Six students walked across the stage Tuesday as graduates of Beaufort County Community College’s Medical Assistant program, and every one of them already has a job lined up at the clinical site where they trained.
Tuesday’s ceremony was the first event held specifically for the program, created to recognize the commitment the yearlong course demands of students.
Meet the Graduates
Tamika Brown, Arlene Griffin, Victoria Reyes, Kasey Riggs, Klarissa Rosas-Burgos, and Zoquan Witcher completed the 1,189-hour Medical Assistant (RMA) program, which began with 15 students. The course trains students in clinical and administrative duties, including patient care, phlebotomy, EKG, medical office procedures, and pharmacology.
Job Offers Waiting at Graduation
Every graduate has already accepted a job offer from the clinical site where they completed their training. Placements include Agape in Plymouth, Agape in Washington, ECU Health Family Medicine in Washington, ECU Health Orthopedics in Greenville, ECU Health Pediatrics Outpatient in Greenville, and Urgent Care Down East in Washington.
Scholarship Removes the Cost Barrier
Registration fees for the program are covered through the Beaufort Promise Scholarship for qualifying students, giving residents of Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties a path into healthcare careers without the upfront cost.
Compassion Can’t Be Taught
“Medical assistants are the backbone of the clinical setting,” said Candace Griekspoor, instructor for the program. “Healthcare skills can be taught, but compassion cannot.”
Griekspoor praised the six graduates for balancing coursework with work and family responsibilities throughout the year.
Interested in a healthcare career? Explore BCCC’s full lineup of healthcare training programs to find the right fit.