Medical Assisting Graduated Recognized
Front Row: Raven Henschen, Brianna Hardin, Yesica Vasquez Rodriquez, Jennifer Francisco, Emily Lindsey. Back Row: Choua Yang, Brittany Triplett, Cynthia Torres, Katlin Wolfe, Kayla Allen, Crystal Trejo.
Eleven students from Western Piedmont Community College completed the requirements for the Medical Assisting program and graduated during recent spring commencement exercises.
A pinning ceremony honoring these students was held on May 6, 2022, at Western Piedmont Community College. WPCC President Dr. Joel Welch welcomed guests to the pinning. Vicki Shuping, Medical Assisting Instructor, introduced the guest speaker Dr. Keith Smith. Dr. Smith is a founding physician of Burke Primary Care in Morganton, NC, and he serves on the Medical Assisting Advisory Committee at WPCC. Freshman marshals were Melissa Trivette, Kadejah Hoke, Mishel Velasquez-Soto, and Kelly Vazquez.
Rachel Bradshaw, Medical Assisting Program Coordinator, and Vicki Shuping, Medical Assisting Instructor, presented pins and awards for outstanding student performance. Awards included: Excellence in Administrative Medical Assisting, Brittany Triplett; Excellence in Clinical Medical Assisting, Choua Yang; Excellence in Laboratory Medical Assisting, Katlin Wolfe; Excellence in Clinical Practicum I, Cynthia Torres; Excellence in Clinical Practicum II, Brianna Hardin; Overall Outstanding Medical Assisting, Katlin Wolfe. The 2022 Medical Assisting Valedictorian was Choua Yang.
Numerous area medical offices participated in the education of the medical assisting students this spring. Medical Practices that served as training sites included: Burke Primary Care, Hopewell Family Medicine, Mountain View Pediatrics, and EmergeOrtho all of Morganton; A Woman’s View of Hickory; Table Rock Family Medicine, McDowell Medical Associates, Women’s Health Group (Morganton, Valdese, and Marion), Blue Ridge Urgent Care, and Family Medical Associates all of UNC Health Blue Ridge. Anderson Medical, Rivercrest Medical, and Laurel Park Women’s Health of UNC Caldwell Healthcare.
Medical assistants are the only allied health practitioners trained to work specifically in the physicians’ office performing clinical, administrative, and laboratory duties.
WPCC offers the one-year diploma with a two-year associate degree option in Medical Assisting. For more information, contact Rachel Bradshaw, BS, CMA(AAMA) at (828) 448- 3501 or Vicki Shuping, CMA(AAMA) at (828) 448-3172.