Through 90 Day MA, the employment gap is bridged for financially disadvantaged Nevadans.
Just five years ago, prior to the medical school funding approval by the state legislature, Nevada was 30,000 healthcare workers short of meeting the national per capita average. These healthcare workforce shortages, including shortages in Medical Assistants, persist today. To help address this need, Intermountain Health has partnered with NV Careers to create 90 Day MA, an education program designed to qualify job seekers for a career as a Medical Assistant. Fox 5’s November 30th “Giving Tuesday” segment highlighted the program.
Partners in Leadership
To assist with funding, the Bank of Nevada announced a $10,000 donation to a new initiative by the Goodwill of Southern Nevada (GSN) that will sponsor student enrollment costs to 90 Day MA for southern Nevadans who may not otherwise be able to afford it. Rick Neal, President and CEO of GSN, said he is happy to support community partner Intermountain Health in its commitment to promote diversity and inclusion in the healthcare workforce.
The Medical Assistant training program aligns with GSN’s mission to “reduce the impact of poverty on our community by helping southern Nevadans obtain local employment and upward mobility.” Thanks to GSN’s tuition sponsorship, job seekers can qualify to enroll in the program free of charge, opening doors to new career pathways perhaps previously unobtainable.
Community partner NV Careers, which facilitates Nevada job hirings with companies and associations across various industries, sees its collaboration with Intermountain Health and GSN on the 90 Day MA healthcare career jump start as an innovative approach designed to “bridge the employment gap for financially disadvantaged populations.” This intersection of common goals allows for a collaboration between leaders across business sectors that serves both Nevadans seeking employment, as well as fortifying the healthcare industry for the entire community.
Fast track to success
90 Day MA is open to southern Nevada residents 18 years of age and older who are interested in a career in the medical field. The 90-day accelerated Medical Assistant education program is followed by a 1440 hour paid apprenticeship, leading to personalized plans and a career ladder with upward mobility at Intermountain Health. No prior experience is required.
Intermountain Chief Nursing Officer Keyona Cole, who was once enrolled in a similar entry level program that helped lead her to her current leadership position, noted that the program is allowing Intermountain Health to “get more people on track to become a Medical Assistant like we haven’t been able to before,” thus helping southern Nevada to further fill the hiring gap in this crucial industry.
Those interested in applying for Goodwill’s 90 Day MA tuition sponsorship can take a qualification survey by texting #90dayma to (480) 381-9437.
