Clinical Medical Assisting program awarded accreditation through 2028

West Virginia Northern Community College’s (WVNCC) Clinical Medical Assisting Program has been awarded continuing accreditation through 2028 by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field.  

“We are proud to be accredited by CAAHEP, and we work hard to meet their high standards,” commented WVNCC Medical Assisting Program Director Michele Watson. “We pride ourselves in having a top notch program at WVNCC that challenges our students and prepares them for their career.”

The accreditation process required the College to complete a comprehensive self-study to insure that available resources are adequate to meet the educational standards set by CAAHEP and the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). The comprehensive review focuses on college resources as well as data related to admissions, retention, graduation, employer and graduate satisfaction, certification test participation and pass rates for the program.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook, employment of Medical Assistants is projected to grow 23 % by 2024, and  is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations, especially for multi-skilled medical assistants trained in both Administrative and Clinical duties. WVNCC offers a one-year certificate program in Administrative Medical Assistant and a two-year associate degree in Clinical Medical Assistant. The Administrative Medical Assistant program provides training in administrative medical office procedures. The Clinical Medical Assistant program trains students in clinical procedures for employment as competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains. The program provides students the opportunity for observation and hands-on training in outpatient medical procedures within the scope of practice of the medical assistant. The program has maintained a retention rate of 95% and a certification pass rate of 82% over the last five years.

Any students interested in the Medical Assisting program can visit WVNCC’s website for more information and learn how to apply at www.wvncc.edu