working as a medical assistant also gives you a holistic look at different medical and administrative duties in healthcare practice. From there, you can specialize your career in whichever part of healthcare you are more passionate. With experience and continuing education, medical assistants can move into a variety of roles like as registered nurses, phlebotomists, lab technicians, and healthcare administrators.

What does training for medical assistant certification involve?

Medical assistant certification typically involves training in anatomy, medical terminology, and healthcare processes like assisting with lab equipment or conducting medical coding. Courses may include some in-person class sessions, though the bulk of the information is provided online, making medical assisting a great educational path for balancing school alongside other responsibilities.

Medical Assistant Scope of Practice in VT

Medical assistants don’t need to be licensed in Vermont, though many employers hire medical assistants who pass the CMA exam or a similar test. The lack of licensing means there are less strict boundaries around what a medical assistant can and can’t do, especially compared to more regulated healthcare roles like registered nurses.

There are some typical duties medical assistants often perform, however. These often encompass both healthcare administrative tasks and tasks during medical appointments or procedures. Specific duties you may perform include:

• Interviewing patients
• Recording patient medical histories
• Assisting with patient examinations
• Scheduling patient appointments
• Entering medical codes into electronic health record systems
• Collecting blood samples for lab tests
• Maintaining a healthcare practice’s inventory and supplies
• Assisting with injections or medication administration

The beauty of this role is its room to grow. Many medical assistants find they prefer a certain part of their work, usually either the medical side or the administrative side. Once you know which is a better fit for you, you can take on more responsibilities in that area. Over time, that experience and potentially some continuing education can help guide your career path toward a more specialized role.

Another way medical assistants can specialize their scope of practice is by working in a specific healthcare setting. If you’re passionate about pediatric healthcare, for example, you could tailor your experience and resume to land a role in a pediatric practice.

No matter which specialization is right for you, honing your skill set within a specific niche of healthcare can help you command a higher salary and find more meaningful work. Even starting out, though, you can expect to make a difference in patients’ lives and earn a healthy salary with Vermont’s average for medical assistants sitting at $44,710 annually.