Fortis, a private for-profit career school network, offers one medical assisting program at four Alabama campuses: Fortis College in Mobile, Montgomery, and Dothan, and Fortis Institute in Birmingham.
- Medical Assistant Diploma (46 credits)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant Diploma | ~$17,700 (est.) | ~9 months (36 weeks, day) | 46 |
Fortis does not publish tuition on its program pages. The estimate adds tuition and fees ($16,669) and books and supplies ($994) reported by the Mobile and Montgomery campuses to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024-25. Duration is the federal average completion time, which matches Fortis’s 36 instructional weeks for day students.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| School type | Private for-profit career school |
| Alabama campuses | Mobile, Montgomery, Dothan, Birmingham |
| Format | Hybrid: online coursework plus on-campus labs; day and evening schedules |
| Accreditation | ABHES (institutional); no separate programmatic accreditation listed |
| Exams named | CCMA (NHA) |
| Externship | Included; hours not published |
| Graduation rate (program) | 40% to 50% within 150% of normal time (Montgomery, 2019-20 and 2020-21 starts) |
Medical Assistant Diploma
The diploma costs an estimated $17,700 and takes about 9 months for day students or about 45 weeks in the evening. See the official program page.
Diploma Curriculum
Structure. The 46-credit diploma combines online coursework with on-campus, hands-on clinical practice, then an externship. Fortis does not publish its course list for Alabama campuses.
- Online coursework
- On-campus clinical and lab practice
- Externship in a healthcare setting
Distinctive elements. Day and evening schedules let working adults choose a 36-week or 45-week pace.
You Should Know
- Fortis’s own page lists both “36 instructional weeks” and “12 to 15 months.” The difference likely reflects breaks and the evening schedule; ask for a calendar.
Diploma Externship
- An externship is part of the program; hours and placement process are not published
Diploma Admissions
- Contact with an admissions advisor; Fortis does not publish program admission requirements online
You Should Know
- Ask for the campus’s catalog and program disclosure before enrolling, since Fortis publishes few program details online.
Tuition
Fortis does not publish tuition. Federal data for the Mobile and Montgomery campuses show the same 2024-25 figures.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees (2024-25) | $16,669 |
| Books and supplies (2024-25) | $994 |
| Total (est.) | ~$17,700 |
- Financial aid is available to eligible students.
Be aware that:
- Residency does not affect the price, so out-of-state students pay the same as Alabama residents.
- Certification exam fees may not be included; ask whether the CCMA fee is covered.
- Costs at the Dothan and Birmingham campuses were not checked and may differ.
Outcomes
| Measure | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Medical assistant graduation rate (150% time) | 50% (2019-20 start), 40% (2020-21 start) | College Navigator, Fortis Montgomery |
| Overall graduation rate | 45% (Mobile), 40% (Montgomery) | College Navigator, 2020-21 starts |
| Full-time retention | 52% (Mobile), 49% (Montgomery) | College Navigator, fall 2022 cohort |
| Job placement and exam pass rate | Not published | Fortis program page |
At the Alabama campuses with reported data, no more than half of medical assistant students graduated within 150% of normal program time.
Why Choose This Medical Assistant Program?
Fortis fits an adult who wants a short, hybrid program with an evening option in Mobile, Montgomery, Dothan, or Birmingham.
Speed. About 9 months for day students, faster than the two-year degrees at Wallace Community College or Trenholm State.
Schedule. Evening classes and hybrid delivery suit students who work.
Drawbacks. At about $17,700, Fortis costs more than the Coastal Alabama certificate ($10,705), which also takes about a year. Fortis publishes no tuition or outcomes, completion rates are under 50%, and CMA eligibility is unconfirmed.
Accreditation
Fortis’s Alabama campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES); Mobile has held it since 1986 and Montgomery since 2000, with the next review due in 2029. Federal records list no separate programmatic accreditation for medical assisting. The CMA (AAMA) requires graduation from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assisting program, so students who want the CMA should ask Fortis whether their campus’s program appears on the AAMA’s list of accredited programs. Fortis names the CCMA (NHA), which does not require programmatic accreditation.