Male Grads Making Their Way Into Medical Assisting at GNTC

July 27, 2017

Teaching Medical Assisting at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) since 2001, Martha Smith has never seen a man graduate from her program on the college’s Walker County Campus. That is until now.

44-year-old Erin Inman of Rome, Georgia and 23-year-old Timothy “Zan” Thompson of Trion, Georgia paved the way for a new trend. “I worked in healthcare for a long time,” said 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.”

Inman served a Medical Assistant internship with Floyd Family Care in Rome. Thompson interned with the Redmond Wellness Center at Roper Industries in LaFayette, Georgia. Both locations were interested in hiring them beyond their internships through Georgia Northwestern.

Erin Inman of Rome, Georgia, right, alongside Timothy “Zan” Thompson of Trion, Georgia, 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, Smith says Inman and Thompson are the first male students she’s ever had in the female-dominated major.
Erin Inman of Rome, Georgia, right, alongside Timothy “Zan” Thompson of Trion, Georgia, 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, Smith says Inman and Thompson are the first male students she’s ever had in the female-dominated major.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Medical Assisting field is expected to increase its number of new positions by 23% 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, Georgia and the Walker County Campus in Rock Spring, Georgia. The college offers a Medical Assisting Diploma and an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Medical Assisting.

GNTC offers Medical Assisting and more than 200 other programs online and on-campus. Campuses are located in Ringgold (Catoosa County Campus), Rome (Floyd County Campus), Calhoun (Gordon County Campus), Rockmart (Polk County Campus), Rock Spring (Walker County Campus), and Dalton (Whitfield Murray Campus).

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 14,151 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,956 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 6,195 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start.  For more information about GNTC, visit us at GNTC.edu or contact a Student Help Center on any one of our six campus locations at 866-983-4682.  For information online, visit the college at GNTC.edu, as well as on GNTC’s Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google+, WordPress, and YouTube channels. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.

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Don Foley
Don Foley
Assistant Director, Marketing and PR