Healthcare Degree Programs, Certificates, and Trainings Grow with New Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Training Starting This Month

SUNY Schenectady offers a variety of healthcare degrees, certificates, and trainings aimed at preparing students to enter the growing healthcare field or to build upon their current skills.

New this fall is the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Training, offered through the Workforce Development and Community Education Division. Medical Assistants play an essential role in medical offices working alongside physicians, nurses, and others in healthcare teams, typically in outpatient settings such as clinics and medical offices. A Medical Assistant tends to do both clinical and administrative tasks that increase quality of patient care and improve office efficiency. This program consists of five courses that can be completed over two semesters.

As part of the program, students can earn NHA certifications in less than one year in Phlebotomy, EKG (Electrocardiogram), MAA (Medical Administrative Assistant), and CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant).

This adds to the Allied Healthcare Trainings already offered through Workforce Development and Community Education in:
Behavior Health Technician
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) 
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)/Personal Care Aide (PCA)/Home Health Aide (HHA) 
Community Health Workers (CHW) 
Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician 
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)  
Foundations of Health Insurance 
Home Health Aide (HHA)
Medical Administrative Assistant (MAA) 
Personal Care Aide (PCA) 
Personal Care Aide (PCA) Upgrade to Home Health Aide (HHA) 
and
Phlebotomy Certificate 

Justina Campbell (shown with Dr. Steady Moono, College President), earned her CNA license in 2019, after completing the College’s CNA training. She took classes at the Center City site where students learn different patient care skills including taking a patient’s blood pressure and pulse, making beds, and proper hand washing in a lab with hospital beds and simulation manikins, and completed her clinical work at the Kingsway Community. Justina began working as a CNA right away, assisting patients with dementia at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. While working full time, she continued as a student at the College part time and earned her Health Studies Certificate this May. Graduates of the Health Studies Certificate program are prepared to transfer into a variety of majors including nursing, dental hygiene, and radiologic technology.

Justina now works as a Medical Housing Case Manager for Rehabilitation Support Services in Albany, assisting patients with psychiatric and substance abuse disorders with daily living skills, medical appointments, and symptom management. “I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Justina said. “Growing up in Jamaica, no one talked about mental health, but when I moved to the U.S., it was a whole different perspective. People talk about mental health. I love seeing my clients every day, and helping them push through things.”

This fall, Justina will be pursuing her associate degree in Nutrition and she plans to transfer on to become a Registered Nurse.

In addition to the Health Studies Certificate and Nutrition degree programs, the College continues to offer programs in Community Health Worker (Certificate), Direct Support Professional (Certificate), and Medical Coding and Billing (Certificate).

Michelle Rearic, who graduated with her Health Studies Certificate this May, will begin the associate degree program in Nursing/RN at Maria College as a part-time student this fall. All of the courses she took at SUNY Schenectady transferred into the program. “I had heard about the Health Studies Certificate and it had the classes I needed to take, was close to where I live, and there were a lot of online options as a part-time student,” she explained. Michelle works full time as the Business Office Manager at Ingersoll Place in Niskayuna, and helps residents as well. She was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare after taking care of her Mother who had ALS and was a nurse herself. 

You can enroll for Fall today! More information about our healthcare degrees and certificates. More information about our healthcare training through Workforce Development and Community Education.