NMCC program accredited
PRESQUE ISLE — A seal of approval has been granted to the medical assisting program at Northern Maine Community College after an 18-month process of preparation and rigorous examination.
College officials were notified by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) about this designation which indicates that the program meets national industry standards. CAAHEP accredits educational programs that prepare health professionals in a variety of disciplinary areas. Accreditation is one step in a process that helps to protect the public and ensure a supply of qualified health care professionals.
“This is a significant accomplishment for the medical assisting program and the entire college,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “Accreditation sends an important message about the quality of this associate degree program to current and future students, community colleagues and employers.”
Programs are accredited when it is determined that they meet the educational standards and guidelines established by the profession. The process includes a self-study, an onsite visit by the accreditation team and follow up of requested documentation.
“We’re very proud of our program which was developed in direct response to requests from regional health care providers looking to fill job vacancies with qualified, well-trained professionals. As our population ages, medical assisting continues to be a growth profession,” said Penny Mints, medical assisting program director. “Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks needed to keep medical offices running smoothly; everything from keeping patient records and handling insurance arrangements, to the clinical areas of assisting with physical exams and measuring vital signs.”
The curriculum for the two-year medical assisting program includes classroom instruction, skills labs and 160 hours in an off-campus supervised externship. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the certified medical assistant national certification exam.
The accreditation is for a five-year period and is renewable subject to further review and audit in order to remain current with industry standards.
