The Medical Office Management program at Texas Southmost College recently received a Texas skill standards-based recognition, making it the only program of its kind in Texas to receive this distinction.
“This is a prestigious recognition,” said Division of Health Professions Interim Dean Consuelo Villalon. “The recognized category is granted to programs aligned with skill standards developed and validated in Texas by Texas industry.”
The Texas skill standards-based recognition is renewed every three years. The college’s first renewal was in 2015, and since then has held this recognition.
The program is recognized for integrating medical office manager skill standards into the curriculum, meaning that the skills taught to students in the classroom are the skills needed to perform and succeed in the workplace.
To receive this recognition, the program’s curriculum had to align with specific requirements such as industry-defined critical work functions, key activities, and performance criteria as well as occupational and academic knowledge and skills. The program also has to identify how it assesses students.
“When our students obtain their associate degrees, they will have the knowledge, skills and performance levels that graduates need to be successful in the workplace,” said Villalon. “Graduates of the program have the vital job-related competencies that allow them to be productive and effective workers in the medical office environment.”
Consistent with the mission of TSC, the Medical Office Management program is committed to providing high quality, accessible and affordable education tailored to community and industry needs.
The program prepares its students for entry-level positions in medical offices, clinics and health care facilities to work as accounting clerks, medical coders, transcriptionists, medical billers and medical records technicians.
Students also enroll in this program to update and expand their skills if they are already working in the medical administrative field.
A high percentage of the program’s graduates gain employment before or immediately after graduating, usually at the health care facilities where they completed their internships.
Villalon said the medical office management students see success after going through the program because of alignment of the program with industry-defined skill standards.
TSC Vice President of Instruction Joanna Kile said its recognitions like this one that set TSC and its programs apart from others and ensure TSC continues working towards its mission of helping students attain their educational goals.
“I’m proud of our Medical Office Management faculty and all of their hard work to obtain and maintain this recognition,” said Kile. “Skill standards are vital to our students’ success and our college meeting industry needs. This is a testament to their hard work and genuine care for student success.”