By Richard Girard
EAGLE TIMES PUBLISHER
CLAREMONT, N.H. — River Valley Community College is about to hold the second class of a program aimed squarely at helping provide trained staff to fill vacancies that are critical to health care providers.
The Registered Medical Assistant program, which starts Aug. 15, is the only program of its kind offered in the state.
Taught at RVCC’s Lebanon Academic Center, located at 15 Hanover St., the course prepares students to both pass the American Medical Technologists exam and obtain employment without having to start at a training wage. Graduates of the program will receive a certificate from RVCC and once they pass the AMT exam, they will become “registered” as a medical assistant, meaning they can work anywhere in the country.
“The RMA credential is nationally recognized and can set the RMA applicant apart from other candidates.” said Program Director and professor Lisa Gould.
All this begs the question: What does a medical assistant do?
The answer is, it depends very much on the setting because it is a very versatile position.
“Medical assistants are cross-trained to perform administrative and clinical duties. Their job varies depending on the medical practice’s location, size and specialty,” said Gould.
Generally, a medical assistant is a health professional who supports the work of doctors, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants and other health professionals, usually in a clinic setting. While an RMA is trained for both administrative and clinical positions, RVCC said the majority of its graduates work in clinical roles.
“You know the person who calls you into the doctor’s office from the waiting room and takes your vital signs, medical history and gets you ready to see the doctor? That’s usually a medical assistant,” Gould explained.
Medical assistants are used by large and small hospital clinics, private practices, urgent cares and any sort of ambulatory facility. They can be in general settings or specialized ones. They give shots, take blood, administer tests, care for wounds, answer phones, fill out forms, handle billing, book-keeping and much more.
Requirements to enter the program are minimal. That’s good news for anyone interested in being a healthcare worker. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma, GED or HiSet. Healthcare facilities may also require a background check.
Those interested should be mindful of what will help them be successful. Liking people and being able to work with them and communicate with them well are keys to success. The ability to assess a situation and act appropriately is also important. The work requires various physical abilities, too.
According to the New Hampshire Employment Security, Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, there are over 400 vacant medical assistant positions statewide. RVCC works with health care providers locally and across the state to connect students not just with jobs after they graduate, but also with opportunities to satisfy the program’s clinical requirements.
“If someone lives in Portsmouth or Manchester, or anywhere else in the state, we’ll look for places close to home so they can more easily complete the program’s clinical requirements,” said Gould.
Students in the RMA program have the ability to work with an RVCC career counselor who will connect them to job opportunities. Students can also receive help with creating a resume, writing a cover letter, starting a job search and practicing for interviews, along other offered services.
“It’s not unusual for students to have job offers before they complete the course or pass the exam,” said Gould proudly with a smile,
Tuition for the program is $6,500. There are many scholarship opportunities available through the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and Rural Health Careers. Payment plans are also available. Space is limited so perspective students are encouraged to apply ASAP if interested.
Dan Osborn, RVCC’s Workforce Development Coordinator and Director of Community Partnerships & Workforce Training said many employers would help pay for the class.
“With the current high demand for medical assistants entering the field, many employers are looking to ‘promote from within’ by offering tuition reimbursement to incumbents working in other positions who are interested in beginning a new career path as an MA. This is also a great starting point for further education leading to advancements within the medical field.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, the median annual wage in New Hampshire for a medical assistant was $42,620. Salaries will vary based on the healthcare organization and previous experience.
The program is hybrid, with a combination of classes held in person on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 2:30 and additional courses and assignments held online remotely. After completing the classes, students enter the clinical portion of the program. They must complete one-month (160-hours) of hands-on work in a hospital or clinic. During this time, the student will apply their training in real life situations with patients and explore multiple clinical settings to determine what areas of medicine they would like to start their new careers.
For complete details, visit https://www.rivervalley.edu/program/medical-assistant/, call 603-542-7744 or email [email protected]
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