Seven students have completed the Blinn College District Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Program and are now eligible to take the National Healthcare Association Certified Clinical Medical Assistant examination.
The program, which consists of 152 hours of classroom instruction and 48 hours of clinical work, was held in Brenham at Blinn’s A.W. Hodde, Jr. Technical Education Center. Graduates were Ife Aynei, Sealy; Josof Athey, College Station; Melissa Grimaldo, Brenham; Diana Mendez, College Station; Keyhan Rezvan, College Station; Clarissa Rodriguez, Bryan; and Sarah Tallerine, Industry.
CCMAs are medical support professionals who perform clinical and administrative duties under the direction of a physician, including maintaining patient medical records, scheduling appointments, administering medications, collecting and preparing lab specimens, and recording vital signs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical medical assistants earn $17.23 per hour and projections show that employment is expected to grow 19% nationwide between 2019 and 2029.
Blinn’s CCMA Program includes courses on medical office operations, equipment, procedures, and how to apply them in outpatient settings. Students then work in a clinical setting under the direct supervision of a healthcare provider to apply what they have learned in the classroom. Blinn’s CCMA Program is available in both Brenham and Bryan.
Highly trained CCMAs play an important role in providing quality healthcare, said Karla Flanagan, Blinn’s Dean of Technical and Community Education.
“Our program produces professionals who will immediately be contributing members in any healthcare setting,” Flanagan said. “That’s important as the healthcare field continues to expand the roles of clinical medical assistants.”
To enroll in the CCMA Program, students must participate in a mandatory online healthcare information session. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/clinical-medical-assistant, call 979-830-4443, or email [email protected]..
