Carilion Clinic's latest Grow-Our-Own program for medical assistants is in the news!

Carilion Clinic's latest Grow-Our-Own program is in the news! This Medical Assistant-Certified (MA-C) Program is an 8-week grant-funded initiative designed to address the increasing demand for medical assistants in ambulatory clinics. This program is open to both internal and external candidates, welcoming individuals from all generations and various professional backgrounds who wish to become a Carilion ready MA-C. Ambulatory leaders are encouraged to hire people based on an employee's potential and then count on the program to provide the necessary skill training. Ambulatory department collaborations have included Family and Community Medicine, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Women's, Neurosciences, and more to come.

In partnership with Virginia Western Community College, the program features morning classroom instruction and afternoon Carilion guest speakers with clinical rotations in the practices where they are hired. All MA-C Applicants are assigned a clinic-based preceptor. This preceptor provides support and continuity from training through departmental orientation.

The program's goal is to cultivate skilled and well-rounded MA-Cs who are familiar with Carilion's policies and procedures, ultimately boosting their confidence and retention in their new roles. Twelve individuals in the first two classes successfully completed their training, achieving a 100% pass rate on the national certification exam. Thank you for welcoming these new MA-Cs to our Carilion Team.

Please reach out to Christine Ugron at ccugron@carilionclinic.org if you have any questions regarding this program. 

Link to WDBJ 7 news:

Carilion Clinic works to advance medical skills of hospital employees