Launch your career in a high-demand health care occupation. Medical assistants help health care providers deliver patient care by performing a variety of clinical and administrative procedures.
medical assisting
The UAA Medical Assisting program offers an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Medical Assisting, Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) in Medical Assisting, as well as preparation for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) examination, and an OEC in Medical Office Coding. Students will build the skills to become a versatile entry-level medical assistant. Students learn to perform clinical procedures such as drawing blood and removing sutures, as well as administrative tasks such as medical coding and preparing financial reports. They will also build communication skills for working with patients and health care providers.
Medical assistants are multi-skilled allied health professionals who work primarily in ambulatory settings such as medical offices and clinics. The responsibilities of medical assistants vary, depending on whether they work in a clinic, hospital, large group practice, or small private office.
Medical assistants work under the supervision of physicians in their offices or other medical settings. Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical duties to help the health care delivery setting run smoothly. They answer telephones, greet patients, fill out insurance forms, schedule appointments, prepare and maintain medical records, and manage practice finances. The clinical duties of a medical assistant may include taking patient histories and vital signs, preparing patients for procedures, collecting and processing specimens, and preparing and administering medications as directed by the physician.
WHY CHOOSE medical assisting AT UAA?
Alumni satisfaction rate of 100% according to the 2023 UAA Medical Assisting Annual Report Form.
An in-demand job field with a 100% job placement rate, according to the 2023 UAA Medical Assisting Annual Report Form, and strong potential for future occupational growth.
Learn from experienced healthcare professionals, such as UAA alumni and other allied health professionals who support you in and out of the classroom.
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board.
NEWS & Stories
In January 2026, students from the College of Health showcased their public health research at the Alaska Public Health Association Summit’s annual poster session. Their projects spanned topics ranging from food security to environmental contamination, contributing valuable insights that help shape the evolving conversation around Alaska’s public health landscape.
Almost half of UAA students have experienced food insecurity. UAA offers several resources to combat hunger and food insecurity, including the Seawolf Food Pantry, which supplies non-perishable foods, as well as three-day emergency food support.
Dr. Corrie Whitmore, an associate professor in the Division of Population Health Sciences, and her team at UAA’s Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services are celebrating the recent publication of a new article. The paper, which was published in the Dec. 2025 issue of Nursing for Women’s Health, offers a framework and actionable strategies for nurses to improve communication and patient experience in discussions around substance use and contraception.
School of Social Work Assistant Professor Amana Mbise and ISER Research Assistant Professor Nathan West are exploring the relationships that Black barbershops play in men's health. Their community-based research prioritizes the lived experiences of the men they talk to, and is revealing how barbershops function not just as grooming spaces, but as social and cultural hubs.
As a neonatal nurse practitioner at Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital and adjunct faculty member for the UAA School of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice alumna and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the fall Class of 2025 Stacy Brunquist weaves education into everything she does — training new caregivers, guiding parents learning to care for their newborns, and sharing knowledge with professionals from Utqiaġvik to Sitka.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Contact Us
Phone: (907) 786-4346
Email: uaa_medicalassisting@alaska.edu
UAA School of Allied Health
Allied Health Sciences Building
3500 Seawolf Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Mailing Address
UAA Medical Assisting
3211 Providence Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
