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Is My Program Available in My State?

Understand how state regulations may impact your program and career path

In most cases, you can enroll in a Preppy program from any state. However, whether your program fully meets certification or employment requirements can depend on your state and career path.

Enrollment vs. State Eligibility

It’s important to separate two things:

  • Enrollment → Available nationwide
  • Certification and employment eligibility → May vary by state

You can typically start your coursework regardless of where you live. However, some states have regulations that affect:

  • Which certifications are accepted
  • Whether online programs qualify for certain roles
  • Whether hands-on experience is required

When State Requirements Matter

State-specific rules are most common in healthcare-related roles. These rules may affect:

  • Whether you can work in that role
  • What certification you need
  • Whether additional training or experience is required

Common Types of State Requirements

  1. No Additional Requirements (Most Common)

Many states:

  • Do not require certification or clinical hours
  • Allow employment after completing training and/or certification

Example:

Medical Billing & Coding generally has no state-level clinical hour requirements.

  1. Required Hands-On Hours or Cases

Some states require documented experience to qualify for certification or employment.

Examples include:

  • Surgical Technology: Some states require around 125 surgical cases to qualify for certain certifications
  • Sterile Processing: Some states require 400 hours of hands-on experience for full certification
  • Medical Assistant: Some states recommend or require clinical hours (e.g., ~160 hours) or procedure-specific training

These hours may be completed:

  • Before certification, or
  • After passing the exam (depending on the certification)
  1. Program Eligibility Restrictions

A small number of states require:

  • Graduation from an accredited, in-person program (such as CAAHEP or ABHES)

In these states:

  • Fully online programs may not meet employment requirements for certain roles

Examples (vary by program) may include:

  • Surgical Technology in select states
  • Medical Assisting in certain regulated states
  1. Procedure-Specific or Role Limitations

Some states do not require certification, but limit what you can do on the job.

Examples:

  • Requiring training for specific tasks (e.g., injections or venipuncture)
  • Restricting certain duties regardless of certification

What This Means for You

Before enrolling, you should:

  1. Confirm your target role and certification
  2. Check your state’s requirements for that role
  3. Understand whether you’ll need:
  • Additional hands-on hours
  • A specific certification
  • An in-person or accredited program

Key Takeaway

You can enroll in a Preppy program from any state, but certification and employment requirements vary by location. Some states require additional experience, specific certifications, or accredited programs—especially in healthcare fields.

Need Help?

If you’re unsure whether your program meets your state’s requirements, contact Preppy Support at help@preppy.org before enrolling. They can help you understand the best path based on your location and career goals.