Medical Assistant Programs
Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in hospitals, offices of physicians and other healthcare facilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 22 percent from 2020 to 2030.
Through the Summa Health Smart Start program, individuals have an opportunity to earn a medical certification with financial support while building a career at Summa Health. This allows participants to focus on getting their education while learning about Summa Health and the healthcare industry. We have partnered with Aultman College and Stark State College to offer two tracks for individuals looking to pursue a career as a medical assistant.
Smart Start with Aultman College
- Participants will attend classes for two semesters followed by a clinical experience of 160 hours (every effort will be made to schedule the practicum hours at days and times which work best for the student).
- Additionally, participants will attend an in-person class one day a week for a few hours in the evening at the Summa Health Corporate Office
- The rest of the class time will be completed online via a computer or smart phone.
- Program participants are offered 100% paid tuition in addition to paid fees for uniforms, books, supplies and equipment.
- After graduation, Summa Health will link each program participant with a new job in their chosen field to fulfill a two-year work commitment at Summa Health.
We are currently accepting applications for our Medical Assistant Program with Aultman College. To apply, prospective students can visit
https://www.summahealth.org/careers and click "Current Openings" and then search for "Smart Start." Class space is limited.
Smart Start at Stark State
- Stark State students are first accepted into the Medical Assistant Program at Stark State and have completed at least one semester in the program before applying to the Smart Start Program at Stark State.
- Each program participant applies to work a few hours each month at Summa Health (assisting with clerical or basic, non-clinical support tasks).
- Summa Health subsidizes full-time students in the Smart Start program by paying half of their school tuition or providing $2,000 in living expenses.
- After graduation, Summa Health will link each program participant with a new job in their chosen field to fulfill a two-year work commitment at Summa Health.
If you are a current Summa Health employee, explore our Educational Assistance Program that offers tuition reimbursement for employees to enhance their skills in their current position or to prepare them for another position within the organization. Educational opportunities include associate degrees, bachelor degrees, professional certification/certification prep courses and more!
To apply, email your interest to
smartstart@summahealth.org.