The Daily Freeman is reporting the state Education Department has given final approval to an associate-degree program for medical assistants at Columbia-Greene Community College. The program will begin in the fall 2014 semester. The program’s development was funded through a grant from the State University of New York. According to the grant document, the largest area of annual average openings for high needs programs are in the healthcare fields. Data indicates there is a significant growing job market for trained medical assistants. The program could also be of interest to students who are in pre-nursing.