You must be:

1. At least 18 years of age.
2. Have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent.

Foreign Diplomas must be evaluated for U.S equivalency. For more information go to Academic Evaluation Services.  

No felony/certain misdemeanor convictions on record. 

Payment plans are offered through CalRegional. During the enrollment process, you will make a deposit to secure your place in a class. The remaining balance of the program fee can be spread over 5 to 8 months depending on the length of the program. A credit card or debit card is required to set up automatic reoccurring monthly payments. For more information, contact CalRegional. 

You will have to purchase and wear navy blue scrubs (tops and bottoms) at all times. Scrubs can be purchased at Walmart, Target or a uniform store of your choice. Footwear should be clean, preferably white and close-toed. Clean, neat, white athletic shoes are also acceptable. 

For the Medical Assistant program, you will need a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. They can be purchased together in a kit at http://rec.amsuniforms.com/bloodpressureandstethoscopekit.aspx

Books are sold separately. You can purchase books online at one of the links below.

Medical Assisting 

1.    Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Competencies 8th Edition

Phlebotomy 

1.    Phlebotomy Essentials Textbook 6th Edition
2.    Phlebotomy Essentials Workbook 6th Edition
3.    Phlebotomy Exam Review 6th Edition

Pharmacy Technician 

1.    Mosby’s Pharmacy Technician, 4th Edition
2.    Workbook and Lab Manual for Mosby's Pharmacy Technician, 4th Edition

An Externship is a learning opportunity that allows students to practice skills that they have learned while in class in a professional environment. Externships are unpaid and are generally full-time, Monday – Friday. For more information on extersnhips, check out the blog post "Externship - What is it Exactly". 

In order to be placed in extersnhip, you must:

1. Successfully complete the classroom portion of the program
2. Meet the financial obligations according to your enrollment and payment plan agreements
3. Complete the required externhip prerequisites

You are required to provide the following documents to your instructor by the end of the 5th week of class. Priority placement is given to students who complete their externship prerequisites on time.

1. Background Check and Drug Screening
2. Immunizations including
   • Hepatitis B
   • Measles/Mumps, Rubella
   • Varicella
   • Tuberculosis (PPD-Skin/Chest x-ray, within the last 12 months)
   • Tetanus/Diphtheria
   • Influenza Vaccine (required during flu season)
3. Current BLS (Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers) - Included in program fee
4. Resume

The Externship Booklet is your guide to successfully complete externship. Bring your Externship Booklet with you to class and to externship. Click on a link below to download an Externship Booklet.

• Medical Assistant 
• Phlebotomy Technician
• Pharmacy Technician

Certification exams are provided by the National Center for Competency Testing "NCCT". Questions regarding test scheduling or exam results should be directed to NCCT at (800) 875-4404.

For the Phlebotomy program, you can sign up for the NCCT exam immediately after passing the class. For the Clinical Medical Assistant program, you must complete your externship and receive your certificate prior to signing up for the NCCT exam. 

To sign up for the exam, go to the website http://www.ncctinc.com/certifications and click on Phlebotomy Technician or Medical Assistant and follow the instructions.

For more detailed instructions, please view the link Scheduling Your Exam.

Your tuition includes one certification exam attempt. To receive the exam at no charge, you must have a school test site code and a current billing code when registering. The name of the school and associated test site codes are listed below. Contact CalRegional at (800) 927-5159 for a current billing code. Billing codes change frequently and it is the student’s responsibility to make sure they have the most up-to-date code.

 

School Name	Test Site Code	Billing Code
Sierra College	53558	Contact CalRegional
El Centro AS	51227	Contact CalRegional
Hanford AS	55070	Contact CalRegional
Murrieta AS	55096	Contact CalRegional
Yuba College	53558	Contact CalRegional
Vallejo AS	55769	Contact CalRegional
Fairfield AS	55769	Contact CalRegional
Napa AS	55769	Contact CalRegional
Petaluma AS	55769	Contact CalRegional

Please note:
•    If you use the wrong billing code or pay for the exam yourself, you will not be reimbursed. 
•    If you fail the NCCT the first time, you must pay for all subsequent attempts and fees. 

Exam Day:
Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your exam time. You are only permitted to bring your car keys and ID into the exam room.  The proctor will not delay the start of the exam to accommodate late candidates. You may reschedule for a different date if necessary. A rescheduling fee may apply.

License:
You should receive your license in the mail 2-3 weeks after you pass the exam. If you receive any correspondence from the NCCT requesting high school documents or training forms, please disregard it. The only documentation required for the NCCT to issue your license is your certificate from the school.

To work as a Phlebotomist in California, you must pass at least one of several examinations administered by an LFS approved testing organization and submit your test scores, certificate and externship documentation (included in your training) to LFS for approval and licensure.
 

To receive your national license, you must:

1. Pass the certification exam administered by the National Center for Competency Testing "NCCT". If you have not scheduled your exam, see the section above titled "NCCT - Scheduling Your Exam".
2. Once you have taken and passed the NCCT Exam – you should receive your NCCT Certificate in the next 2-3 weeks. (NOTE: If you receive any correspondence from the NCCT requesting high school documents or training forms, please disregard it! The only documentation required  to issue your license is your certificate, which has already been sent.)

To receive your state license, you must:

1. Wait for your NCCT Certificate to arrive in the mail.
2. Go to https://accountportal.cdph.ca.gov/Default.aspx, register for an account, and complete the application. Select “CPT 1” when prompted. The non-refundable application fee is $100, and must be paid with a Visa or MasterCard. You are free to save, access, and update your application as needed.
3. Print the attestation page generated at the end of the application. Maintain a copy for yourself.
4. Mail the following documents to the CDPH LFS (Laboratory Field Services):

• Copy of your Certificate 
• Copy of your certificate from the NCCT
• Your Practical Training form (in the enclosed envelope sealed with the “Official Document” sticker). This is an original document – do not open and do not misplace!
• Official high school transcripts (or college including 24 credits and 2.0+ GPA).
• Two passport-size photos (2 in. x 2 in.)
• The attestation page from the online application

The address for the CDPH LFS is:

California Department of Public Health
Laboratory Field Services
Attn: Phlebotomy Program
850 Marina Bay Parkway, Bldg. P, 1st Floor
Richmond, CA 94804-6403
 

Unlike Phlebotomists, a license is not required to work as a Medical Assistant in California. However, some employers may require that you pass an examination administered by a private Medical Assistant testing organization like the National Center for Competency Testing NCCT. 

Interested in becoming Nationally Certified?

1. Pass the certification exam administered by the National Center for Competency Testing "NCCT". If you have not scheduled your exam, see the section above titled "NCCT - Scheduling Your Exam".
2. Once you have taken and passed the NCCT Exam – you should receive your NCCT Certificate in the next 2-3 weeks. (NOTE: If you receive any correspondence from the NCCT requesting high school documents or training forms, please disregard it! The only documentation required  to issue your license is your certificate, which has already been sent.)

To work as a Pharmacy Technician in California, you must submit an application and Affidavit document with the school seal and signature by the program director, pharmacist or registrar as an original to the California Board of Pharmacy. You will then be issued a Registration card. No examination is required.

How to apply to the California State Board of Pharmacy:
Go to http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/tch_app_pkt.pdf

How to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Exam: 
Go to https://www.ptcb.org/get-certified/apply#.VjFhjPmrTWI