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Our Programs

Our Vision Drives Us. Education with Integrity.

Sumner College is committed to providing excellent care to patients in the community through the development of exceptional health care professionals. Graduates of Sumner College are prepared to engage in best practices through critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong community partnerships.  We invite you to explore our college, our campus,  and our programs.

Associate Degree in Nursing
Practical Nursing Program
Medical Assisting Program
RN to BSN Program


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About Us

Sumner College has been providing a strong educational foundation for those committed to truly making a difference for over 46 years. Located in Portland, Oregon, we are a private college uncompromisingly dedicated to providing, high quality, career focused education to support those who are committed to achieving their professional career goals.

As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, Sumner College has continued to deliver high quality education to our student population, keeping them on track to graduate and start their new healthcare career.  We transitioned from our traditional on-campus format to a hybrid delivery model, and continue to start new classes every 10 weeks. We are committed to educating students in a safe and responsible environment during these unprecedented times.

Many of our students are referred to us by fellow coworkers, family members, clinical partner sites, and by our own graduates. We have a strong reputation in the Portland area as a school who graduates professionals who are competent and adequately prepared for employment in their chosen field of study.

Our history tells our story, and our numbers speak volumes about us. If healthcare is your passion, and a career in the field is your Dream, it is time to look at Sumner College.

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100%

ADN Program Retention

100%

AAMA Medical Assisting Pass Rate

$69,300

Average ADN Graduate Starting Salary

93%

PN Program Retention

100%

MA Program Retention

2018-2019 Accreditation Reporting Statistics

School Calendar

December 10ADN Info Session (Full)
December 17ADN Info Session (Full)
January 7ADN Info SessionReserve a Spot
February 8New Term Begins: ADN, PN, MA, RN to BSN
April 26New Term Begins: ADN, PN, MA, RN to BSN
July 12New Term Begins: ADN, PN, MA, RN to BSN
September 27New Term Begins: PN, MA, RN to BSN
November 2New Term Begins: ADN, MA, RN to BSN
December 13New Term Begins: PN, MA, RN to BSN

Academic Calendar

Allison E.

RN | Registered Nurse

“I really want to help people and be able to make a difference in their lives.”

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Virtual Tour

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Medical Assistant Program

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Bachelor of Science in Nursing program

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Latest News

Check out the latest activities at Sumner College

  • Medical Assisting Career Basics
    Medical Assisting Career Basics Medical assistants provide administrative and clinical support to medical professionals in a variety of health care settings. An individual can become a medical assistant in as little as a year after graduating high school through any number of the hundreds ...
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  • Taylor's Story | Working as a Medical Assistant While She Advances Her Education
    Taylor's Story | Working as a Medical Assistant While She Advances Her Education Written by Jake Uitti from Nurse.org
    Taylor Brune is many things. To start, perhaps above all else, she is passionate about healthcare. Brune, who recently survived COVID-19, suffers from chronic autoimmune deficiencies, which began from a bite from a tick. ...
    Posted:
  • New Licensing Requirements for All Nurses Changing in January 2021
    New Licensing Requirements for All Nurses Changing in January 2021 The Official publication of the Oregon State Board of Nursing, The Sentinel
    Download the publication Sentinel_2020_August.
    Posted:
  • What is the Difference Between an RN and a BSN?
    What is the Difference Between an RN and a BSN? When people hear or see the abbreviations RN and BSN, they often think they are the same things, but there is a difference between an RN and a BSN. In fact, they are two very distinct and different things. An ...
    Posted:
  • Become Nurse In Oregon + Requirements & Licensing
    Become Nurse In Oregon + Requirements & Licensing Content shared from NurseJournal October 2, 2020 | Staff Writer
    Oregon has a significant nursing shortage. As a largely rural state, there are many medically underserved areas where demand for nurses is very high. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ...
    Posted:
  • 10 Study Tips That Will Make Nursing School Easier
    10 Study Tips That Will Make Nursing School Easier There’s no question that nursing school is challenging. And when you are trying to manage home and work responsibilities on top of your nursing studies, the amount of studying you need to do could seem insurmountable. How on Earth are you supposed to ...
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  • 5 Reasons Why Every Nurse Should Get a BSN
    5 Reasons Why Every Nurse Should Get a BSN The Institute of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing report recommends that 80% of nurses will earn a bachelor’s degree by the year 2020. Most healthcare facilities agree that nurses should earn a BSN to pave the way for better preventative and inclusive patient ...
    Posted:
  • Top Nursing Trends That Will Shape Healthcare
    Top Nursing Trends That Will Shape Healthcare Trend #1: Self-Care for Nurses
    Nurses are trained caregivers, yet they sometimes forget about themselves. Self-care is a deliberate activity that we do to provide for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Lack of self-care can lead to errors, fatigue, ...
    Posted:
  • 5 Steps To Becoming A Certified Medical Assistant
    5 Steps To Becoming A Certified Medical Assistant If you're service-oriented, flexible and dedicated to patient care, becoming a certified medical assistant may be a good career path for you. You can choose a variety of different training programs to become a medical assistant, such as on-the-job training, ...
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  • 7 Habits of Highly Effective Nursing Students
    7 Habits of Highly Effective Nursing Students Nursing school is challenging, whether you’re a new student or a seasoned professional in an RN to BSN. Between the volume of material to cover, the hours of studying to understand it all and learning to care for patients, nursing ...
    Posted:
  • Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Hamdia
    Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Hamdia Before attending Sumner College, I was working as a Research Analyst at PSU. I also worked as a CNA after graduating with a degree in Public Health.  I have always had a passion for the medical field, especially in women’s ...
    Posted:
  • The Career Outlook for Medical Assisting
    The Career Outlook for Medical Assisting If you’re thinking of training to be a medical assistant, this could be a great career path to follow. To help you make an informed decision about pursuing a career in medical assisting we have attempted to answer the following ...
    Posted:
  • Medical Assisting Career Description
    Medical Assisting Career Description A Medical Assistant is responsible for completing administrative and clinical tasks for healthcare facilities and providers. Additionally, these professionals take and record confidential patient information using Electronic Health Records, only discussing this information with other professionals who are helping to treat ...
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  • Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Daphne
    Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Daphne I started my career in the legal field as paralegal for thirteen years.  I always envisioned myself in a field where I could serve others.  After working extensively as a paralegal, I really began feeling unsuccessful. I knew I wanted ...
    Posted:
  • The Hottest Job During a Pandemic? Travel Nurse
    The Hottest Job During a Pandemic? Travel Nurse COVID-19 has caused head-spinning census shifts resulting in shortages of nurses in COVID "hot spots", while other facilities furloughed nurses as they preserved resources for the predicted surge in cases. America quickly realized that there were not enough nurses in the ...
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  • Technology Brings Increased Speed and Accuracy to the Medical Profession
    Technology Brings Increased Speed and Accuracy to the Medical Profession For those in the medical profession being knowledgeable of the latest medicines, techniques, and research is essential, but in today’s world another crucial tool to have in the medical bag is the latest technology.
    As technological advancements seem to come ...
    Posted:
  • Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Hunter
    Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Hunter After working as a Certified Nursing Assistant for three years, I realized it was time to improve my skills and quality of life.  I am glad I was accepted into Sumner College’s Practical Nursing program because the curriculum gave me ...
    Posted:
  • Medical Assisting Occupational Outlook Handbook
    Medical Assisting Occupational Outlook Handbook Medical Assisting Occupational outlook Summary
    Quick Facts: Medical Assistants
    2019 Median Pay
    $34,800 per year
    $16.73 per hour
    Typical Entry-Level Education
    Postsecondary non degree award
    Work Experience in a Related Occupation
    None
    On-the-job Training
    None
    Number of Jobs, 2019
    725,200
    ...
    Posted:
  • Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Ashley
    Graduate Spotlight - Meet LPN Ashley Before coming to Sumner College, I was working as a CNA.  I always wanted to be in the healthcare industry because I knew I would enjoy this field, and it was a good way to help raise my siblings.  I ...
    Posted:
  • Medical Assistants Recognition Week is Coming Soon
    Medical Assistants Recognition Week is Coming Soon Medical Assistants Recognition Week is coming soon | Sumner College will be celebrating our students and graduates from the MA program
    Medical assistants are at the heart of health care.*
    Every year Medical Assistants Recognition Week (MARWeek) is celebrated during ...
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  • Common Ground: Advancing Full Practice Authority During COVID-19
    Common Ground: Advancing Full Practice Authority During COVID-19 The pandemic has magnified a host of health care issues, from workforce shortages and health care access to the cost of care and widening health disparities. Looking to address the public health crisis, officials have made many policy changes to ...
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  • Oregon Action Coalition | Advancing Health in Oregon
    Oregon Action Coalition | Advancing Health in Oregon The Oregon Action Coalition is dedicated to implementing the Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing’s bold vision for America’s health care system in Oregon by developing strategies to engage and communicate with nursing and non-nursing partners throughout the state. Get ...
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  • AAMA COVID-19 Updates
    AAMA COVID-19 Updates The AAMA Executive Office reopened Monday, July 6, 2020 (after closure due to COVID-10). The AAMA webpage offers updates on how the AAMA is keeping apace with the effects of COVID-19, including CMA (AAMA)® certification and recertification, testing centers, continuing education, ...
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  • Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Extending the vision
    Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Extending the vision Download Article as PDF
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    ANA Enterprise CEO ...
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  • AAMA Family Share Messages of Hope
    AAMA Family Share Messages of Hope The American Academy of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Board of Trustees (BOT) has a special message of hope, love, and support to all medical assistants. You have proven to be strong in response to #COVID19, and we’re stronger together! The AAMA ...
    Posted:
  • How the Coronavirus Pandemic Affects the Role of a Medical Assistant
    How the Coronavirus Pandemic Affects the Role of a Medical Assistant If you work as a medical assistant, you have a great job in healthcare. Medical assistants are responsible for important tasks in physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers and other medical facilities. They work hands-on with patients, taking vital signs, communicating ...
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  • Shape the Future of Nursing
    Shape the Future of Nursing Not everyone in the U.S. has the same opportunity to experience health and well-being. But nurses are poised to change that.
    Such thinking is driving new research for a forthcoming future of nursing report announced in March 2019. Since that time, ...
    Posted:
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