Medical Assistants are highly versatile professionals in both clinical and administrative realms. The program will provide students with a knowledge base that includes anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, medical billing and coding, medical office clinical assessments and procedures, patient care and education. Medical assistants will learn to effectively communicate with a wide variety of people including doctors, nurses, clients, medical billing staff, insurance representatives, and pharmacists.

The Medical Assistant Associate Degree program is designed to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. This program requires a separate application process.

At the front desk, they greet patients and check them in.  Medical office assistants verify personal data about the patient, explain fees for services, collect payments, and guide patients through their medical office encounters. Medical Office Administrative Assistants answer the telephone, schedule appointments, and forward telephone calls according to office procedure.

Critical to the efficient operation of the office, Medical Office Administrative Assistants create and maintain patient medical records, store and retrieve the records for use during encounters with physicians, and keep the records up to date through diligent attention to detail.  The performance of administrative tasks varies widely office to office, and may include opening and sorting mail, composing routine correspondence, ordering of supplies, assuring that billing information reached the billing service efficiently, scheduling surgeries, and coordinating the physician’s meetings and hospital visits.  Medical Office Administrative Assistants play an important part in the business routine of the medical office including gathering patient information and signatures, filing insurance claim forms, coding diagnoses and procedures, reviewing insurance payments and helping patients understand insurance procedures. 

Acquiring a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification can be an enriching educational experience, primarily if you attend the Grays Harbor College - Columbia Education Center. There, you can access a comprehensive program that centers around patient care. The course highlights key aspects of a CNA’s role, such as offering basic care to patients, monitoring patient health, and crucial skills like empathy and understanding. Ultimately, successful completion of the Grays Harbor College - Columbia Education Center CNA certification course paves the way for one to be a competent nursing professional in the health care field.

Grays Harbor College offers a two associate degrees in nursing for students who wish to become licensed as a registered nurse. The Associate in Pre Nursing is designed for students who wish to complete pre requisites and  transfer to a university to earn their bachelor's degree.

The Associate of Nursing DTA/MRP is our on campus program that streamlines the academic progression for nursing students seeking a bachelor's degree after licensure. Most students take a year of admission and support courses prior to entry to our two year program. Acceptance criteria, estimated tuition, and other costs can be found in the Nursing Information Packet.

Students who take an additional course in "Personal and Vocational Relationships" concurrently with the third quarter and that have been deemed safe in clinical practice will be eligible to take the NCLEX-PN licensure examination to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Upon successful completion of the Associate of Nursing DTA/MRP, the graduate is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination for licensure as a Registered Nurse.