Ochsner Health System, Jefferson Parish, and the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) recently announced plans to expand Ochsner’s Medical Assistant (MA) Training Program in Jefferson Parish. The Shrewsbury Medical Assistant Training Program, which will host its first session in January of 2018, is tuition-free and open to Jefferson Parish residents ages 18 and older* through funding provided by the LWC. The January 2018 session enrollment is now open.
Launched in New Orleans in 2013, the six-month MA Training Program, beginning Jan. 29, 2018, features accelerated classroom, clinical, and on-the-job training. The program addresses the need for Certified MAs and helps to builds additional career pathways. The program includes certification training for students in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Phlebotomy, and EKG.
All interested applicants are required to attend one of two informational sessions open to the public on Dec. 11. The sessions are 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Hazel Hurst Community Center, 1121 Causeway Blvd in Jefferson.
Applications for the Shrewsbury Medical Assistant Training Program are due Dec. 15, 2017 in the Jefferson American Job Center in Metairie (1801 Airline Drive, Ste. F) or Gretna (1900 Lafayette Street) by 4 p.m. The Jefferson American Job Center will recruit applicants for clinical MA training, located in the Shrewsbury Community in East Jefferson.
To be eligible to apply, the applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalency, successful completion of drug screen and criminal background check, and the ability to commit to the six-month program. After successfully completing the program and hiring requirements, 100 percent of graduates will have the opportunity to interview for positions, and 75 percent or more will be hired as a full-time MA at one of Ochsner’s Health Centers in the Southeast Louisiana area.
Currently, Ochsner employs more than 700 MAs, all playing an increasingly important role in healthcare delivery. These professionals are typically the first and last to see a patient, taking vitals and relaying patients’ concerns to the physician before circling back at the end of the appointment to take questions and schedule follow-ups.
For additional information or questions on Ochsner’s MA Training Program, please call the Westbank location at (504) 227-1283 or the Eastbank location at (504) 838-5678.