Medical Office Assisting
Medical assisting is a multi-skilled allied health profession whose practitioners work primarily in ambulatory settings such as medical offices and clinics. Medical assistants function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures.
The medical assisting program at Lane Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The next re-accreditation review and evaluation will occur in the 2004-2005 academic year. Graduates of this program are eligible to take the certification examination (CMA) sponsored by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Only individuals who hold a certificate from a medical assisting program accredited by CAAHEP are eligible to take the basic Certification Examination. Certification is not currently required for initial employment by local employers, but is becoming highly recommended within the local medical community. Medical Office Assistant students at Lane should be planning for eventual certification. Upon passing the Certification Examination, an MOA may claim the credential of CMA for Certified Medical Assistant.
Employment outlook for MOA professionals is excellent, with more than 122,000 additional positions added nationally by 2007.