Cox College to add medical assisting program

A committee of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association for Accreditation approved the program Tuesday after a strict application and selection process, according to a news release. The full board is expected to approve the program on July 8.

The college already is enrolling students for the medical assistant program, with a goal of 20 students for the fall. The program will lead to an associate’s degree, and graduates can take an exam to become a certified assistant.

Medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative work, according to the release. CoxHealth estimates 55 percent of its regional clinical staff is made up of certified and uncertified medical assistants, the release said.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports medical assisting is the eighth-fastest-growing occupation in the country between 2006 and 2016, with a projected 35 percent increase in jobs during that period.