Oregon Health System Offers Tuition Coverage for 70 Medical Assistant Trainees

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St. Charles Health System in Bend, Oregon, plans to cover the full tuition cost and provide a living stipend for up to 70 individuals interested in becoming certified medical assistants over the next year. The program is designed to address staffing shortages, as medical assistants are the most in-demand position within the health system, with about 50 current vacancies.

Why it matters

The initiative by St. Charles Health System highlights the ongoing challenges healthcare providers face in recruiting and retaining essential frontline staff like medical assistants. By offering tuition coverage and financial support, the system hopes to attract more individuals to this critical role and improve access to care in its outpatient clinics.

The details

St. Charles Health System will cover the full cost of the medical assistant certification program at Central Oregon Community College for accepted applicants. Participants must commit to working at St. Charles for at least two years upon graduation. The system plans to fund 10 students in an accelerated six-month program starting in June and an additional 20 students in a traditional nine-month program beginning in September.

• The accelerated six-month medical assistant program will begin in June 2026.
• The traditional nine-month medical assistant program will begin in September 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The first group of 10 students in the accelerated six-month medical assistant program will begin their training at Central Oregon Community College in June 2026.