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🏥 The Golden State

Medical Assistant Training in California

Free online training • 18,500+ job openings • $42K average salary

18,500+

Job Openings

$42K

Avg Salary

8%

Job Growth

39.0M

Population

Start free with EHired Open Access Education. Build real-world clinical skills—vital signs, patient intake, infection control, fundamental and EKG overviews—then explore externships, jobs, and, upon completing requirements, the ability to challenge the AMCA Clinical Medical Assistant (CMAC) certification.

Enroll Free View Curriculum
✓ Free enrollment + self-paced
✓ Job & externship resources
✓ Mobile-friendly learning
✓ AMCA CMAC challenge support

Who this training is for

Ideal for candidates with prior clinical experience who want a structured path to AMCA certification without repeating basics they already know.

New to healthcare? You're welcome to enroll, but be aware: if you have no prior clinical experience, you must complete a Self-Managed 100-Hour Externship on your own to satisfy the program's practical component and prepare for the certification exam.

⚠️ Externship Disclaimer

EHired does NOT place, arrange, or supervise externships. All externships are self-managed. You are responsible for identifying and securing your own externship site. EHired provides California-specific resources to help you find opportunities, but placement is not guaranteed.

Open Access = Zero Tuition

EHired removes tuition barriers so you can explore healthcare training free. Pay only if you choose to register for a third-party certification exam.

Skills First, Not Just Test Prep

Train for real clinical workflows. When ready, you can challenge the AMCA CMAC certification once you complete requirements—our course is not presented merely as test prep.

Externships & Jobs

Use our state resources to identify externship options and entry-level roles while you study, so you can build experience.

California Medical Assistant Salary & Career Ladder

Medical Assistant is your entry point into healthcare. From here, you can advance to nursing, PA, or even medical school.

Entry Point

Medical Assistant

$42K

$35K - $58K

Next Step

LPN / RN

$95K

$75K - $125K

Advanced

BSN / MSN

$120K

$95K - $155K

Top Tier

PA / NP

$145K

$125K - $175K

California has the most nursing and PA programs in the nation. UC system schools (UCLA, UCSF, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Irvine) offer elite nursing, PA, and medical programs. CSU system has 23 campuses with nursing programs. Stanford, USC, and Loma Linda add private options. Community colleges offer affordable entry to nursing. MA experience highly valued for competitive admissions.

What You'll Learn

Our Medical Assistant curriculum prepares you for the AMCA Clinical Medical Assistant Coordinator (CMAC) certification exam.

1Patient Care Fundamentals

  • • Patient intake and registration
  • • Vital signs measurement (BP, pulse, temp, resp)
  • • Medical history documentation
  • • Patient positioning and preparation

2Clinical Procedures

  • • EKG/ECG basics
  • • Specimen collection
  • • Basic wound care
  • • Assisting with examinations

3Medical Knowledge

  • • Medical terminology
  • • Anatomy and physiology basics
  • • Pharmacology fundamentals
  • • Disease processes overview

4Administrative Skills

  • • Electronic Health Records (EHR)
  • • Appointment scheduling
  • • Insurance and billing basics
  • • Medical office procedures

5Safety & Compliance

  • • HIPAA compliance
  • • Infection control
  • • OSHA standards
  • • Medical ethics

6Professional Skills

  • • Patient communication
  • • Team collaboration
  • • Time management
  • • Professional demeanor

🎓 Certification Pathway

Upon completing your training, you'll be prepared to challenge the AMCA Clinical Medical Assistant Coordinator (CMAC) certification exam — a nationally recognized credential accepted by employers in California and across all 50 states.

Top California Employers Hiring Medical Assistants

These healthcare organizations actively recruit certified Medical Assistants

Kaiser Permanente

Integrated Health System

1 Kaiser Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612

California's healthcare giant. Integrated model with own hospitals, clinics, and insurance. Massive MA employer across Northern and Southern California.

Sutter Health

Health System

2200 River Plaza Dr, Sacramento, CA 95833

Major Northern California health system. Sutter hospitals and Palo Alto Medical Foundation clinics. Extensive ambulatory MA opportunities.

Dignity Health

Health System

185 Berry St, San Francisco, CA 94107

CommonSpirit Health affiliate. Major presence in Bay Area, Sacramento, and Southern California. Multiple hospital and ambulatory sites.

UCLA Health

Academic Medical Center

757 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Top-ranked UCLA Medical Center and Santa Monica hospital. Extensive ambulatory network across LA. Premium MA employer.

Cedars-Sinai

Academic Medical Center

8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

LA's premier hospital. Celebrity healthcare with academic mission. West LA and Valley ambulatory sites.

Stanford Health Care

Academic Medical Center

300 Pasteur Dr, Stanford, CA 94305

Elite Stanford Hospital and clinics. Bay Area presence with premium compensation. Highly competitive.

UCSF Health

Academic Medical Center

500 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143

UC San Francisco Medical Center is top-ranked. Mission Bay and Parnassus campuses. Research-focused environment.

Providence Southern California

Health System

501 S Buena Vista St, Burbank, CA 91505

Providence operates hospitals across LA, Orange County, and Inland Empire. Extensive ambulatory network.

Sharp HealthCare

Health System

8695 Spectrum Center Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123

San Diego's largest health system. Multiple hospitals and ambulatory sites throughout San Diego County.

CityMD/Summit Health

Urgent Care Chain

Various CA Locations

Growing urgent care presence in California. High-volume MA positions with varied patient encounters.

California Success Stories

“Kaiser is its own world - they run everything. Great benefits, union representation, and clear advancement paths. Started at $22/hour.”

Maria R.

Kaiser Permanente Career

Los Angeles

Kaiser LA

“Stanford is elite and competitive but they hired me. The pay is highest I've seen - I needed it for Bay Area rent. Worth it.”

James T.

Stanford Health Care

Bay Area

Stanford Premium Pay

“UCLA Medical Center is top-ranked. Working alongside residents and fellows accelerated my learning. Now applying to nursing school.”

Samantha K.

UCLA Health Experience

Westwood

UCLA to Nursing

“Sharp HealthCare dominates San Diego. Perfect weather, beach lifestyle, and solid MA career. California salaries offset the cost of living.”

David L.

San Diego Lifestyle

San Diego

Sharp HealthCare

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Medical Assistant training really free in California?
Yes. EHired offers free MA training to all California residents. You pay nothing to enroll or learn — no credit card, no FAFSA, no cosigners, no loans. The only payment is $1,500 when you feel ready and only if you wish to pursue AMCA MA certification.
How much do Medical Assistants make in California?
California Medical Assistants earn $42K on average. Entry-level positions start around $35K, with experienced MAs earning up to $58K. The career ladder extends to LPN/RN ($95K), BSN/MSN ($120K), PA ($145K), and MD/DO ($220K+).
Do I need clinical experience to start MA training?
No prior experience is required to enroll. However, if you are new to healthcare, you must complete a Self-Managed 100-Hour Externship to build hands-on clinical confidence. EHired does not arrange externships — students are responsible for securing their own clinical experiences.
How do externships work for MA training?
All externships are self-managed. EHired does NOT arrange, monitor, or manage student externships. If you're new to healthcare, you'll need to complete 100 hours of clinical experience. EHired provides California-specific resources to help identify externship opportunities at physician offices, clinics, and urgent care centers.
What is the job outlook for Medical Assistants in California?
Strong. Medical Assistant positions are projected to grow 8% through 2034. California has 18,500+ current MA job openings. Healthcare is recession-resistant with consistent demand across physician practices, clinics, urgent care centers, and hospital outpatient departments.
Can I advance from MA to higher healthcare roles in California?
California has the most nursing and PA programs in the nation. UC system schools (UCLA, UCSF, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Irvine) offer elite nursing, PA, and medical programs. CSU system has 23 campuses with nursing programs. Stanford, USC, and Loma Linda add private options. Community colleges offer affordable entry to nursing. MA experience highly valued for competitive admissions.
What does a Medical Assistant do?
CMAs support healthcare providers with patient intake, vital signs, medical history documentation, assisting with examinations, basic wound care, specimen collection, EKG procedures, medication administration (non-IV), and front-office coordination. Duties vary by setting — physician offices, urgent care, specialty clinics, and hospital outpatient departments.

Start Your Medical Assistant Career in California

Free training • Self-paced online • AMCA certification pathway • 18,500+ job openings

$0

Training Cost

Self-Paced

Learn Anytime

100%

Online

Enroll Free Today

No credit card required. No FAFSA. No cosigners. No loans.

Important: EHired provides free online training for the AMCA CMAC certification exam. Externship placement is the student's responsibility. EHired does not guarantee job placement. Salary and job opening data are estimates based on BLS, ZipRecruiter, and state workforce data; actual figures vary.