Medical Assistant Education Program
Inspired by providing compassionate care and serving others? Want to develop meaningful relationships with providers and patients? Our program trains you for a Medical Assistant (MA) career at IU Health. It is fully paid and tuition-free.
About Medical Assistants
Our medical assistant team cares directly for patients in outpatient settings. As a critical care team member, you will partner with physicians and advanced practice providers to deliver the highest level of care for our patients.
What do medical assistants do?
Medical assistants perform a combination of duties that can include:
- Taking patient information and medical histories.
- Performing vital signs
- Educating and instructing patients on proper usage of medications and procedures.
- Phlebotomy and collecting non-blood specimens.
- Performing 12 lead EKGs.
- Assisting with medical examinations and procedures.
- Performing various injections and administering medications.
- Performing patient registration and scheduling activities.
Realistic Job Preview: Medical Assistant
Learn about what it's like to be a medical assistant at IU Health:
The Medical Assistant Education Program is nine weeks long. It includes a mixture of online learning, virtual and in-person classes, a hands-on skills lab, and clinical practicum hours. Once a week for 7 weeks, all trainees will attend an 8-hour, in-person class in Indianapolis at the Ruth Lilly Center.
Clinical practicum hours will begin during the second week of the program. We will assign each trainee to a practice location within their region. To complete the program, trainees must complete all required hours; receive satisfactory performance in the didactic, skills lab, and clinical practicum; and pass a certified clinical medical assistant exam.
Duration of Program
Our accelerated program runs 40 hours a week for 9 weeks. It includes a 7-week classroom session with an integrated 8-week clinical practicum. In total, you will have 140 hours of classroom hours and at least 160 hours of clinical practicum. Typical hours will be 8 am - 4:30 pm.
Example Program Schedule
Week 1
- Monday: New hire orientation
- Tuesday: Virtual class
- Wednesday: Virtual class
- Thursday: Virtual class
- Friday: In-person class and skills lab
Weeks 2-6
- Monday: Additional skills time/virtual class
- Tuesday: Clinical/virtual class
- Wednesday: Clinical/virtual class
- Thursday: In-person class and skills lab
- Friday: Clinical
Week 7
- Monday: Additional skills time or clinical
- Tuesday: Clinical
- Wednesday: Clinical
- Thursday: In-person class and skills lab
- Friday: Clinical
Weeks 8-9
- Monday: Clinical
- Tuesday: Clinical
- Wednesday: Clinical
- Thursday: Clinical
- Friday: Clinical
Cost
IU Health will offer all accepted applicants a medical assistant trainee full-time position. IU Health is investing in team member growth and development by reducing the financial burden by paying for the "tuition" and our team members’ hours to complete this program.
Trainees who join the program will sign a work agreement. This agreement ensures that they will continue working as a certified medical assistant for one year after completing the program.
Trainees who are accepted must purchase the required scrubs, a stethoscope and an online textbook ($140).
Requirements/Prerequisites
- Be at least 18 years of age by the start of the program.
- High school diploma or equivalency.
- A United States citizen or possess a permanent resident card.
- Qualify as a benefits-eligible team member.
- Pass a required background check and drug screen after acceptance
For current IU Health team members, they must:
- Be an IU Health team member for at least six months.
- Be in good standing, which includes:
- Has not received a corrective action Level III within the last six months.
- Has not received a level 2 Attendance Warning or conversation within the last six months.
- Has not received an overall performance rating of “partially meets” or “does not meet” within the last six months.
- Be a full- or part-time team member. Part-time team members need to be prepared to work full-time when the program starts. This means working 40 hours a week, from Monday to Friday.
Course Information
The Medical Assistant Education Program courses include:
- Medical Assistant Profession
- Anatomy & Physiology with Medical Terminology
- Assisting in Clinic
- Skills Lab
- Medical Assistant Clinical Practicum.
All trainees must meet technical and physical standards. More information and details can be found in the Medical Assistant Trainee Booklet (PDF).
Program Details
The Medical Assistant Education Program is nine weeks long. It includes a mixture of online learning, virtual and in-person classes, a hands-on skills lab, and clinical practicum hours. Once a week for 7 weeks, all trainees will attend an 8-hour, in-person class in Indianapolis at the Ruth Lilly Center.
Clinical practicum hours will begin during the second week of the program. We will assign each trainee to a practice location within their region. To complete the program, trainees must complete all required hours; receive satisfactory performance in the didactic, skills lab, and clinical practicum; and pass a certified clinical medical assistant exam.
Duration of Program
Our accelerated program runs 40 hours a week for 9 weeks. It includes a 7-week classroom session with an integrated 8-week clinical practicum. In total, you will have 140 hours of classroom hours and at least 160 hours of clinical practicum. Typical hours will be 8 am - 4:30 pm.
Example Program Schedule
Week 1
- Monday: New hire orientation
- Tuesday: Virtual class
- Wednesday: Virtual class
- Thursday: Virtual class
- Friday: In-person class and skills lab
Weeks 2-6
- Monday: Additional skills time/virtual class
- Tuesday: Clinical/virtual class
- Wednesday: Clinical/virtual class
- Thursday: In-person class and skills lab
- Friday: Clinical
Week 7
- Monday: Additional skills time or clinical
- Tuesday: Clinical
- Wednesday: Clinical
- Thursday: In-person class and skills lab
- Friday: Clinical
Weeks 8-9
- Monday: Clinical
- Tuesday: Clinical
- Wednesday: Clinical
- Thursday: Clinical
- Friday: Clinical
Cost
IU Health will offer all accepted applicants a medical assistant trainee full-time position. IU Health is investing in team member growth and development by reducing the financial burden by paying for the "tuition" and our team members’ hours to complete this program.
Trainees who join the program will sign a work agreement. This agreement ensures that they will continue working as a certified medical assistant for one year after completing the program.
Trainees who are accepted must purchase the required scrubs, a stethoscope and an online textbook ($140).
Requirements/Prerequisites
- Be at least 18 years of age by the start of the program.
- High school diploma or equivalency.
- A United States citizen or possess a permanent resident card.
- Qualify as a benefits-eligible team member.
- Pass a required background check and drug screen after acceptance
For current IU Health team members, they must:
- Be an IU Health team member for at least six months.
- Be in good standing, which includes:
- Has not received a corrective action Level III within the last six months.
- Has not received a level 2 Attendance Warning or conversation within the last six months.
- Has not received an overall performance rating of “partially meets” or “does not meet” within the last six months.
- Be a full- or part-time team member. Part-time team members need to be prepared to work full-time when the program starts. This means working 40 hours a week, from Monday to Friday.
Course Information
The Medical Assistant Education Program courses include:
- Medical Assistant Profession
- Anatomy & Physiology with Medical Terminology
- Assisting in Clinic
- Skills Lab
- Medical Assistant Clinical Practicum.
All trainees must meet technical and physical standards. More information and details can be found in the Medical Assistant Trainee Booklet (PDF).
January 2025 Cohort 5
- Application process: CLOSED
- Selection and interview process: October 7 - November 2, 2024
- Education program start date: January 13, 2025
- Graduation: March 14, 2025
April 2025 Cohort 6
- Application process opens: December 27, 2024
- Selection and interview process: January 5 – February 3, 2025
- Education program start date: April 7, 2025
- Graduation: June 6, 2025
July 2025 Cohort 7
- Application process opens: March 28, 2025
- Selection and interview process: April 7 - May 2, 2025
- Education program start date: July 14, 2025
- Graduation: September 12, 2025
Oct 2025 Cohort 8
- Application process opens: June 27, 2025
- Selection and interview process: July 6- August 1, 2025
- Education program start date: October 6, 2025
- Graduation: December 12, 2025
When the application process opens, search for Medical Assistant Trainee on the IU Health Careers page. Apply to the position located in the area you would like to work once you have completed the program.
Application Timeline
January 2025 Cohort 5
- Application process: CLOSED
- Selection and interview process: October 7 - November 2, 2024
- Education program start date: January 13, 2025
- Graduation: March 14, 2025
April 2025 Cohort 6
- Application process opens: December 27, 2024
- Selection and interview process: January 5 – February 3, 2025
- Education program start date: April 7, 2025
- Graduation: June 6, 2025
July 2025 Cohort 7
- Application process opens: March 28, 2025
- Selection and interview process: April 7 - May 2, 2025
- Education program start date: July 14, 2025
- Graduation: September 12, 2025
Oct 2025 Cohort 8
- Application process opens: June 27, 2025
- Selection and interview process: July 6- August 1, 2025
- Education program start date: October 6, 2025
- Graduation: December 12, 2025
When the application process opens, search for Medical Assistant Trainee on the IU Health Careers page. Apply to the position located in the area you would like to work once you have completed the program.
Future educations sessions will start at the beginning of January, April, June, and October. Please download the program booklet (PDF) for additional information.
Contact information
For general questions regarding the application process or specific questions about the program, contact the program team at MAEdProgram@iuhealth.org.
Contact
Future educations sessions will start at the beginning of January, April, June, and October. Please download the program booklet (PDF) for additional information.
Contact information
For general questions regarding the application process or specific questions about the program, contact the program team at MAEdProgram@iuhealth.org.
