ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — College of The Albemarle (COA) announces that Rebecca Walker, CMA(AAMA), Associate Professor and Medical Assisting Program Director, has been recognized among the nation’s longest-serving Medical Assisting Program Directors by the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
MAERB oversees accreditation of medical assisting programs across the country and develops strategic plans and policies to ensure program quality. She has served on MAERB for many years as a board member and site visitor, including service as national chair of the organization. Additionally, Walker serves as a site surveyor for MAERB, responsible for reviewing medical assisting programs pursuing initial or continuing accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). With 40 completed surveys, she has conducted more surveys than any other currently serving surveyor.
Walker has also served as national president of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), held state-level leadership positions, and served in all officer roles within the local AAMA chapter.
Walker was included in MAERB’s annual Tipping Point recognition, which highlights currently employed program directors with the longest consecutive tenure at a single accredited program. She has served as Medical Assisting Program Director at COA for 15 years, placing her among a select group of educators nationwide recognized for sustained leadership and commitment to medical assisting education.
The Tipping Point recognition is shared with program directors at institutions whose Medical Assisting programs are accredited by CAAHEP. It honors program directors whose long-term service reflects dedication to accreditation standards, student success, and the advancement of the medical assisting profession.
Walker holds the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential through AAMA and has spent her career preparing students for successful careers in health care through rigorous instruction, hands-on training, and a strong focus on professionalism.
“I am honored to be recognized alongside so many dedicated program directors from across the country,” Walker said. “Working with our students and helping them prepare for meaningful careers in health care has been incredibly rewarding. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve COA and its students for the past 15 years.”
Walker is retiring later this year, concluding a career marked by long-standing leadership, academic excellence, and a deep commitment to student success.
“Rebecca’s leadership has been instrumental in the continued strength of our Medical Assisting program,” said Robin D. Harris, Dean of Health Sciences and Wellness Programs at COA. “Her commitment to students, accreditation standards, and program quality has made a lasting impact on our college and the communities we serve. This national recognition is a fitting acknowledgment of her many contributions to the field of medical assisting and to COA.”
COA’s Medical Assisting program is accredited by CAAHEP upon the recommendation of MAERB.
For more information about the medical assisting program at COA, visit www.albemarle.edu/medassist.
For information or media inquiries, please contact Tammy W. Sawyer, COA Director of Communications and Marketing, at 252-335-0821, ext. 2420, or [email protected].