The first St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) Medical Assistant Training Program class begins Aug. 1. The second class begins at the end of September.

The St. Luke’s Medical Assistant Training Program is to provide the foundational education and groundwork to become a medical assistant within St. Luke’s Physician Group (SLPG).

It is a full-time, paid, six-week training program comprised of classroom training, simulation labs, electronic health record training and job shadowing. No previous experience is necessary.

“St. Luke’s Medical Assistant Training Program is a new opportunity for individuals to join St. Luke’s in the clinical outpatient setting without having any experience,” said Jessica Kamensky, SLPG Senior Director.

“It is a paid training program that gives individuals the tools that they need to be a successful part of the clinical care teams within SLPG. It also opens up even more doors to continue to grow within the St. Luke’s University Health Network, professionally and clinically,” Kamensky said.

Medical assistants play a vital role in the delivery of healthcare for an ambulatory practice. They work on many levels of patient care, from their interactions before an appointment to assisting with direct patient care.

Medical assistants help with administrative and clinical duties, including checking a patient’s vital signs, assisting with in-office procedures, taking a patient’s medical history, scheduling appointments, ordering and restocking supplies, and supporting the clinical team.

“Medical assistants are an integral part in the delivery of high-quality patient care and have a significant impact on the patient experience,” Kamensky said. “Medical assistants work in varying specialties across all practices throughout SLPG.”

The Medical Assistant Training Program’s classroom-based curriculum will include subjects like:

• Anatomy and physiology;

• Vital signs and measurements;

• Safety and infection control;

• Documentation;

• Communication and professionalism;

• Medical assistant pharmacology;

• Medical assistant terminology and abbreviations;

• Physicals exams; and more.

The training program culminates with an assessment of skills learned and, upon successful completion the Medical Assistant Trainee Program, graduates will be placed into a medical assistant role within SLUHN.

“We are looking for individuals who want to learn and are eager to begin their career in healthcare at St. Luke’s,” Kamensky said. “We are extremely excited to be launching this program. This can be a great first step into a long and successful career at St. Luke’s.”

Information and to apply to the St. Luke’s Medical Assistant Training Program: www.sluhn.org/MAprogram