Graduate School USA's Center for Health Sciences offers three new academic programs, including a Medical Assistant Associate of Applied Science degree, an Electrocardiographic (ECG) Technician certificate, and a Medical Office Administrative Assistant certificate.

Program Highlights
Medical Assistants
Medical Assisting is a dynamic field with a wide variety of job tasks and duties. Medical Assistants are cross-trained to perform administrative and clinical duties in hospital-based clinics, freestanding outpatient care centers, and physician offices. DC's Department of Employment Services (DOES) lists Medical Assistants as one of the top 50 fastest growing occupations in the District, with a projected 30 percent growth in employment. As students complete coursework in the Medical Assistant program at Graduate School USA they will also receive certificates in Phlebotomy and ECG Technician. Both programs are embedded within the degree.

ECG or EKG Technicians
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) Technicians work the in the area of cardiac electrophysiology. They use special equipment, following established protocols, to record the electrical impulses of a patient's heart. As an important noninvasive tool, data acquired from a properly performed ECG assists physicians not in only in routine physical exams, but also before surgery and other special circumstances in diagnosing medical conditions. They are generally employed in hospitals, particularly cardiology departments, but can also be found working in diagnostic imaging centers, clinics, and physicians' offices. ECG Technicians are classified within the Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians career category, which are projected to have growth according to DOES.

Medical Office Administrative Assistants
Medical Office Administrative Assistants provide clerical support in a medical office or other healthcare setting. Some of their duties may include answering and directing calls, appointment scheduling, patient billing and compiling medical charts. This position has many job titles; for example: Medical Secretary or Receptionist, Unit Support Representative and Medical Office Specialist. As such, they can be found working in a variety of healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, physicians' practices and specialty care facilities. DOES projects an 18 percent increase in employment in DC. All the courses in this certificate program, except for one, transfer directly into the Medical Assistant degree, allowing students to conveniently pursue employment and continue their education at Graduate School USA.

About Graduate School USA's Center for Health Sciences
The Center for Health Sciences, launched in October 2010, is a part of Graduate School USA's new mission and strategic plan to provide a full complement of occupational courses, certificates, degrees, and other professional development activities.

The Center for Health Sciences caters to working adults in the Washington metropolitan region with a goal of becoming recognized as a preeminent provider of education in Allied Health careers by offering the highest quality curriculum content and delivery, emphasizing academic excellence in both knowledge and skills-based competency, while promoting lifelong learning and professionalism to foster successful careers for its students.