Eastern Maine Community College to Offer a One-Year Medical Assisting Course at No Cost to Qualified Applicants

Bangor, ME - Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) is excited to announce an incredible opportunity for individuals wishing to become Medical Assistants (MA).  As part of a grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to the Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges, EMCC has received funding to offer a one-year Medical Assisting program to 40 qualified individuals at no cost to the students.  “There is tremendous state-wide demand for Medical Assistants which continues to increase”, stated Catharine MacLaren, Vice President of Talent and Diversity at Northern Light Health.  “This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who has an interest in beginning or growing their career in healthcare.”

The costs associated with tuition, fees, textbooks, criminal background checks, one certification exam, a stethoscope, and set of scrubs will be waived for individuals who qualify for the program.  “We are so pleased to be able to offer this program to the public,” stated Liz Russell, Vice President of Academic Affairs.  “Our healthcare partners have shared the challenges they face in recruiting qualified Medical Assistants.  I’m delighted that EMCC can provide this program as a way to help them meet their workforce needs.”

The One-Year MA program is comprised of a fall semester which begins August 26 and ends December 13, 2019; a spring semester which begins January 13 and ends May 8, 2020; and a summer 160-hour unpaid externship that will begin as early as May 11 and end as soon as all hours are completed.  The program will be offered both during the day and in the evening, with some classes available online.  Students wishing to participate in this program must be willing to complete courses as scheduled within the one-year timeframe. 

Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified applicants.  There is a two-part application process which includes:

1.       An “Application for Admission” to the Medical Assisting (MA) program.  This can be completed online at no charge by going to the EMCC website and clicking on “Apply” (the bottom option on the right hand “Get Started” menu.)  Candidates will be asked to submit official high school and college transcripts, if applicable; and

2.       An “Application for Funding” form that can be found at is www.emcc.edu/oneyearMA.

Individuals interested in exploring this opportunity are urged to email admissions atadmissions@emcc.edu or call 207-974-4629 for more information.O