Workforce Development

The February 17 medical assisting program started at SACA’s (Spanish American Civic Association’s) Tec Centro training facility in Lancaster. Twelve students were immersing themselves in the medical terminology module when in mid-March the 496-hour HACC Workforce Development program, like many other HACC classes, came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic! Fortunately, so that learning could continue, our instructors were able to transition much of the curriculum to Zoom and delay the hands-on skills instruction until the students could return to face-to-face learning. At that point, no one knew when that would be.

On Monday, July 6, that day arrived, and the students returned to Tec Centro to perform the hands-on skills portion of the program. Wellness screenings occur each day, proper PPE (personal protective equipment) is worn and social distancing is maintained. Tec Centro follows disinfecting procedures each evening, so the lab is ready for the next day’s class. Barring any unexpected directives from the governor related to COVID-19, the students will begin their 160-hour clinical experiences by mid-August and in early fall they will sit for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification exam.

While COVID-19 has affected all our lives in ways many of us could never have expected, it taught these MA students an invaluable lesson on how important it is to be prepared for the unexpected and to be flexible. Because of the dedication and determination of our students, our instructors, and Tec Centro staff, our local healthcare delivery systems and their patients will benefit from these well-prepared healthcare professionals.