South Louisiana Community College (SLCC) held a graduation ceremony for 12 students from the inaugural Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship program on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
This group of well-deserving graduates participated in a “rigorous program of study,” says Director of Apprenticeship and Training Heather Guidry, which culminated with a graduation and pinning ceremony surrounded by their family and SLCC faculty and administration.
“The medical assistant pins symbolize the completion of their program and wearing the pin demonstrates dedication to the standards and ethics of the profession,” Guidry adds.
In the afternoon program, guests were introduced to the Ochsner Lafayette General partners that were instrumental in helping this apprenticeship materialize. The generous support of Ochsner Lafayette General allowed participants to “learn new skills, such as phlebotomy and EKG,” and “get paid while learning” while their education expenses were waived,”,” medical assistant graduate Monica Randall commented.
Medical assistants serve as an assistant to the modern physician. They can perform all administrative tasks like billing, insurance claim processing, and scheduling, while also executing medical tasks like taking vital signs and medical history.
All graduates of the SLCC-Ochsner apprenticeship program are prepared for the workforce and complete requirements for five industry certifications: Medical Assistant, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Certified Nurse Aid, and CPR.
As SLCC ushers this new batch of trained professionals into the workforce, we look forward to seeing the community embrace them. SLCC continues to work with business and industry to ensure that training and opportunity can intersect right here in Acadiana. The medical assistant program and high-demand career tracks are a perfect example of that intersection.
SLCC created its Workforce and Economic Development division in 2015 to offer continuing education courses, leisure learning programs, and customized training for businesses across its eight-parish footprint in Acadiana. Its focus is providing short-term training programs to prepare residents to meet the demands of area businesses.
For more information on SLCC’s short-term courses, visit www.solacc.edu/workforce or email workforce@solacc.edu.