At CNE, we are committed to the development of our students’ careers and lives post-graduation; this means working to provide a wide variety of beneficial opportunities for our students to continue their learning outside of our own halls. This also means raising awareness of the many opportunities that are available for students after graduation. Mercy Health, one of CNE’s partners, provides an incredible opportunity for recently graduated high school students to further their medical career through Mercy’s Medical Assistant Apprentice Program, which allows high school graduates to work full-time for Mercy Health while earning their certification in Medical Assistance paid for by Mercy.
“This is such a great program for so many reasons, with my favorite being the hands-on experience,” says Jess Haungs with Mercy Health. “This program allows you to get on the job experience while obtaining your Medical Assistant Certification, and best part – you also get paid!”
Medical Assistants are allied health professionals who work alongside providers to perform both administrative and clinical duties in mostly outpatient care locations. MAs are a vital partner to the provider; they are trained for both front and back office duties, including answering phones, greeting patients, coding/billing insurance forms, taking medical histories, assisting in examinations and procedures, patient education, and performing or arranging an array of medical tests. Through Mercy’s Apprentice Program, associates receive both related technical instruction from Cincinnati State’s Workforce Development Center and structured on-the-job learning from a Mercy Health mentor. This is a six-month program.
“A Medical Assistant is a great career on its own,” adds Ms. Haungs. “Post the program there is an 18-month commitment in which Mercy will help you get a full-time position within our Medical Health Group as a Certified Medical Assistant. From there, I have seen MAs go into a Clinical Supervisor role (Lead MA) and even into the Practice Manager position. This is a great career, but also a great place to start if the goal is to become an LPN, RN, etc.”
The next cohort for the Apprentice Program starts June 5 for high school graduates, with another following in September.
