| Type | Nonprofit career school; campus programs, most taught blended |
|---|---|
| Campuses | 3 in Massachusetts: Brookline (main), Malden and Lowell |
| Credentials | Certificates (5 programs) |
| Program length | 16 to 28 weeks |
| Accreditation | ABHES (institutional, all three campuses); licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure |
| Federal aid | Not mentioned in BCI’s catalog or website; interest-free payment plans and private loans |
| Founded / owner | 2002; run by BCI, Inc., a nonprofit since 2014 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
About Boston Career Institute
Boston Career Institute (BCI) is a small allied-health school run by BCI, Inc. Its catalog says it was established in 2002 and converted to a non-profit in 2014. It teaches five certificate programs, for dental assistants, medical assistants, medical office staff, hospital central service (sterile processing) technicians and phlebotomists, at three campuses in Brookline, Malden and Lowell. Every program is taught at every campus, starts monthly, and runs 16 to 28 weeks, with day, evening and Saturday classes depending on the program. The three campuses are institutionally accredited by ABHES, and the school is licensed by the state’s Office of Private Occupational Schools. BCI’s website has moved from bostoncareer.org to bostoncareer.edu.
Five certificate programs, taught at all three campuses
Lengths and hours are from BCI’s program pages; costs are total program costs (tuition, supplies, lab, books, admin and uniform fees) from BCI’s 9 September 2026 catalog. Certification exam fees are listed separately.
| Program | Length | Internship | Prepares for | Total cost (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Assistant | 28 weeks (630 class hours) | 320 hours in a dental office | Massachusetts dental assistant licence (Board of Registration in Dentistry) | $8,500 |
| Medical Assistant | 24 weeks | 160-hour clinical internship | NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) | $8,500 |
| Medical Office Administration | 24 weeks | 160-hour internship | NHA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) | $8,500 |
| Hospital Central Service Technician | 16 weeks (260 class hours, fully virtual) | 400 hours in hospitals | HSPA Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) | $6,800 |
| Phlebotomy | 16 weeks (116 class hours) | None; 40+ live blood draws in class | NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) | $3,000 |
BCI’s “Clinical Assistant” is a course inside the Medical Assistant program, not a separate job-entry program, though BCI says it may be offered on its own to credentialed medical professionals. BCI also runs a short Basic Life Support (CPR) course.
What the main programs cover
Dental Assistant
At 28 weeks, this is BCI’s longest program: 630 class hours followed by a 320-hour internship in a dental office, 950 hours in all. Classroom theory is taught blended, while clinical skills, including taking dental radiographs, are taught in person. BCI says graduates are eligible for the FTDA licence, and the program prepares them to apply as a Licensed Dental Assistant with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Dentistry; the catalog lists a $60 state licence exam fee. BCI does not name a DANB exam.
Medical Assistant
The 24-week Medical Assistant program is taught blended and ends with a clinical internship. Its clinical core is BCI’s Clinical Assistant course, which covers phlebotomy, EKG/ECG, injections, vital signs, urinalysis and assisting the provider with patient exams. Graduates prepare for the National Healthcareer Association’s Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam, which BCI says is given at all of its locations. Classes run day or evening, and new groups start monthly at each campus.
Medical Office Administration
This 24-week program trains front-office staff for medical practices rather than clinical assistants. Coursework covers appointment scheduling, patient records, and medical billing and insurance, and the program ends with an internship. It prepares students for the NHA’s Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, taken at a BCI location. BCI names no coding certification for it, so students who want to work as medical coders should look for a dedicated billing and coding program.
Hospital Central Service Technician
BCI’s 16-week Hospital Central Service Technician program is its route into sterile processing work, and it puts most of its hours into the workplace: 260 class hours, which the catalog describes as fully virtual, then a 400-hour in-person internship, which BCI says takes place at hospitals in the greater Boston area. Graduates prepare for the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association’s CRCST certification exam.
Phlebotomy
BCI’s shortest program runs 16 weeks with 116 class hours, taught blended. It is the only BCI program without an internship, so all practical work happens in class, where BCI says students complete more than 40 live blood draws. Graduates prepare for the NHA’s Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) exam, given at BCI’s locations. Phlebotomy is also taught inside the Medical Assistant program, for students who want broader clinical skills.
Cost and paying for it
In BCI’s 9 September 2026 catalog, Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant and Medical Office Administration each cost $8,500 in total, Hospital Central Service Technician $6,800 and Phlebotomy $3,000. Tuition is only part of each total: Dental Assistant, for example, is $6,050 tuition plus $1,580 supplies, a $500 lab fee, a $70 dental kit, $200 books and $50 each for admin and uniform, and Phlebotomy is $1,730 tuition plus $970 in supplies and lab fees and $300 for books, admin and uniform. Certification exam fees are listed separately: CCMA $165, CMAA $129, CPT $129, CRCST $140 and the dental state licence exam $60.
BCI’s catalog and website describe two ways to pay: “Pay as You Learn” (PAYL) weekly or bi-weekly payment plans with no interest or fees, and private loan vendors. They don’t mention federal student aid such as Pell Grants or federal loans. BCI’s About page says it accepts VA/GI Bill benefits; ask which programs are approved. The catalog’s refund policy follows Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 255 §13K): a full refund within five days, then partial refunds of 75%, 50% or 25% depending on the quarter of the program completed, less an administrative cost of $50 or 5%, whichever is less.
Admissions and schedule
Applicants must be at least 18, or have parental consent if younger, and need a high school diploma with transcripts, or a GED/HiSET or equivalent, plus an interview, an application, government photo ID, proof of health insurance, an English writing sample and a signed CORI (criminal record check) authorisation. Programs start monthly at all three campuses, and classes are offered day, evening and Saturday depending on the program. The Department of Homeland Security lists the Brookline and Malden campuses as certified to enrol international students on M-1 visas.
Accreditation and results
BCI’s Brookline, Malden and Lowell campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), and BCI says this covers every program taught there. The school is licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure’s Office of Private Occupational Schools, and BCI, Inc. has been a BBB Accredited Business since February 2009, with an A+ rating and no government actions listed. BCI doesn’t publish graduation, job placement or licensure pass rates on its website or in its catalog; its only outcome claim is that it has “trained thousands of gainfully employed assistants since 2002”.
Internships
Every BCI program except Phlebotomy ends with an internship that BCI arranges, which BCI describes as being “with a real potential employer”: 320 hours in a dental office for dental assistants and 400 hours in hospitals for central service technicians. BCI’s internships page no longer lists partner employers, so ask the admissions office where recent students in your program were placed.
Before you enroll
- If you need federal grants or loans, confirm with BCI first: its catalog describes only payment plans and private loans.
- BCI’s website also carries a separate catalog (May 2026) for a location at 152 Lynnway in Lynn, which BCI labels a non-accredited campus. It isn’t among the campuses on BCI’s homepage, and BCI’s ABHES accreditation covers only Brookline, Malden and Lowell, so check which location your enrollment agreement names.
- Phlebotomy has no internship, so its hands-on practice is limited to the class sessions.
- The Hospital Central Service Technician program’s classroom part is fully virtual, according to the catalog, and its 400-hour hospital internship is longer than the coursework, so ask how many hours a week the internship takes before you commit.
- Admission requires proof of health insurance and a signed CORI criminal record check; ask how a record would affect internship placement and certification before you apply.
Sources
Boston Career Institute · School catalog v31 (9 Sep 2026) · Accreditation · Hospital Central Service Technician program · Dental Assistant program · BBB profile · DHS SEVP listing (Brookline) (checked October 2026)
Programs & Courses
Dental
- Dental Assistant (28 weeks, with 320-hour internship)
Medical and office
- Medical Assistant (24 weeks, with internship)
- Medical Office Administration (24 weeks, with internship)
- Phlebotomy (16 weeks, no internship)
Hospital
- Hospital Central Service Technician (sterile processing; 16 weeks, with 400-hour hospital internship)
Short course
- Basic Life Support (CPR)
Campus Locations
Brookline, MA 320 Washington St., Brookline, MA 02445
Malden, MA 422 Main St., Malden, MA 02148
Lowell, MA 77 E Merrimack St. #19, Lowell, MA 01852