Medical Assisting Grads are in Demand; Land Jobs Before Graduation

CONTACT: TAMMY MORTON, EXT. 2242

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8/1/2001
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- It's the eighth fastest-growing occupation in the United States so it's no wonder nine out of the 18 soon-to-be graduates of Tri-County Technical College's Medical Assisting program have already landed jobs well before receiving their diplomas on August 13.

There is a big demand for the multi-skilled medical assistant, said Tammy Morton, department head for the one-year program designed to train students to become multifunctional health care workers in physicians' and medical offices.

Adrienne Lomax, of Anderson, and Sandy Miller, of Easley, are among those who secured jobs as medical assistants at area doctor's offices weeks before graduating. Ironically, both are working at all-female doctor's practices – Lomax at Lakeside Family Medicine and Miller at Liberty Family Care.

The beauty of the Medical Assisting program is that graduates have been trained for clinical and administrative duties," said Morton. "They are a real complement to the health care team."

"Doctors seem to like the cross training aspect," said Miller. "It's a good mix of clinical and front office work."

Clinical training includes checking a patient's vital signs, phlebotomy, giving injections and medications, EKGs, laboratory work, urinalysis and assisting with surgical procedures. "It's an unusual discipline with a strong administrative function, including insurance coding and claims processing. What sets us apart is that strong administrative component."

Miller earned a Secretarial Science degree from Tri-County in 1980 and worked as a secretary for the last 15 years. "I always wanted to work in the medical field. I earned a degree because I wanted to work and go to school at the same time. But my heart was always in medicine," she said.

"As my kids got older and more independent, I realized if I was every going to return to school, this was the right time," she said.

She chose Tri-County because of its convenience and small classes.

Lomax moved to the Upstate from Orlando and heard about Tri-County through word of mouth. She also had always wanted to be a nurse. She worked as a unit secretary for a hospital and moved to Anderson after her daughter graduated from high school. She worked at the AnMed emergency room as a secretary.

She began in Tri-County's L.P.N. program but changed her major to Medical Assisting because "I can start working in one year and I wanted to work at a doctor's office. I want to be home with my kids on weekends and the evenings."

"I'm a people person," said Lomax. "I really enjoy helping people."

"Good interpersonal skills are a must," said Morton. "You deal with children, adults and the elderly on a daily basis. You take care of patients throughout their life span."

There's no doubt -- medical assistants are in demand and that will grow with the nursing shortage, added Morton. There are more than 200 doctor's offices in the three county area, and the Employment Security Commission predicts that jobs for medical assistants will increase by 39.01 percent by 2005.

"It's a valuable career that has been well received by physicians in the area and our advisory committee," Morton said.

Graduates of the Medical Assisting program will take the national certification exam in January.
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