Pima County JTED’s Medical Assistant students are getting a jumpstart on working in a clinic by opening one of their own. Starting April 9, Carla Lopez’s class of 21 students will open the Ancora Wellness Clinic from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings.
Members of the public are invited to drop in to have their blood pressure and their glucose level checked. The students are also offering hearing and vision screenings; charting of a child’s height, weight and growth; ear lavage; and minor first aid.
In addition to their regular high school schedules, JTED Medical Assistant students receive 850 hours of instruction, attending the program five hours a day, four days a week.
According to Lopez, her students can expect to earn approximately $30,000 a year when they enter the field, and medical assistant jobs are expected to grow roughly 40 percent by 2015.
Medical Assistants are responsible for recording a patient’s medical history, taking vital signs, collecting specimens, administering injections, assisting with medical procedures, and performing health screenings.
Lopez’ students selected Ancora as the name of the clinic because it is the Latin word for refuge, support, hope. Ancora is located on the JTED @ Empire Campus (10701 E. Mary Anne Cleveland Way).