Parkland Medical Assist. Program Awarded Full Initial Accreditation
Parkland College Health Professions program earns accreditation
The Parkland College Health Professions Medical Assisting Program has been awarded full initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Accreditation follows a detailed two-year, 10-step process outlined by the CAAHEP to ensure that health professions education programs meet all standards and guidelines for the industry.
During the October 2021 site accreditation visit, Parkland's Medical Assisting program was required to show that 270 competencies from three learning domains were presented and assessed for every student. This included a one- to two-day close review of program documentation, facilities, and curriculum, as well as interviews with program-affiliated individuals.
"We are very proud of all the faculty and staff that organized, prepared for, and excelled in this key process for our program, our department, and our college," said Carolyn Ragsdale, Dean of Health Professions.
"Accreditation represents the highest level of excellence for a program or institution. It enhances the educational quality of a program by ensuring consistency with the standards of the profession, promotes self-evaluation and improvement, and provides the public with institutional accountability for educational programs."
Initial accreditation is awarded for a five-year period, with the next review slated for 2027. Students that complete medical assisting curriculum from nationally-accredited programs and pass certification exams can be employed in every state in the US.
For more information about Parkland College Health Professions programs, please visit parkland.edu/healthprofessions.