Elevate patient care as a certified medicine aide.
Become a Trusted Provider of Patient Care
The Certified Medicine Aide (CMA) Program prepares Geriatric Nursing Assistants (GNAs) to administer specific medications to residents in a Maryland nursing home under the supervision of a nurse or physician.
Approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing, our 80-hour medicine aide course includes 48 hours of theory and 32 hours of clinical. Some topics include administering non-parental medications, procedures and techniques for administering drugs, drug classification, drug solutions, measurements, and standards.
How to Get Started
- Open to geriatric nursing assistants working in Maryland nursing homes with proof of one year of full-time work experience.
- Must present a letter of recommendation from the current director of nursing.
- Must be in good standing with the Maryland Board of Nursing.
- Take and pass the Reading Accuplacer Test, scoring at least 250 or higher.
- Register for both CMA Theory and Clinical.
- Pay for the course
- Complete the program successfully.
Program Costs
- HES-666 CMA Theory: $630
- HES-667 CMA Clinical: $450
- CMA Textbook: Hartman’s Complete Guide for The Medication Aide
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) card certified by the American Heart Association
- Medical records: Recent PPD/TB skin test, COVID-19 vaccination card, and a recent flu vaccine
Fall 2026 Schedule
HES-666-29937 – Medicine Aide: Theory
Mondays and Wednesdays, 9/14 - 10/21
Time: 5-9 p.m.
Location: Center for Health Studies, Room 2211
HES-667-29938 – Medicine Aide: Clinical
Saturdays and Sundays, 11/9 - 11/17
Time: 7:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: TBD
Certified Medicine Aide Update
Summer 2026 Schedule
- NRC-303-28721 | CMA Update | Saturday | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | 6/13/2026 | Virtual and Canvas
- NRC-303-28722 | CMA Update | Saturday | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | 7/11/2026 | Virtual and Canvas
Fall 2026 Schedule
- NRC-303-29939 | CMA Update | Saturday | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | 9/19/2026 | Virtual and Canvas
- NRC 303-29940 | CMA Update | Saturday | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | 10/17/2026 | Virtual and Canvas
- NRC-303-29941 | CMA Update | Saturday | 8:39 a.m.-5 p.m. | 11/14/2026 | Virtual and Canvas
Program Costs
- NRC-303 Nursing Home Medicine Aide Update: $105
- Certified Medicine Aide Update Booklet (emailed to students the week of the course start date)
Contact Information
Phone: 301-546-0745
Email: wdcehealthcare@pgcc.edu
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