Work and learn while you earn an income with WashU’s Medical Apprenticeship Program
WashU’s Medical Apprenticeship programs provide on-the-job training as you work as an employee toward earning a national credential of a medical assistant or medical administrative position. Applicants can pick either a clinical or non-clinical career path once enrolled in the program.
Our apprentices are full-time WashU employees on day one. Apprentices are eligible for WashU’s many benefits, including health, dental and vision care, retirement savings, tuition reimbursements, family and well-being programming, and more. While you learn and work, you earn a paycheck.
WashU’s apprenticeship program model
Our program is a yearlong program in which our apprentices are in the classrooms four hours a week for the first 12 weeks, while learning and working in a clinic the remaining 36 hours a week. Applicants are hired as patient care associates and able to climb the career ladder through our unique program.
At 12 weeks, apprentices take the national certification exam. Upon passing, apprentices receive a pay increase and work 40 hours a week in the clinic for the remaining 40 weeks of the program. Once graduating the apprenticeship program, we encourage our employees to stay with WashU.
Accolades and program success
WashU’s Medical Apprenticeship program is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and is the first university in the area to offer an apprenticeship. In 2021, the program was recognized as the 2021 Apprenticeship Missouri Program of the Year by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. This lifechanging opportunity has positively impacted many St. Louis community members and grows each month.
“Mrs. Kathy Clark and her team lead the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program at WashU. The program and instructors are amazing: their style of teaching, their approach and the care they take to explain so that students can comprehend what is being taught. They made me feel like I could succeed and I did it! I am now working as a Medical Assistant with a promising career for an Infectious Disease Clinic. The program works, the teachers are awesome and the Apprenticeship program inspires employees to further their education.”
Lisa, apprenticeship graduate, March 2022
Read about the program’s success:
- Clark recognized for work on medical apprenticeships (WashU School of Medicine)
- Medical assistant apprenticeship program recognized by U.S. Department of Labor (The Source)
- Meeting the complexities of the times, together (Washington Magazine)
- WashU apprentices learn medical assisting while on the job (STL Today)
Applicant qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Dependable and accountable
- 2+ year healthcare work experience
- 3’s WorkKeys score preferred
- 18 years of age or older
- Strong computer and electronic records skills (30+ words per minute)
- Current WashU employees may apply with department approval
Get started with these steps:
1. Review our program presentation (PDF).
2. Email our Apprenticeship team at clinicalapprenticeships@wustl.edu to let them know you’re interested in the program.
3. Attend an informational session at Workforce Development location close to you:
4. Complete testing requirements, such as an entrance exam and WorkKeys.
5. Pass a background test and drug screen.
Our program accepts applications on a monthly basis and places apprentices as quickly as possible into a desired patient care associate position.
For more information, contact clinicalapprenticeships@wustl.edu.