BELLEFONTE — On Feb. 24, students in the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology’s medical assistant program visited the Centre County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications department in Bellefonte. The students talked with the staff, toured the facility and learned about a typical work day at the center.
“The thing that impressed me the most is that the whole 9-1-1 communication center is run by a handful of individuals in comparison to the calls that they receive, which is roughly around 200,000 calls per year,” said student Kathy Duck.
The students visited the 9-1-1 center as part of the disaster emergency planning component of their program, which provides entry-level skills and competencies to prepare students for employment in the health care community. Students participate in seven-week externships in various medical facilities and are eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants’ certified medical assistant exam. Graduates of the program are employed at Mount Nittany Physician Group, MedExpress, Geisinger Medical Group, Jersey Shore Medical, Susquehanna Family Medical, Tapestry in Health, Care 1 Urgent Care and Advance Urgent Care.
For more information about the medical assistant program, contact the CPI Adult Education office at (814) 359-2793, visit www.cpi.edu or attend the school’s open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21.
