Fast Track to a Healthcare Career

Tuesday, January 11, 2022 | By: Britten, Casey

Hands-on classes prepped Shaquita Martin for a rewarding career as a Medical Assistant.

Shaquita Martin was looking for a program she could complete in a short amount of time and make a decent salary. “I was working jobs I wasn’t happy with, and needed to find a career that would provide both a stable income for my family and a stable schedule,” she says.

She found her solution in the FVTC Medical Assistant program. In December 2019, she graduated from the 32-credit program in 18 months, landing a job as a Medical Assistant at Aurora Health Care in Oshkosh before graduation.

“The Medical Assistant program is built to prepare you for real-life situations by providing a clinic-like space in the classroom. Every single day we had to do something hands-on, which makes the training much more real,” explains Shaquita. “I’m a hands-on learner. I can watch something over and over, but in order to truly learn, I have to do it.”

And she loves her job. Working in pain management, she not only helps people with their physical pain, she also lends a much-needed ear. “I’m a people person,” she says. “We have people who come in and they just need somebody to talk to. I can be that for them. That’s my favorite part.”

The Medical Assistant field is expected to grow by 19% by 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

The growth of the aging population will continue to increase demand for preventive medical services, which are often provided by physicians. As a result, physicians will hire more assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians to see more patients.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics