Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane Falls Community College offers a program designed to provide specific training to individuals who wish to establish a career in meeting the needs of a rapidly expanding older population. The Gerontology program examines mental, emotional, physical and social changes that confront older adults. Gerontology is distinct from geriatrics, a medical specialty that explores health and disease in elders. Some of the current career fields may include program management, administration, recreation services, residential care, business and education fields, and human service programs related to life after sixty.

The Medical Assistant is an allied health professional who assists physicians and other health care providers in their offices or other medical settings. In accordance with respective state laws, they perform a broad range of administrative and clinical duties. In the Medical Assistant program at Spokane Community College, students learn about the administrative duties of scheduling and receiving patients, preparing and maintaining medical records, performing basic secretarial skills and medical transcription, handling telephone calls, writing correspondence, serving as a liaison between the physician and other individuals, and managing practice finances.

This program prepares individuals for employment in medical offices as medical office receptionists. Spokane is a major regional center for medical care, offering many opportunities for employment. Positions are available in medical clinics, medical insurance companies and private physicians' offices.

Students obtain the knowledge and skills in all phases of the pharmacy field: drug products, calculations, dosages, dispensing techniques, inventory management, aseptic techniques, and Washington pharmacy law. The school stresses skills development, acceptable work attitudes and ethics, proper work habit and job appreciation. Graduates will be prepared to work in both community and hospital pharmacy settings.