ERIE, Pa. — Staffing shortages in the U.S. healthcare system have created new opportunities for clinical medical assistants, who prepare patients for examination and conduct diagnostic tests, including echocardiograms. Employment of medical assistants in Erie County is expected to increase by nearly 19% in the next 10 years, according to Burning Glass, an online tool that aggregates data through job postings.
To help meet that demand, Penn State Behrend’s Office of Community and Workforce Programs has developed an 18-week clinical medical assistant program. Classes will be offered in a hybrid format, with both classroom and online learning, and will prepare students to sit for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification exam.
Classes begin Aug. 15. In-person classes will be offered at Behrend on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with additional skills sessions on some Saturdays.
The program will teach students how to review and administer medications, how to collect specimens for laboratory analysis and how to manage regulatory and legal issues, including questions related to patient confidentiality. The curriculum also includes classwork on anatomy, physiology and medical terminology.
The cost of the program is $3,900. That fee includes the certification exam, an exam prep guide and practice tests. Payment plans are available.
Visit this link to learn more about the program or to register.