Understanding the NIMAA Program

This article provides a high level overview for how the program is structured. Please read through this information carefully before completing your phone interview.

Disclaimer: The official source of program details, policies, and requirements is the current year's program catalog. Please refer to the catalog  on the NIMAA website for the most up-to-date and authoritative information.

Program Overview

This program is designed to provide a balance of online coursework and hands-on training to ensure students develop both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. 

This pie chart visually represents the balance between online instruction and hands-on externship in the program. The left half of the chart represents online instruction, which includes asynchronous coursework, interactive activities, and live virtual sessions. The right half represents hands-on externship, where students gain practical experience through in-person training at their externship site.

Learning Formats

This program includes different types of learning formats. Here’s what they mean:

Asynchronous

Virtual Synchronous

In-Person Synchronous

Asynchronous

Coursework that you complete on your own schedule, with deadlines to keep you on track. There are no set meeting times.

Virtual Synchronous

Live online sessions where you interact with instructors and classmates in real-time via Zoom.

In-Person Synchronous

Hands-on training sessions, such as skills labs and externship hours, where you practice skills in a live setting.

Time Commitment

Students should plan for approximately 30 to 35 hours per week, which includes both online and in-person components:

Online Instruction (15-20 hours per week)

• Online Coursework
  Coursework is completed asynchronously with weekly deadlines. Includes lessons, assignments, discussion boards, and interactive activities.

• Weekly Seminar: 1-hour live session on Zoom every Wednesday at 2:00pm ET / 1:00pm CT / 12:00pm MT / 11:00am PT / 7:00 or 8:00am HT (depending on daylight savings time).
  

  • This session allows students to engage in discussions with instructors and peers.

• Weekly Huddle (30 minutes, live on Zoom)

  • Held only on weeks without a skills lab.

  • Assigned time (students do not pick their huddle or skills lab time).

  • Provides time to discuss questions, updates, and upcoming skills.
    

Hands-On Externship (10-15 hours per week)

• Externship Hours (Minimum of 10 hours per week)

  • Students start by shadowing medical assistants and progressively practice skills on live patients.

  • Schedule is coordinated between the student and the externship site.

• Skills Labs (Approximately every other week, 4 hours per session)

  • Skills labs times are assigned and will occur at the same start time on the same day of the week each time they occur. Weeks that do not have a skills labs will instead have a skills huddle on Zoom (see above). 

  • Provides a structured environment to practice skills before working with live patients.

• Externship Begins in Week 3

  • Some students may have an in-clinic orientation during Intro to Clinic Week (week 1). This will be coordinated directly by the externship coordinators.

Key Program Details

Total Duration: 29 weeks (4 blocks)

Weekly Schedule:

1. Online Coursework: 15-20 hours (asynchronous, weekly deadlines)
   
2. Live Weekly Seminar: 1 hour (Wednesdays at designated times)
3. Weekly Huddle: 30 minutes (only on weeks without skills labs)
4. Externship: Minimum of 10 hours per week
5. Skills Labs: Every two weeks, 4 hours per session
   

Example Weekly Schedule (Week with a Skills Lab)

Here’s an example of what a typical week may look like when a skills lab is scheduled:

Monday: 6 hours of online coursework Tuesday: 2 hours of online coursework, 4-hour shift at externship site Wednesday: 1 hour of online coursework, 4-hour skills lab, 1-hour live seminar Thursday: 4-hour shift at externship site, 3 hours of online coursework in the evening Friday: 4 hours of online coursework, 4-hour shift at externship site Saturday: 3 hours of online coursework Sunday: 2 hours of online coursework

This sample schedule demonstrates how students balance online coursework, live sessions, and in-person training throughout the week.

For additional details, refer to the program calendar to confirm important dates, including your specific start date and Intro to Clinic week.

If you have any questions, reach out to admissions@nimaa.edu. We’re here to support you every step of the way!

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