Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program Overview:
Do you enjoy helping people, learning, and working with a team? Would you like to make a difference every day? Are you interested in having the opportunity to earn while you learn? Dartmouth Health Career Institute (DHCI) is looking for motivated individuals for the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program.
Candidates will apply for their respective geographic locations and be selected and hired by Dartmouth Health to become Medical Assistants working in our Lebanon area clinics (Dartmouth Health Lebanon, Alice Peck Day, Mt. Ascutney Health Center and Newport Health Center), Southern Region (Manchester, Nashua, Concord), or Keene (Cheshire Medical Center). During the 12-week training period, participants will earn college credits and an hourly training wage. At the end of the 12-week training individuals will sit for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam prior to beginning a 2000-hour Registered Apprenticeship.
This full-time, hands-on training program includes both classroom and clinical training. Classes offered during the program include: Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Clinical Medical Assisting with Lab, and Healthcare Communications.
Program Timelines:
| Cheshire Medical Center MA Program – Fall 2025 (Keene, NH) | |
|---|---|
| Application Deadline | July 4th |
| Interviews | July 22nd & July 23rd |
| Shadowing (one day between these dates) | July 28th-August 1st |
| Program Enrollment | August 13th |
| Pre-employment screening | August 14th-September 8th |
| General Orientation | September 15th |
| Classroom/Skills Training/Clinical Training | September 16th-December 4th |
| CMA Exam | December 5th |
| Southern Region Medical Assistant Program – Fall 2025 (Bedford, NH) | |
|---|---|
| Informational Meeting with Program Leadership | June 1st – July 24th Meetings set up upon application submission |
| Application Deadline | July 25th |
| Interviews | August 5th, 6th, 7th |
| Program Enrollment | August 13th |
| General Orientation | September 15, 2025 |
| Classroom/Skills Training/Clinical Training | September 15th – December 5th |
| CCMA Exam | December 5th |
| Anticipated MA Apprenticeship Start Date | December 8th |
| Lebanon Region Medical Assistant Program – Fall 2025 (Lebanon, NH) | |
|---|---|
| Online Pre-Screening Interviews | 1:1 scheduled as application materials are received |
| Application Deadline | August 1, 2025 |
| In-Person Interviews | August 13 or 14, 2025 |
| Program Enrollment | August 27, 2025 |
| General Orientation | September 15, 2025 |
| Classroom/Skills Training/Clinical Training | September 15 – December 5, 2025 |
| CCMA Exam | December 5, 2025 |
| Anticipated MA Apprenticeship Start Date | December 8, 2025 |
Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Training Program Informational Video Part 1
Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Training Program Informational Video Part 2
Role of a Medical Assistant:
Medical Assistants (MAs) are valued members of the clinic care team. The MA role is fast‐paced, interesting, and is guided by patient safety in every interaction. The MA is the first person to welcome a patient to the clinic, setting the stage for a comfortable, caring experience. As an MA, you will:
MA Spotlight: Meet Ryan Cutter
Ryan, a Medical Assistant III working in Nashua’s Neurology Clinic, found his starting point in healthcare through the Dartmouth Health Career Institute. After successfully completing his training and certification in 2020, Ryan dove into his US Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship gaining clinical skills and making a meaningful impact in patient care and on his team in Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Ryan’s drive for continual learning and professional development led him to earn his associate’s degree in Health Science in December of 2021. Ryan has not stopped there, he continues to drive efficiency, kindness, and care within his clinic and precepting activities. In 2023 he was promoted to an MA III and graduated with his Master’s in Business Administration in 2024.
“I am incredibly fortunate that Dartmouth Health has given me this opportunity through the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program. Being out of the traditional workforce for 15 years created a period of unsettling uncertainty. The only two things that I was sure of were that I wanted to help others and that I wanted to learn and grow as part of an extraordinary institution. This program offered me both.”
Ryan always offers a warm smile and provides an abundance of care to his patients. We are so proud to have people like Ryan choose to return to (or join) the workforce through the DHCI.
Interim Employment Opportunities:
Thank you for reviewing the information regarding our bi-annual MA apprenticeship programs above. We hope to receive your application during one of our upcoming application windows to be considered for the apprenticeship program. Prior to the start of the next program, if you are seeking a temporary (interim) role please reach out to DHCI@hitchcock.org and share your interest and current resume to include the location you are looking to apply to. Upon receipt, we will determine if there are any available openings and discuss next steps, if eligible/applicable.