Erin Inman, right, alongside Timothy “Zan” Thompson, middle, stands with Assistant Dean of Health Technologies, Martha Smith. Also, an instructor of Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Medical Assistant Program for more than a decade, Ms. Smith says Mr. Inman and Mr. Thompson are the first male students she’s ever had in the female-dominated major.
Teaching Medical Assisting at Georgia Northwestern Technical College since 2001, Martha Smith has never seen a man graduate from her program on the college’s Walker County Campus. That is until now.
Erin Inman, 44, of Rome, Ga. and Timothy “Zan” Thompson, 23, of Trion, Ga. paved the way for a new trend. “I worked in healthcare for a long time,” said Ms. Smith, assistant Dean of Health Technologies at Georgia Northwestern. “Erin and Zan are the first two men I’ve ever seen come along and successfully make their way through the program.”
Mr. Inman served a medical assistant internship with Floyd Family Care in Rome. Mr. Thompson interned with the Redmond Wellness Center at Roper Industries in LaFayette. Both locations were interested in hiring them beyond their internships through Georgia Northwestern.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Medical Assisting field is expected to increase its number of new positions by 23 percent over the next eight years. Medical assistants serve in healthcare and administrator capacities for medical offices and facilities. They will often perform multiple clinical duties, as well as manage various administrative projects on a given shift.
GNTC’s Medical Assisting program is offered on the Floyd County Campus in Rome and the Walker County Campus in Rock Spring. The college offers a Medical Assisting Diploma and an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Medical Assisting.