Southern NH Health Provides Community College Students with Opportunity to Learn While They Earn

Southern New Hampshire Health is partnering with ApprenticeshipNH and the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) to provide an opportunity for students to launch a career as a Medical Assistant (MA). After 11 paid weeks of intensive classroom study and four weeks of on-the-job training with a mentor, students are eligible to sit for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) national exam and obtain certification as practicing MAs. Upon successful completion of the program, students are employed full-time as an MA at Southern NH Health.

The second cohort of the MA apprenticeship program recently graduated. Five of these graduates, Aracelis Uviedo, Michelle Brewster, Cierra Durrance-Lytle, Dakota Molkentine, and AbbyRae Bradbury, have all chosen to work for Southern NH Health as part of the ambulatory care team. They have begun working in full-time clinical roles in primary care, gastroenterology, and endocrinology practices now that their studies are complete.

Julie Tuttle-Varney, Director of Ambulatory Clinical Services, says, “We are excited to offer this professional development opportunity to our staff, and in parallel we are able to better care for the patients in our community.”

Tuttle-Varney further elaborates that the program helps Southern NH Health attract and retain talented staff. The soon-to-be MAs are paid as full-time employees the minute they set foot in the classroom, enabling them to focus on their coursework without juggling another job. Much of the tuition costs are covered by federal grants, and SolutionHealth pays for the balance of the tuition. In some cases, a student’s costs, including books and materials, are entirely covered.

Michelle Brewster, one of the recent graduates explains, “I was excited to learn that the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program was offered to existing employees. I plan on staying at Southern NH Health, and I needed this hands-on clinical experience to be better at a future role. If there’s someone in a non-clinical role who wants to learn new skills, this is the best way. The ability to focus solely on school without the financial burden of continued education was a huge plus.”

A new cohort will begin in September 2023. For more information, visit Southern New Hampshire Health Careers (snhcareers.org).