Funding For Your Medical Assistant Training

For those who cannot afford to pay all, or part of the tuition and educational materials required there are other options. Funding for medical assistant training at approved vocational training institution or community college is readily available through low interest educational loans, federal direct student loans from the U.S. Department of Education for those who qualify. Federal Student Aid Programs offer the following types of aid to help you pay for your education after high school.

1. Grants—student aid funds that do not have to be repaid (other conditions apply)
2. Work-Study—a part-time work program to earn money while you are in school
3. Federal Loans—student aid funds that you must repay with interest

The types of federal student loans are Perkins, Direct Stafford, Direct PLUS (graduate and professional degree student borrowers), Direct PLUS (parent borrowers) and Direct Loan Consolidation. Even better than a loan to finance your medical assistant training is money that is COMPLETELY free trough educational grants, scholarships, or state and government funded vocational training programs.

Means of Completely Free Medical Assistant Training for Job Seekers, the Unemployed, or Financial Needy

Vocational training and education usually costs money, money out of YOUR own pocket, however some aspiring medical assistants get their training completely free by training right on the job under the direction of the doctor who hired them, or by enrolling into completely free government sponsored vocational training programs such as Job Corps, ROP and ROC, WIRED, vocational rehab programs funded under government programs for the unemployed, or disabled, or the GI bill for soldiers. Others get their training by joining the military, such as their state's National Guard where they train under the supervision of a health services officer in a Medical Company while also getting paid, ergo... completely free medical assistant training, although their job title is medic, not medical assistant; but fair enough! Check this out...

Training Via the Military

1st Lt. Amanda Hunt-Queen (left), of Tulsa, reviews a patient’s chart with Spc. G. Antoine of Glennpool, Okla. Hunt-Queen is a health services officer and Antoine is a medic with the 120th Medical Company, 120th Engineer Battalion, 90th Troop Command, Oklahoma Army National Guard. Hunt-Queen has been a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard for more than two years. In her civilian occupation, Hunt-Queen is a medical assistant at Southcrest Hospital.

Photo Credits: Cpt. Geoff Legler, Oklahoma National Guard office of public affairs.

 And Then There is Job Corps, ROP and WIRED

Local Workforce centers funded by tax dollars, such as Job Corps, WIRED and Regional occupational centers (ROC) and ROP also provide finance for free training that aspiring medical assistants can benefit from.

Vocational training institutions that qualify receive educational funding and grants from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration’s Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED), which is then used to provide completely free vocational training to those who enroll into their programs and qualify. The California Department of Education (CDE) distributes funding to ROC for educational activities for welfare recipient students and those in transition off of welfare. The educational activities are limited to those designed to increase self-sufficiency, job training and work. For information contact your Regional Occupational Centers and Programs and Workforce Development centers.

Scholarship for Medical Assistant Training

Medical Assistant Training Scholarship from AMT

A scholarship must be earned, but it is completely free money that goes toward your education. American Medical Technologists (AMT), a nationally and internationally recognized allied health professional certification association, awards one $2,500 and three $1,500 scholarships annually to individuals who have met the following criteria:

• Applicant must be a member in good standing with AMT
• Applicant must be enrolled in a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting commission
• The program of study should be concerned with disciplines certified by AMT
• Applicant must provide evidence of financial need and career goals

Applicant must file a completed application and all required information prior to April 1to be considered for the current year’s scholarship. All info on how to applications and submit supporting documents for AMT's Medical Assistant Scholarship can be requested directly from AMT.