Program Overview
These one-hour sessions are designed to introduce key aspects of the program and the technology you will use to support your success. Offered during Intro to NIMAA (Week 1), these sessions are led by the instructional team and include guided demonstrations and time for questions and answers. While attendance is encouraged, these sessions provide valuable insights and practical guidance to help you confidently navigate the program from the start.
Starting in Week 3, you will begin your
externship, gaining real-world clinical experience by working alongside your
Preceptor in a healthcare setting. You are required to complete a minimum of 10
hours per week, except during Applied Medical Assisting (AMA) Weeks and
Pause Weeks. Students who have not completed the block minimum of 60 hours
should work with their Externship Site to schedule time to make up hours during
AMA Week. These hours contribute toward the 240 total externship hours required for graduation and are a critical part of developing your patient care
skills.
Populi serves as our Learning Management System (LMS), providing a centralized platform for accessing curse content, calendar, and assignments.
Using Populi is important to stay organized and keep up with your schoolwork. It gives you easy access to everything you need like class materials, dates for important events, and turning in assignments. By using Populi daily, you can make sure you don’t miss deadlines and understand what you are learning better.
Access on your web browser or mobile app from
anywhere.
Seminars are live, instructor-led sessions held weekly via Zoom as part of your Seminar course in Populi. These sessions take place every Wednesday at 12:00 PM MT / 1:00 PM CT / 2:00 PM ET and last one hour. Seminars reinforce course concepts, provide opportunities for discussion, and allow you to connect with your instructor and peers. Seminar attendance is a program requirement for graduation, and students must maintain a minimum attendance rate of 90% to meet this requirement.
Access the Zoom links through your Seminar Course Calendar on Populi from anywhere.
Beginning in Week 5, Skills Labs are required, hands-on sessions where you will practice and demonstrate Core Skills Competencies. These sessions are typically held in 4-hour blocks at your Externship Organization (EO) in a designated area. Skills Lab hours are separate from externship hours and do not count toward the required 10 externship hours per week. Skills Lab attendance is a program requirement for graduation, and students must maintain a minimum attendance rate of 90% to meet it.
Access from your Externship Site location.
Huddles begin in Week 2 and take place in weeks when Skills Labs are not scheduled. These 30-minute sessions occur on the same day and at the same time as your assigned Skills Lab and are held via Zoom, accessed through your Core Skills course in Populi. Huddles are an integral part of the program's learning and support structure, providing a consistent opportunity to check in with your instructor, ask questions, and stay on track with your progress. While not tied to a graded attendance requirement, participation is strongly encouraged as it directly supports student success and readiness for Skills Labs and externship performance.
Attending these huddles is encouraged because they provide invaluable opportunities for additional assistance, clarification, and collaboration with peers.
Access the Zoom links through your Seminar Course Calendar on Populi from anywhere.
The final week of each block is designated as AMA Week. During this time, there are no externship hours. Instead, you will complete a group case study project and individual assignments that allow you to apply what you’ve learned in a comprehensive, practical way.
Pause Weeks occur between blocks and provide a short break from scheduled coursework and externship hours. This time is intended for rest and reset before beginning the next block.
To be successful in this
program, students are expected to:
- Complete all online assignments on time
- Attend weekly seminars consistently
- Meet required externship hours each week
- Participate in Huddles and Skills Labs
- Complete all Core Skills Competencies
(pass/fail graduation requirement)
- Successfully complete all AMA Week
assignments
- Communicate regularly with your instructor
and instructional team for support
The Introduction to Clinic Seminar is a required event for all new students! This session offers a chance to meet our NIMAA team and fellow students while gaining insight into what to expect from our program.
Review the steps below for access to the meeting from
Populi. Email it@nimaa.edu if you need any help.
1. | Set
up your @nima.edu Email Account (Office 365)
|
2. | Set
up multi-factor authentication for Populi.
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3. | Access
the NIMAA Student Information System (Populi)
· Your NIMAA Student Email is Ready · Welcome to NIMAA – Your Password
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4. | Access
the Intro to NIMAA course in Populi.
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5. | Access
Seminars, Huddles, and Skills Labs
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Knowledge Base (KB) Articles are a centralized library of student resources designed to support your learning throughout the cohort. These articles provide step-by-step guidance, answers to frequently asked questions, and access to key resources you will use during your coursework, externship, and skills development. The KB articles are intended to help you quickly find reliable information and reduce delays in answering common program or clinical questions. Students are encouraged to refer to the KB articles regularly as a first point of support when questions arise. Direct links to relevant KB articles will be provided throughout your courses to guide you to the most applicable resources at the right time.
Professional Development Week is designed to prepare you for your transition into the workforce. This week, you will participate in live virtual sessions covering topics such as continuing education units (CEUs), resume writing, interview preparation, workplace success, and professional networking. Sessions are recorded for those unable to attend live. More detailed information will be provided during Block 4.
Your Support Team
Team Memebers | |
| Director of Education |
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Instructors |
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Student Services |
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Preceptors |
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Site Facilitators |
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| Program Coordinators |
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