Our Proud History
Carnegie Institute was founded in 1947 in Detroit, Michigan. The Michigan State Department of Education granted its license to establish postsecondary education and training for human resources development in allied health support services. The need for trained medical assistants was critical, as specialized postsecondary education was nonexistent.
The Beginning Of Many Firsts
Grand Circus Park, adjacent to the original location on Park Avenue, Downtown Detroit
1947 – First school of its kind to achieve State recognition and one of the leading schools in the country to offer a regularly scheduled instructional program for training Medical Assistants.
1950 – First Director of Education, James F. McEachern, M.S., ScD. established curriculum and quarterly schedules of instruction for allied health programs.
Carnegie Institute
1956 – A Medical Administrative program was developed emphasizing medical records management and transcription to meet the staffing requirements for more extensive medical facilities.
1958 – Carnegie Institute Alumni Association was founded.
1961 – The new 12-month Medical Assistant Program was introduced; it incorporated business, English, and human relations; expanded medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and typing; and increased emphasis on nursing arts and medical administrative procedures. Subject specialists were added to the Carnegie staff to teach and supervise the expanded curriculum and lab training areas.
1966 – The national movement toward accreditation finally materialized almost 20 years into the school’s history. A recognized accrediting commission was established in Washington, DC, for the express purpose of regulating and accrediting private postsecondary schools. Carnegie Institute was one of the first to formally apply to NATTS for school accreditation, now ACCSC.
Presentation of Carnegie Alumni Award, 1958
1968 – First Institutional Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).
1972 – Carnegie Institute established its first Externship Program, including multiple clinic affiliates that complied with CAAHEP Guidelines and Standards for program accreditation. Without the professional cooperation and sustained assistance of the first 50 approved clinical sites, Carnegie’s goal to initiate an externship program at that time could not have been achieved.
1974 – First CAAHEP Program Accreditation for Medical Assistants by Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs on the Committee on Accreditation for Medical Assistant Education recommendation.
1976 – Carnegie opens a second school in Troy.
1980 – The Detroit school administration and student body transferred to Carnegie Institute, Troy, Michigan. Detroit school closes after 33 years at our original location. This was a pivotal milestone in Carnegie’s history.
Carnegie Institute
1981 – Witnessed first graduating class of Cardiology Technicians. This six-month program offered an extension of EKG training incorporated into the school’s Medical Assistant Program. This additional specialty training created the bridge for CT certification, leading the way for the development of advanced cardiovascular programs.
1984 – Marked graduation for the first class of Medical Records Transcriptionists. The 12 months of intensified training was geared toward hospital transcription or private resource services. This program was dissolved on February 1, 2008.
1987 – The first class of Echocardiography Technicians graduated.
1988 – First graduating class of Medical Insurance Billers, specialists in processing insurance claims, entered the job market.
Carnegie Institute
1989 – The First graduating class of Cardiovascular Technologists earned their diplomas, replacing the Echocardiography Technician.
1991 – Carnegie graduated its first class of Peripheral Vascular Doppler Technicians.
1992 – The Cardiovascular Technologist Program was extended to 18 months.
1993 – First graduating class of Electroneurodiagnostic Technicians.
1997 – The school applauded its first graduating class of Medical Administrative Secretaries.
2000 – First school in Michigan to receive CAAHEP Program Accreditation for its Cardiovascular Technologist Program on the Joint Review Committee on Education (JRC-CVT) recommendation.
Carnegie Institute
2002 – First school in Michigan to receive CAAHEP Program Accreditation for its Invasive Cardiovascular Technologist Program on the Joint Review Committee on Education (JRC-CVT) recommendation. First graduating class of Massage Therapists.
2004 – First school in the State of Michigan to receive CAAHEP Program Accreditation for its Electroneurodiagnostic Technologist Program on the Committee on Accreditation for Education in Neurodiagnostic Technology (CoA-NDT) recommendation.
2005 – First graduating class of Cardiac Electrophysiologists.
2006 – First school in Michigan to receive CAAHEP Program Accreditation for its Vascular Technologist Program on the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT) recommendation. The significance of dual accreditation distinguishes Carnegie Institute as the first private, postsecondary school of allied health technology in Michigan and one of the few schools accredited in the country today.
2008 – The program name changed from Electroneurodiagnostic Technician to Electroneurodiagnostic Technologist.
2009 – ACCSC Awards Carnegie Institute School of Excellence Award.
2010 – Carnegie celebrated its first graduating class of Pacemaker/ICD Technicians.
2014 – ACCSC Awards Carnegie Institute School of Excellence Award.
2017 – Carnegie Institute celebrated its 70th Anniversary.
2022 – Carnegie Institute celebrates its 75th Anniversary.
Graduating students at Carnegie have externship privileges at more than 300 medical facilities and rotation privileges at 55 major hospitals in our service areas.
Graduating class circa 1950
We are proud of these historic accomplishments and Carnegie graduates’ professional career achievements.