Medical Assisting

If a medical office is where you see yourself, but the long hours that nurses put in give you pause, train for a great career as a multi-skilled health professional. A medical assistant balances duties that range from taking and recording vital signs and medical histories and preparing patients for appointments to giving medications and performing in-office laboratory testing to drawing blood and maintaining medical records. And this field is red-hot: the US Department of Labor expects medical assisting to be at a projected growth of 29% from 2016-2026. The Medical Assisting Program curriculum is designed to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

Medical assistants work specifically in ambulatory (non-hospital) settings, performing administrative and clinical duties. The hours are typically more structured than those for many healthcare professions, and they rarely include nights or weekends. There’s flexibility in the day to day duties, given the range of skills you’ll have upon completion of the program. The job requires a mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills, requiring both formal education and practical experience that serve as standards for entry into this exciting profession. Externships with area offices ensures our students are exposed to many forms of patient care. Many of our students are offered jobs at those external sites, but all who want jobs typically get them within just a few months of passing the AAMA certification exam.

Schedule of courses

EXPLORE RELATED PROGRAMS

Program of Study	Credential/Outcome	Eligible for Financial Aid	Course Scheduling	Location
American Heart Association Certifications	Noncredit, CEU/Recertification,Noncredit, Prof Dev	Call 864-646-1700	Day	Pendleton
Electrocardiogram (ECG) Technician	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Evening	Pendleton
Emergency Medical Technology	Associate Degree	Yes	Day,Evening	Easley
EMT Advanced	Certificate	Yes	Day,Evening	Easley
EMT Basic Certificate	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Evening	Pendleton
Expanded Duty Dental Assisting	Diploma	Yes	Day	Pendleton
IV Therapy	Noncredit, Prof Dev	Call 864-646-1700	Evening	Pendleton
Medical Assisting	Diploma	Yes	Day,Evening	Pendleton
Medical Laboratory Technology	Associate Degree	Yes	Day	Pendleton
Nurse Aide	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Day,Evening	Easley,Pendleton
Nursing	Associate Degree	Yes	Day	Pendleton
Nursing Preparation	Certificate	No	Day	Pendleton
Paramedic	Certificate	Yes	Day,Evening	Easley QJC
Patient Care/Multi-Skilled Healthcare Technician	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Varies	Pendleton
Personal Trainer	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Evening	Pendleton
Pharmacy Technician	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Day	Pendleton
Phlebotomy Technician	Noncredit, QuickJobs	Call 864-646-1700	Evening	Pendleton
Practical Nursing	Diploma	Yes	Day,Evening	Easley,Oconee
Pre-Dental Hygiene	Certificate	No	Day	Anderson,Easley,Pendleton
Pre-Pharmacy	Associate Degree	Yes	Day,Evening	Anderson,Easley,Pendleton
Surgical Technology	Associate Degree	Yes	Day	Pendleton
Veterinary Technology	Associate Degree	Yes	Day,Evening	Pendleton

Students practicing taking vital signs on each other

REQUIREMENTS

Click here for more information about program graduation rates, median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information.

Career Pathways for Success
Students who are still in high school may consider taking college courses now to get a jumpstart on completing your degree at Tri-County. View a sample pathway here.

Transfer Agreements
For students who wish to continue work toward a four-year degree, we encourage you to work with your advisor on the steps that are best for your plans. Learn more about transfer options here.

Program Accreditation

The Tri-County Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 25400 US Highway 19 N., Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763. Telephone: 727-210-2350.

Students graduating from the Medical Assisting program at Tri-County Technical College (Pendleton, SC) will be eligible to sit for the national American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) certification exam.

The exam passage rate for the 2019 graduate cohort is 100%.

Students are not allowed to receive financial remuneration from the ambulatory site for which they are completing practicum requirements.

Check out area job openings, salaries and more.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Laura L. McClain | (864) 646-1352 | lmcclain@tctc.edu