BUSINESS COLLEGE: MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAMS PROLIFERATE

Employment in the medical administrative-assistant field is expected to experience significant growth during the 1990s.

"Figures from the U.S. Department of Labor's `Occupational Outlook Handbook' report that almost 300,000 persons are employed in medical- or dental-assisting operations," said Mary Emmenderfer, director of Metro Business College in Cape Girardeau. "With a growing and aging population, the demand for these jobs is expected to surpass all other occupations this decade."

More than a third of the Metro Business College students are enrolled in medical-assistant or medical-secretary courses. Placements in the field are high, said Emmenderfer.

Metro Business College recently received accreditation from the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) for its medical-assistant program.

"We received the accreditation in December," said Emmenderfer. "This will enhance our graduates' employability."

The bureau accreditation is the second for the school's medical-assistant program. The Association of Independent Colleges and Schools of the Career College Association accredited the program following its origination in 1982.

"Dual accreditation for a program is tremendous," said Emmenderfer. "We are now recognized for having high academic standards in the medical-assistant field by both organizations. With the ABHES accreditation, our students are automatically eligible to take the Registered Medical Assistant examination following graduation."

The examination is given throughout the U.S. twice a year. Students who have graduated within the past two years are also eligible for the examination, said Emmenderfer.

About 40 students are enrolled in the medical administrative-assistant program at the school.

"Included in the course is clerical and lab work" said Emmenderfer. "A six-week internship program is also part of the course work."

Metro Business College, which has more than 100 students, offers a variety of courses, including administrative accounting, computer operations, executive secretarial training, business management and other business-oriented courses.

"We have a good placement program," said Jan Reimann, placement director at the school. "Our placement rate is consistently in the 75-to-80-percent range in all fields."

A travel-tourism course that was added to the curriculum in 1989 has been discontinued because of placement problems.

"We could place our tourism graduates," said Emmenderfer, "but not in this area. Our graduates would have had to relocate, and most of them wanted to stay in the area."

Metro Business College has a staff of 13, including administrative staff and faculty.

Martha Dalton is education director; Jane McIntyre is administrative assistant; Debbie Ellis is financial aid director; and Cindy Ross is admissions director.

The college originally opened in 1975 with a dozen students. The courses offered were primarily secretarial, typing and shorthand. Old Cape Girardeau Business College was founded in downtown Cape Girardeau in October 1975 by three businessmen.

The school became Metro Business College in 1981, when it was purchased by George Holske, who already owned business colleges in Rolla and Jefferson City.

The school then moved to 1452 N. Kingshighway. In less than three years the school passed the 100 mark in student enrollment, and earned accreditation by the Association of Independent Colleges and Schools.

The accreditation was significant: financial assistance for students through PELL grants and Guaranteed Student Loan programs became available.

The school moved into new quarters at its present site in 1986.

"We feel that our success is due to a number of factors," said Emmenderfer. "We attribute a lot of our success to our new facilities and increased advertising. But we also feel that our reputation has helped increase enrollment. In many instances we have more jobs available than people.