Medical Assisting
Medical Assistants greet patients, prepare them for exams and perform routine clinical tasks like taking patient history, collecting vital signs, and more. They also often help with the administrative tasks of running an office: answering phones, making appointments, computer and paperwork.
Deborah McCallum, program director
864-941-8464Credentials offered
A Career in Medical Assisting
As the demand for health care services continues to grow, physicians and other health care providers are in need of skilled and compassionate medical assistants to keep their practices running smoothly.
Medical Assistants are an important part of the daily operations in doctors’ offices and other health care facilities.
As a graduate of PTC’s Medical Assisting diploma program, you’ll be prepared to start a successful career providing direct patient care that has a positive and memorable impact on patients and their well-being.
Special Application Requirements
The Medical Assisting program has special program admission criteria which must be completed prior to applying for the clinical phase of the program. A student may be admitted to the college at any time in order to complete prerequisite and general education coursework.
What Will I Do as a Medical Assistant
Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners. Their duties vary with the location, specialty, and size of the practice.
Electronic health records (EHRs) are changing medical assistants’ jobs. More and more physicians are adopting EHRs, moving all their patient information online. Assistants need to learn the EHR software that their office uses.
Medical assistants take and record patients’ personal information. They must be able to keep that information confidential and discuss it only with other medical personnel who are involved in treating the patient.
Some job duties may include:
- Take patient history and measure vital signs
- Help the physician with patient examinations
- Give patient injections as directed by the physician
- Schedule patient appointments
- Prepare blood for laboratory tests
Career Quick Facts
- Career Outlook
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- Median Salary Average: $33,047
- SC Salary Range: $25,080-$39,638
- 81% placement rate for 2020-2021 graduates
Salary and career information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Physical Demands
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- active (much walking, standing) -- all day
- lifting (up to 50 lbs)
- manual dexterity
- excellent vision/hearing
- hand/eye coordination, accurate swift movements
- computer work
- Entry Level Positions
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- Medical Assistants
- List of Employers
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Recent graduates have found work at:
- Abbeville Area Medical Center
- Abbeville Family Healthcare - Chiropractic Care
- Advanced Cardiology Associates
- Advanced Health Care
- Advanced Spine and Neurosurgical Associates
- Advanced Surgical Associates
- Agape
- Anmed Health
- Carolina Health Centers
- Carolina Medical Weight Management
- Carolina Women's Center
- Carolinas Medical Center
- Cecil Y. Brown, MD Family Practice
- Chapin Family Practice
- Compass Family Practice
- Digestive Disease Group
- Doctors Care
- Dr. Camille L. Mason
- Dr. Cecil Brown
- Dr. McGinnis
- Easley Family Practice
- Family Health Care Center
- Family Health Care – Ware Shoals
- Family Medicine Associates
- Family Medicine Centers of SC
- Family Physicians of Greenwood
- Greenwood Eye Clinic
- Greenwood Genetic Center
- Greenwood Internal Medicine
- Greenwood Urological
- Home Health Care
- Internal Medicine of Greenwood
- Lakelands Orthopaedic Clinic
- Laurens Family Medicine
- Lexington Medical Center
- Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community
- Montague Eye Center
- Montgomery Center
- Newberry Family Health Care
- Pathology Services Associates, LLC
- Physicians Care
- Piedmont Cardiology
- Piedmont Health Group
- Piedmont Internal Medicine
- Piedmont Plastic Surgery
- Savannah Lakes Medical Center
- Self Regional Healthcare
- The Children's Center
- The Children's Clinic
- Tower Pointe Medical Center
- Uptown Family Practice
- White Oak Manor
Program Information
The Medical Assisting program prepares a multi-skilled graduate to function in clinical and administrative areas of the physician’s office and ambulatory care centers. The program will prepare you to be competent in both administrative and clinical procedures.
Medical Assisting graduates may earn the CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) credential by passing the National Certifying examination.
The Medical Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
