Lackawanna College Expands Medical Assistant Program to Support Demand

Lackawanna College is launching its Medical Assistant (MA) program at its satellite centers in Sunbury and Hazleton in Summer 2021. The College will also launch the program at its main campus in Scranton and at the Lake Region Center in Fall 2021. The decision to expand the program comes from a growing demand for certified medical assistants throughout northeastern and central Pennsylvania.

“Medical assistants are valuable to our local healthcare teams because they handle so many crucial aspects of a patient’s care, including working directly with patients and handling administrative duties,” said Kelly Musti, Dean of Health Sciences & Assessment at Lackawanna College. “Students with a medical assistant certificate from Lackawanna College will have a strong foundation for entering the field.”

As the healthcare industry grows, so does the need for qualified healthcare professionals. According to the Borough of Labor Statistics, the employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 19% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

One of Lackawanna College’s partners, Guthrie, a non-profit integrated healthcare system, works with the College to offer clinical rotations for students and hires Medical Assistant graduates. “At Guthrie, we have found that the students in the College’s Medical Assistant program are enthusiastic and willing to learn in our clinical environments in order to broaden their knowledge beyond the classroom or other virtual options,” said LuAnn Sakers, Director of Practice Administration at Guthrie Troy/Canton.

Lackawanna College’s medical assistant program runs for over 30 weeks and combines classwork with hands-on clinical experience, 712 classroom and lab hours, and a minimum of 160 practicum hours. After successful completion of the course and clinical externship, students will be eligible to sit for the National Health-Career Association CCMA exam, an industry-recognized credential. 

To learn more or apply to the Lackawanna College Medical Assistant Program, visit www.lackawanna.edu.