Missoula College Reestablishing Medical Assisting Program

In order to keep up with local and national demand for certified medical assistants, Missoula College has reestablished its medical assistance program.

Program Director Paula Criman described the duties or a medical assistant, not to be confused with a physicians assistant.

"Medical assistants work in ambulatory offices such as doctors offices and clinics," Criman said. "They are trained in a variety of areas, such as scheduling appointments, handling the bills, collecting money and other office duties, as well as assisting the physicians with procedures, and interviewing patients. They're also trained in some laboratory duties such as basic testing on things such as blood and urine, and they draw blood. Medical assistants are a jack-of-all-trades."

Criman said there was good reason for the announcement at this time.

"Next week is Medical Assistants Recognition Week," Criman said. "We want to draw attention to that, so that people will know who medical assistants are. We also want people to know we're reactivating the program here at Missoula College, and are working towards accreditation, so that our students will be able to become certified as they finish up the program."

Criman said the demand for medical assistants is growing all over the country.

"Part of why we're reactivating the program is because of interest from area clinics and doctor's offices," she said. "They begged the college to reactivate the program because they wanted medical assistants so bad. In fact, the head of the medical assistants program down in Billings said they've been getting requests for graduates down there, for offices up here. That tells me there's a very high demand."

For more information, call Paula Criman at 406-243-7907, or email paula dot criman at mso dot umt dot edu.