Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences (KPSAHS) is accepting applications for its second cohort of Medical Assisting students. To encourage applicants in this fast-growing field, the school is continuing its offer of a 50 percent tuition discount for this new program. Applications are due Aug 18.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California currently has over 300 openings for medical assistants, and across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the number of medical assistant positions is expected to grow by 23 percent between 2014 and 2024.

To help fill the growing need to train new medical assistants, the School of Allied Health Sciences in Richmond launched a new 15-month Associate of Science Degree in Medical Assisting program this year. The first group of students started classes in April 2017. The second cohort will start classes in October 2017.

This program has been training students for careers in allied health fields such as radiologic technology, diagnostic medical sonography, and nuclear medicine technology for more than 25 years. In March 2015, the school achieved accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission, paving the way for the program to offer Bachelor of Science degrees.

The new Associate of Science degree program started with 20 students and has several unique features. Besides receiving an Associate of Science degree in medical assisting, graduates are eligible to sit for certification exams in basic and advanced phlebotomy and EKG.

Students do their clinical training at Kaiser Permanente medical centers and will learn to use the organization’s electronic medical record software, KP HealthConnect.

“With the closure of some for-profit schools that used to provide medical assistant training, and the increased demand for medical assistants at Kaiser Permanente and throughout the health care industry, we saw the need to create this training program,” said Tammy Arnold, the program’s medical assisting program director.

“There was a surge of applications for our first cohort, and we want to keep encouraging people to consider this career by continuing to offer a tuition discount.”

Tuition and fees for the 15-month program will be $7905 for the cohort starting in October. Medical Assistants at Kaiser Permanente earn $25 – $27/hr, not including benefits.

The program offers loans with forgiveness for those employed after graduation at Kaiser Permanente

To apply, click here. 

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