LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Medical Assisting program at Sullivan University’s Lexington campus has been ranked the top medical assisting program in Kentucky.
The No. 1 ranking of Sullivan’s Associate of Science in Medical Assisting was announced by Medical Assistant Advice, an online site of educators and medical assistant professionals who bring their experience and expertise to guide current medical assistants or those who are seeking information on the profession.
In the announcement, Medical Assistant Advice says that Sullivan’s program – which takes around 18 months to complete – trains students in both the front and back office functions of medical assisting. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
“The skills you master include scheduling appointments, patient record keeping, billing and insurance, drawing blood, taking vital signs, administration of medications, EKGs (Electrocardiogram), and assisting the physician during minor procedures carried out at the medical office,” the announcement said. “Besides, you will learn about keyboarding essentials, public speaking, professional development, and also participate in two externships at local medical settings.”
“Recognition of program quality by outside agencies or peers demonstrates excellence,” said Jill Ferrari, director of Sullivan University’s Medical Assisting Program. “This will only solidify our reputation in our community more soundly as being a competent source of quality graduates for employment.”
Medical assistants are the medical professionals who complete administrative and clerical tasks in hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics. They also take a patient’s temperature, check their blood pressure and discuss ailments and symptoms with the patient. In addition, medical assistants also have a keen understanding of medical billing and computerized medical records.
The career outlook for medical assistants is strong.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the medical assisting job market is projected to grow at 19 percent through 2029, “much faster” than the average career growth rate of 4 percent. In Kentucky, the growth rate through 2028 is 13.7 percent, according to Projections Central, which projects employment and job growth in all 50 states.
In 2017, 80 percent of Sullivan graduates passed the national Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), on the first try, compared to the national average pass rate of 60 percent.
“As illustrated in our certification exam pass and employment rates, most of our graduates pass the certification test after graduation, and are then able to get a job in the field” Ferrari said.
Ferrari said the career-ready relevancy of the curriculum is strengthened through the support of a community advisory board that is made up on employers, program graduates and community members who advise Sullivan on how to make the curriculum as relevant as possible for future medical assistants. The advisory board also assists in evaluating the program, which leads to improvements based on members’ recommendations.
Medical Assistant Advice synthesizes data from the College Navigator, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Medical assisting programs are scored on MedicalAssistantAdvice.com Editorial Staff Ratings, Graduation Rate, Average Net Price, Admission Rate, Full-Time Retention Rate, and Total Number of Students Enrolled for the Medical Assisting Program.
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