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(California News Service) California faces a big shortage in the health care workforce, so health centers in San Diego are taking matters into their own hands, launching a training program for medical assistants.

The Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute, part of the Family Health Centers of San Diego, has graduated dozens of new medical assistants since January of last year.

Pauline Lucatero, chief academic administrator for the institute, said multiple factors led to the shortage.

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"This is just due to the aging population and retirement," Lucatero observed. "I also believe that trying to recover back from COVID, we lost a lot of professionals."

The program recruits students from the community. In fact, 65 percent of its graduates started out as a patient of the health centers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected jobs for medical assistants would grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032. The training program was made possible by a $450,000 grant from the nonprofit Direct Relief.

Dr. Byron Scott, chief operating officer of Direct Relief, co-chairs the group's Fund for Health Equity.

"They live in this community," Scott pointed out. "They're learning this new skill and then they're able to stay within the community and support the community, not only providing health care, but there's other economic benefits, not only for the community, but for themselves."

The program costs about $7,200. Students can get a loan, which can be forgiven if they work for Family Health Centers of San Diego for three years. Students can do the training in four and a half months full-time or eight months part-time.

The next full-time class starts October 7.