Accreditation of Medical Assisting Schools
When choosing a medical assisting school or program, one must be certain that it is accredited. Often, the government requires an education and/or continuing education for medical professions and non-accredited programs may not be honored. Accreditation gives students confidence in their education and provides assurance that it is of quality and value to the medical community.
The largest organization responsible for accrediting medical-related education in the U.S. is the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The LCME is considered by the U.S. Department of Education to be the only authority for accrediting programs leading to an MD degree. As well, a student must have attended a LCME accredited school to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
Six regional accrediting agencies that handle medical assisting school accreditation are:
- Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Addition resources pertaining to medical assisting program accreditation are:
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
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