Medical Assistant Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We want to help you make an informed decision about your future. Allow us to answer all your questions with an in-person visit to the school
Career Outlook
While certification isn't legally mandated to practice in Arizona, earning your credential vastly increases your job market competitiveness and hiring appeal to top healthcare employers. Passing the exam also grants you a portable, national certification recognized in all 50 states, ensuring you can take your career anywhere you choose to move.
If you want to step into a rewarding healthcare career in just 9 months without any prior medical experience, this program is designed to get you job-ready quickly. With flexible morning, evening, and weekend class schedules alongside personalized financial planning assistance, we make it simple to balance your training with your busy life.
Medical assistants enjoy a fast-paced, dynamic routine that splits time between clinical patient care and essential administrative tasks. On any given shift, you'll be cross-trained to greet patients, take vital signs, update electronic medical records, prepare treatment rooms, and assist physicians directly with examinations or procedures. You can also specialize in subfields like geriatrics, pediatrics, surgical, oncology, and more if you want to spend more time with a specific set of tasks and patient populations.
The profession is booming, with national employment projected to grow a swift 12% through 2034, tracking much faster than the average occupation. Locally, the future is even brighter for graduates, as Arizona is expecting a massive 34% increase in medical assistant jobs to support the state's rapidly growing and aging population.
About Kino College
The Kino College main campus and administrative offices are located in Tucson, Arizona at Northwest Medical Center. Classes are held at both Northwest Medical Center and Banner University Medicine North. Your classroom is the medical campus.
Kino College is committed to our students’ success. We’re available to answer your questions about admissions, the application process, and paying for school.
Yes, Kino College is a single program technical school. As such, we keep this opportunity affordable and up to date with the latest medical advancements. By not spreading ourselves thin, we give your career and career goals our focused attention.
Most students graduate from the Kino College Professional Medical Assistant Program in 9 months (36 weeks). You will spend approximately eight months in the classroom and an additional five weeks in a clinical externship.
An externship is an unpaid practicum position within a medical facility where students enjoy direct mentorship while practicing their skills with patients. Externships provide students with valuable on-the-job experience and coaching in real-life situations.
Our medical assistant program offers morning and evening classes to accommodate your busy schedule and allow you to balance all your responsibilities. Daytime/morning class hours are 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and evening/night classes are 5:30 p.m - 9:30 p.m.
Kino College takes a personal interest in your career and career goals, your community’s challenges, and the quality of the skills you need to improve patient care and engagement.
Learn at an active medical center that provides hands-on experience with patient engagement. Apply your training in the medical environment throughout the program and take your skills into your community with our volunteer growth opportunities. The Kino College Professional Medical Assistant Program provides an immersive medical training experience from start to finish.
Kino College is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Accreditation ensures the Professional Medical Assistant program meets the professional, ethical, and quality standards of healthcare education. “ABHES enhances the quality of education and training and promotes institutional and programmatic accountability through systematic and consistent program evaluation. Its key is to assure the quality of the programs it accredits and assist in the improvement of the programs. This quality determination is accomplished by rigorous and systematic evaluation based on valid standards.” Retrieved from ABHES website, www.abhes.org.
Accreditation by ABHES allows graduates of certain programs to meet eligibility requirements for credentialing examinations administered by various recognized certifying agencies.
Admissions
By completing Kino College’s 9-month medical assistant program, you will feel more confident in applying for medical assistant positions and increase your likelihood of being hired. Even though medical assistant certification is not required in Arizona, Kino College prepares you for the NHA’s Certified Clinical Medical Assistant national certification—allowing you to work as a medical assistant in any state, especially those states that require certification for employment.
Simply call our admissions office or submit the below form to get started today. Our admissions representative will contact you personally to discuss entrance requirements, program details, and your career goals. We’re with you every step of the way, starting with our first enrollment conversation.
Applicants must have a highschool diplioma or recognized equivalent, like a General Education Development Certificate (GED). Kino College will make a reasonable effort to confirm applicant education backgrounds.
Kino College does offer provisional admittance for high school students who have completed a majority of their education and are expected to graduate. Visit our admissions requirements page to learn more about the application process and see the full list of requirements.
Yes. Kino College participates in both Federal and non-Federal programs and offers Federal Financial Student Aid to qualified applicants. For students who do not qualify for Federal Student Financial Aid Kino College offers in-house financing options.
As an accredited program, Kino College accepts Title IV Federal Student Aid from qualified applicants. Visit Paying for School to learn more about your financial assistance options.
Kino College prepares you for the NHA’s Certified Clinical Medical Assistant national certification. The exam is administered onsite, and you receive your results immediately. National certification allows you to work anywhere in the United States, including states that require certification for employment.
Certification is not required to be a medical assistant in Arizona. Many large medical employers require certification, however. Certification can result in higher salaries and increased opportunities. Certification allows you to use your medical assistant training outside of Arizona.
Kino College students and graduates are eligible to become certified medical assistants, e.g., National Healthcare Association (CCMA), NCCT (NCMA), California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA) and others.
Kino College strongly encourages it’s graduates to become certified.
Medical Assistant Program Costs
We are committed to making education affordable, our financial aid team works to ensure you can be successful and achieve your goals as a potential Kino College student. We carefully consider each item that goes into the total enrollment amount and ensure we remain competitive with nearby options.
- Tuition & Fees
- Books and supplies (textbooks, stethoscope, practice exams, practice modules, etc.)
- Uniform (two pairs of scrubs)
- Laboratory
Students may need to consider logistical expenses or the cost of required immunizations (if someone is not fully immunized), interest and late fees for delayed payments, transportation to clinical externship sites in the greater Tucson area, and the optional certification exam. Certain clinical externship sites may charge additional fees (e.g., parking) and may require the extern to have medical insurance.
Certification is not required to work as a Medical Assistant in the State of Arizona. Accordingly, the cost of the certification exam is not included the program cost.
Yes, simply advise your admissions representative you wish to purchase your own books and/or supplies to be provided with the necessary information. Credit may be applied to your fees. Keep in mind, books and supplies are included in your tuition costs to make enrollment hassle free.
This singular focus allows us to provide the highest quality education possible. The United States Department of Labor Statistics has identified Medical Assisting as one of the top 10 fastest growing professions over the next 10 years. Jobs in this field are projected to exceed the number of available medical assistants. Accordingly, Kino College focuses solely on preparing Medical Assistants for a rewarding career in today’s healthcare industry.
For complete information on current tuition and costs please refer to the academic catalog.
Classroom and Curriculum
While certification isn't legally mandated to practice in Arizona, earning your credential vastly increases your job market competitiveness and hiring appeal to top healthcare employers. Passing the exam also grants you a portable, national certification recognized in all 50 states, ensuring you can take your career anywhere you choose to move.
If you want to step into a rewarding healthcare career in just 9 months without any prior medical experience, this program is designed to get you job-ready quickly. With flexible morning, evening, and weekend class schedules alongside personalized financial planning assistance, we make it simple to balance your training with your busy life.
Medical assistants enjoy a fast-paced, dynamic routine that splits time between clinical patient care and essential administrative tasks. On any given shift, you'll be cross-trained to greet patients, take vital signs, update electronic medical records, prepare treatment rooms, and assist physicians directly with examinations or procedures. You can also specialize in subfields like geriatrics, pediatrics, surgical, oncology, and more if you want to spend more time with a specific set of tasks and patient populations.
The profession is booming, with national employment projected to grow a swift 12% through 2034, tracking much faster than the average occupation. Locally, the future is even brighter for graduates, as Arizona is expecting a massive 34% increase in medical assistant jobs to support the state's rapidly growing and aging population.
Kino College is Accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.
Kino College | 1980 W Hospital Drive, Suite 202, Tucson, AZ 85704 | (520) 202-2737
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