Vista CA— The graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the Medical Assistant (MA) Training Program, a joint offering of Vista Community Clinic (VCC) and Cal State University San Marcos (CSUSM), will take place at 6 p.m., Monday, February 27 at Shadowridge Golf Club, 1980 Golf Club Drive in Vista.
The ceremony will feature the awarding of certificates to students. Speakers include Fernando Sañudo, Chief Executive Officer of VCC; Denise Boren, Director of the School of Nursing at CSUSM; Angie Perez, president of the VCC Board of Directors; Judy Ritter, Mayor of Vista; Chuck Lowery, Oceanside Deputy Mayor and City Council member; and Peter Schiff whose family has generously donated to the MA program.
“We are very proud of the accomplishments of our first incoming class,” said Sañudo. “The students were motivated and worked hard. We had exceptional instructors from the CSUSM School of Nursing who engaged and inspired students from the very first day of class. This partnership between VCC and CSUSM is a big step forward in addressing the pressing need for a well-trained health care workforce in the region.”
Students in the graduating class come from diverse backgrounds. They include stay-at-home mothers, a mechanic, a warehouse worker, and office and retail employees.
The MA Training program was a perfect fit for Hanaah Fannin, an Oceanside resident who has an undergraduate degree in human biology from UCSD. Fannin, who works as a tutor, developed an early interest in health care as a youngster when she accompanied her Korean-born parents to their doctor visits and served as their interpreter.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity,” said Fannin, whose long-term goal is to become a medical doctor and provide primary care to underserved patients. “It’s very affordable and accommodates the needs of working students. Having classes right here in North County was also a big plus for me.”
The MA Training program, which began in the fall of 2016, is offered jointly by VCC and Cal State San Marcos. The program prepares students to work as medical assistants in doctors’ offices and health clinics. The $2,000 tuition is considerably lower than the cost of programs offered through private universities, and includes the cost of textbooks. The program integrates classroom learning with 80 hours of clinical training at a health care facility. Students learn how to draw blood, administer injections, take vital signs, schedule lab tests and assist physicians. Upon completing program requirements, they become eligible to take the California Certified Medical Assistant exam. VCC will host a job fair on February 25 where graduating students will have the opportunity to meet with potential employers.
The second cohort of the Medical Assistant Training Program begins classes on March 6. To learn more, email MAProgram@vcc.clinic.
About Vista Community Clinic
With seven locations in the cities of Vista, Oceanside, La Habra and Lake Elsinore, VCC provides affordable, high quality health care to more than 60,000 residents in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties. Services offered by VCC include primary care, pediatrics, prenatal and women’s health, behavioral health, optometry, dental care, and chiropractic services. VCC also offers a wide array of innovative health education programs for all community residents and free health insurance enrollment assistance. VCC is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 (highest) Patient-Centered Medical Home. For more information, please call (760) 631-5000 or visit www.vcc.clinic.
About CSUSM Extended Learning
As the academic outreach arm of Cal State San Marcos, Extended Learning is a leading provider of professional and continuing education in North San Diego and Southwest Riverside Counties. Offering degree programs, such as a master’s in public health, as well as both academic credit and noncredit professional enrichment courses, Extended Learning helps individuals and organizations achieve their educational and training goals. For more information about Extended Learning at CSUSM, please visit http://csusm.edu/el/.