STCC Medical Assistant program offered free to eligible residents
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – MassHire Workforce Boards of Hampden and Franklin Hampshire Counties are offering free training at Springfield Technical Community College to individuals interested in pursuing a career in medical assisting.
STCC medical assistant students.
Residents of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties are eligible to apply. Eligible, approved individuals can enroll in the medical assistant program at Springfield Technical Community College.
Candidates must be unemployed or underemployed and have an interest in a career in healthcare. Eligibility for program enrollment includes some academic prerequisites including proof of high school transcript, GED or HiSET scores, immunizations and legal requirements such as satisfactory CORI/SORI background checks and drug screening results, flu, chicken pox and Hepatitis B vaccines.
Interested candidates can enroll in the one-year medical assistant certificate program at STCC from September 2021 through August 2022 or September 2022 through August 2023.
Ranked among the best in Massachusetts, accredited Medical Assistant program gets cited for affordability, student-faculty ratio and quality of instruction. The program provides valuable hands-on learning through laboratory and simulation experiences in the SIMS Medical Center at STCC, a nationally recognized patient simulation facility. The SIMS Medical Center at STCC is one of the largest on the East Coast and most advanced in Western Massachusetts.
The full-time STCC program begins in September and ends in August. The last two months of the training is an on-the-job training experience. Graduates of the program will earn 29 college credits, a cost equivalent of $9,000 - $11,000.
Christopher Scott, dean of the STCC School of Health and Patient Simulation, said he was thrilled to partner with MassHire.
“We’re grateful that MassHire, with funding from the Commonwealth Corporation, is able to offer this program for free to eligible residents,” Scott said. “This is a terrific opportunity for people in the community to get high-quality training at STCC. Our medical assistant program has been recognized as one of the best in the state.”
In the fall 2020, the websites medicalassistantadvice.com and MedAssistantEDU.org ranked STCC’s program the top in Massachusetts for quality and value.
David M. Cruise, president & CEO, Hampden County Workforce Board, said, “The growing healthcare industry in the region needs to attract, develop and retain qualified talent. By offering free medical assistant training to those who are eligible, this program will expand the pool of applicants to meet the immediate and future workforce demands of the regional companies.”
Professional medical assistants perform administrative duties such as word processing, recordkeeping, billing, electronic medical records and scheduling procedures. Clinical responsibilities include assisting the physician with patient care, performing electrocardiograms, assisting with physical examinations, performing phlebotomy, obtaining and processing specimens.
Graduates are qualified to accept positions in medical offices, clinics, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, hospitals, ambulatory care centers, or any other area where their broad basic skills are needed.
Find out more information about the program by viewing the recorded Medical Assistant Training information session on the STCC YouTube channel.
Visit masshirefhcareers.org for more information on requirements and how to register.
Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.
About Springfield Technical Community College
STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequalled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu