Why ODU for an online certified medical assistant program?

Our Certified Medical Assistant Program prepares you for a rewarding career in healthcare in just five months. It provides a strong foundation in clinical skills and patient care, combining online coursework with hands-on clinical experience.

You will gain expertise in essential healthcare practices while preparing for three nationally recognized certifications: Clinical Medical Assistant, EKG Technician, and Phlebotomy Technician.

ODU can also help you gain real-world experience through supervised clinical training, ensuring you are workforce-ready.

When you complete the program, you will be prepared to sit for National Healthcareer Association exams and begin your career in one of the nation’s fastest-growing fields.

We've partnered with the Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority to make this opportunity more accessible! If you're ready to start your healthcare career, NRHA will cover the program tuition fee for eligible NRHA residents who enroll and are accepted into the Fall 2025 cohort.

APPLY NOW

Application deadline: Thursday, August 28, 2025

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ODU offers a 16-week program in the comfort of your own home at whatever hour of the day you choose. During those 16 weeks, you will learn how to become a Medical Assistant, EKG Technician, and a Phlebotomist. Yes, that's 3 different certifications.

Laurel Pope
MSN, RN, Lead CMA Instructor
Play Laurel Brinkley, MSN, RN, smiling for a portrait photo (Continuing Education, Practical Nursing Lead Faculty, Certified Medical Assistant Instructor)

Program Information

Applicants must meet the following requirements and provide supporting documentation. Transcripts and additional materials can be uploaded with the application or emailed to Christine Matthews at ccmatthe@odu.edu.

  • Criminal Background Check – ODU Continuing Education will conduct a basic local background check. If a more in-depth background check is needed, the student will be notified of any associated costs.
  • Age Requirement – Must be 18+ years old (or 17 and a high school senior or graduate).
  • Identification – Copy of the front and back of a driver’s license or a valid photo ID.
  • Attend Mandatory Information Session - NRHA residents must attend a mandatory information session.
  • Attend Mandatory Orientation – Date will be given once we have received your application.
  • Education Verification – Transcript from high school, GED program, or college/university.
  • Professional Certifications (if applicable) – Copies of any current professional licenses or certifications related to CMA or nursing.
  • Immunization Records (including the following):
    • Hepatitis B (3-shot series as a child or 2-shot series as an adult)
    • PPD (2-step test within the past 60 days)
    • Varicella (2-shot series)
    • MMR (2-shot series)
    • DTaP (vaccine)
    • Influenza vaccine or signed declination form
    • COVID-19 vaccine (2-shot series)
    • Medical and religious exemptions are at the discretion of the clinical facility. A declination form must be submitted to ODU Continuing Education for verification.

Prerequisites for Externship

  • Drug Screening Requirement – One of our externship locations requires students to complete a drug screen at a designated location at their own expense. If assigned to this location, the instructor will provide specific instructions. Drug screens are required 30 days prior to the start of clinical, depending on the clinical facility requirements. The facility will provide the lab location. The student will be responsible for the fee.
  • If placed at a different location, students must still complete a drug screening at their own expense at a location of their choosing. Important: Students should wait for instructor guidance before completing this step to avoid additional costs.
  • Current CPR and First Aid Certificate

Start your healthcare career in just five months with our Certified Medical Assistant Program. Enroll today and prepare for three in-demand certifications.

Fall 2025

Application Deadline: Thursday, August 28, 2025
Mandatory Orientation: TBD
Class Dates: September 08, 2025, to February 13, 2026
Externship Dates: January 05, 2026, to February 13, 2026

APPLY NOW

Access course materials 100% online and study from any location. Your courses are fully asynchronous. 

Please note that while you have the flexibility to manage your time, all assignments and activities must be completed by the set due dates. This structure ensures that you stay on track while enjoying the benefits of a personalized learning experience.

An externship is required to complete your certification. The Externship will consist of 80-hours of in-person training.

Applicants must meet the following requirements and provide supporting documentation. Transcripts and additional materials can be uploaded with the application or emailed to Christine Matthews at ccmatthe@odu.edu.

  • Criminal Background Check – ODU Continuing Education will conduct a basic local background check. If a more in-depth background check is needed, the student will be notified of any associated costs.
  • Age Requirement – Must be 18+ years old (or 17 and a high school senior or graduate).
  • Identification – Copy of the front and back of a driver’s license or a valid photo ID.
  • Attend Mandatory Information Session - NRHA residents must attend a mandatory information session.
  • Attend Mandatory Orientation – Date will be given once we have received your application.
  • Education Verification – Transcript from high school, GED program, or college/university.
  • Professional Certifications (if applicable) – Copies of any current professional licenses or certifications related to CMA or nursing.
  • Immunization Records (including the following):
    • Hepatitis B (3-shot series as a child or 2-shot series as an adult)
    • PPD (2-step test within the past 60 days)
    • Varicella (2-shot series)
    • MMR (2-shot series)
    • DTaP (vaccine)
    • Influenza vaccine or signed declination form
    • COVID-19 vaccine (2-shot series)
    • Medical and religious exemptions are at the discretion of the clinical facility. A declination form must be submitted to ODU Continuing Education for verification.

Prerequisites for Externship

  • Drug Screening Requirement – One of our externship locations requires students to complete a drug screen at a designated location at their own expense. If assigned to this location, the instructor will provide specific instructions. Drug screens are required 30 days prior to the start of clinical, depending on the clinical facility requirements. The facility will provide the lab location. The student will be responsible for the fee.
  • If placed at a different location, students must still complete a drug screening at their own expense at a location of their choosing. Important: Students should wait for instructor guidance before completing this step to avoid additional costs.
  • Current CPR and First Aid Certificate

Start your healthcare career in just five months with our Certified Medical Assistant Program. Enroll today and prepare for three in-demand certifications.

Fall 2025

Application Deadline: Thursday, August 28, 2025
Mandatory Orientation: TBD
Class Dates: September 08, 2025, to February 13, 2026
Externship Dates: January 05, 2026, to February 13, 2026

APPLY NOW

Access course materials 100% online and study from any location. Your courses are fully asynchronous. 

Please note that while you have the flexibility to manage your time, all assignments and activities must be completed by the set due dates. This structure ensures that you stay on track while enjoying the benefits of a personalized learning experience.

An externship is required to complete your certification. The Externship will consist of 80-hours of in-person training.

Program Certifications

Medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative duties and assist a variety of providers including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. You will learn how to complete common duties of a medical assistant include administrative and clinical tasks like:

  • Checking patients in and out upon arrival and departure
  • Answering phone calls and questions
  • Assisting providers with exams and procedures
  • Administering injections or medications
  • Working in the electronic health record (EHR)
  • Performing EKG, phlebotomy, and laboratory procedures
  • Taking patient vital signs

As an EKG Technician you may perform some or all of the following tasks:

  • Set up and administer EKGs (electrocardiograms) and stress tests
  • Prepare patients for Holter or ambulatory monitoring
  • Edit and deliver final test results to physicians for analysis
  • Schedule appointments
  • Transcribe physicians' interpretations

As a Phlebotomy Technician, you may perform some or all of the following tasks:

  • Draw blood from patients and blood donors
  • Evaluate patients' ability to withstand procedure
  • Explain blood-drawing procedure to patients and answer questions
  • Perform basic point of care testing, such as blood glucose levels
  • Prepare blood, urine, and other specimens for testing
  • Verify patient/donor identity
  • Maintain medical equipment such as needles, test tubes and blood vials

Eligible for ODU Undergraduate Credit

Students who are admitted and enrolled in an ODU undergraduate degree program are eligible for (11) 300-level CPD elective credits upon completion of this program.

Explore CPD Elective Credits Program

Cost & Aid

A nurse smiles confidently at the camera in the hallway of a busy medical clinic.
Calculating Cost
$4999

Continuing Education can accept payments for courses in several different forms. ODU's helpful staff can assist you in determining if you might qualify for any number of various funding options that could assist you with non-credit continuing educational opportunities to improve your marketability and advance your career.

Explore Continuing Education Financial Information

Includes Workbook, Class Materials, Credential Exams, and Externship Support

Payment plan available: $1,550 down, with monthly payment plan no longer than 5 months. Contact our office for details.

Student sits in a coffee shop on laptop while listening in to a lecture
Refund Policy

To withdraw from this course, you must send a request in writing to cepd@odu.edu seven days prior to the class start date and before starting the course. Failure to attend a course does not constitute withdrawal. Course registration fees, less a $100 processing fee, will be refunded back to your original form of payment. There are no refunds once you have logged in and the class has begun.

Careers in Certified Medical Assisting

Our graduates pursue careers as medical assistants, clinical assistants, patient coordinators, and healthcare administrative specialists, supporting doctors and nurses with both clinical and administrative tasks.

Patient Representatives
Growth
7.0%
Median Salary
$47,470
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Growth
5.4%
Median Salary
$40,640
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
Growth
5.6%
Median Salary
$44,490
Contact Continuing Education
Phone: 757-683-5650
Email: cepd@odu.edu
Address: 1105 Student Success Center, Norfolk, VA 23529