HUDSON, NC (October 30, 2018) — Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Medical Assisting program has earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health science field. In collaboration with its Committees on Accreditation, CAAHEP reviews and accredits more than 2,100 educational programs in 30 health science occupations. CAAHEP accredited programs are assessed on an ongoing basis to assure that they meet the standards and guidelines of each profession.
CCC&TI added the Medical Assisting program in 2014. The program prepares students for work as multi-skilled health care professionals. Graduates are qualified to perform administrative, clinical and laboratory procedures in a variety of ambulatory care facilities including doctor’s offices, outpatient facilities and urgent care facilities. Students are trained to do a variety of tasks in these environments including assisting with examinations, performing routine laboratory procedures, administration of medication, coding and processing insurance accounts, computer operations and much more.
The accreditation is the result of an extensive and detailed self-study conducted by CCC&TI’s program administrators along with a site visit made on behalf of the Medical Assisting Educational Review Board by three peer reviewers.
Students who graduate from CCC&TI’s program receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and also qualify to sit for the certification exam administered by the American Association of Medical Assisting, the gold standard of certifications for medical assisting. Students must graduate from an accredited medical assisting program prior to taking the exam.
Medical Assisting Program Director Melinda Laws says that the accreditation is a great achievement for the program and will also be a great help to graduates as they look to start their careers in the medical field. “Achieving medical assisting programmatic accreditation proves we can lay excellent groundwork for student success and then stand back and let them shine,” said Laws. “Accreditation means that employers will recognize the quality of their training, while a certification gives them a nationally recognized credential that will help them land the best opportunities in the field.”
To enroll in CCC&TI’s Medical Assisting Program or other programs, call 828-726-2200 (Caldwell), 828-297-3811 (Watauga) or visit www.cccti.edu.