Nov 10, 2021 3 min read

Centerville Clinics is taking a creative approach to solving a workforce shortage in health care.

The medical facility in Washington is offering a tuition-free, paid-training program for medical assistants who will start their careers at their clinics.

“This is a unique opportunity for anyone looking for a career in health care where they can help others and help in their community,” said Barry Niccolai, executive director at Centerville Clinics.

The Medical Assistant (MA) program is being offered in partnership with the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA), a nationally recognized nonprofit provider of training programs.

According to information released by the American Hospital Association, a 2021 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that nearly 30% of health care workers are considering leaving their profession altogether and nearly 60% reported impacts to their mental health stemming from their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The next term of classes starts in March, 2022. Niccolai encouraged anyone interested in the program to contact the Clinics at admin@centervilleclinics.com and to include their name and contact information. A representative from Centerville Clinics will contact potential applicants to discuss program details.

Once students are accepted into the 29-week program by NIMAA, Centerville Clinics will pay all the tuition and fees for those students and will pay them while they are doing their externship at the clinics. In exchange, each student who completes the program will commit to a three-year employment agreement with the clinics.

“Medical assistants are in high demand,” Niccolai said. “They play a key role as part of a health-care team. Our goal is to financially support several people who will join us at the end of the program as certified medical assistants.”

Niccolai added that salaries for MAs are highly competitive and being an MA can be a stepping-stone to other careers in health care.

“There are a limited number of scholarships available, so interested candidates should apply early,” he said.

NIMAA’s training model combines extensive in-clinic experience with flexible online learning. The medical assistant program requires a commitment of about 32 to 36 hours a week.

The in-clinic experience will be an externship served at one of the Centerville Clinics locations in Fayette, Greene or Washington counties. Students will be paid during their externships, which will be one-on-one training with a member of the Clinics health care staff.

Near the end of the 29 weeks, all NIMAA students must take the National Healthcare Association MA examination. The “pass rate” for students is 85%.