Ochsner Rush Health is excited to announce the first class of graduates from its medical assistant training program. This workforce development program is the first of its kind at Ochsner Rush Health and gives employees the opportunity to grow their skills in healthcare by attaining Certified Clinical Medical Assistant credentials.
The 19 graduates are now working at Ochsner Rush Health in elevated positions and at a higher skill level. The program both helps employees and their career growth and it also fills a healthcare staffing gap in the region.
“We are excited to work with the Ochsner Health Workforce Development team to introduce this program at Ochsner Rush Health,” said Larkin Kennedy, CEO of Ochsner Rush Health. “We value the education and growth of our employees, and investing in our staff is a win for both Ochsner Rush and our patients.”
Medical assistants serve a vital role in healthcare and are often one of the first points of contact patients encounter when seeking care. A certified MA communicates with patients to assess their needs, works with other clinical staff to ensure the efficient and timely delivery of patient care and provides individualized medical care under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider.
To achieve certification, employees participated in a rigorous 40 hour per week program, working 20 hours in the medical assistant role in their department and completing 20 hours of self-paced online courses. Once the online program was completed, participants continued training through a four-week clinical rotation utilizing their skills. In total, the program took eight months to complete.
“Medical assistants are a huge need in healthcare, and this program helps fill the need in the Ochsner Rush Health clinics,” said Richie Lewis, senior workforce development consultant with Ochsner Health. “This is the first workforce development program at Ochsner Rush Health, but it certainly won’t be the last. We will continue to find opportunities for employees and individuals to grow their skills and careers in healthcare.”
The medical assistant training program celebrated the 19 graduates at a ceremony Nov. 10. Each of the graduates is now working as a certified MA at Ochsner Rush Health.