From Beaufort County Community College

More trained health care workers will enter the workforce, thanks to Beaufort County Community College’s registered medical assistant program. On July 26, six students were honored with certifications from the program. Elizabeth Baucom, Eddi Cabrera Blanco, Shanita Patterson, Melissa Spencer and Sandra Rogers Williams can now take the American Medical Technologists exam to complete their certifications as RMAs. The program had a 100-percent completion rate

Lou Montana-Rhodes, vice president of patient care services at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, was the guest speaker for the ceremony. She is a BCCC alumna of the associate degree in nursing program. Sandra Rogers Williams was awarded the Academic Excellence Award for the highest grade average, as well as the Clinical Excellence Award for her leadership in the clinical setting.

The RMA course is a comprehensive, two-part training program preparing students to enter the health care workforce. Part one of the program consists of classroom, computer-based and laboratory instructional time learning the basic clinical and administrative skills necessary to work as an RMA in ambulatory patient care settings.

Part two of the program includes more instructional time to learn more complex office skills and medical assisting procedures, and hands-on clinical experience in local medical offices and clinics. The program also includes employment strategies, resume building and review for credentialing exams.

The BCCC RMA course is formatted within the guidelines recommended by the American Medical Technologists credentialing agency. Medical assistants who pass the AMT certification exam are certified as registered medical assistants.

For more information about the RMA program, please contact Crystal Reason-Harrell at crystal.reason-harrell@beaufortccc.edu or 252-940-6263.