On this episode of the MGMA Business Solutions Podcast, host Daniel Williams speaks with Rob Fershtman, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships at U.S. Career Institute. With more than a decade of experience helping healthcare organizations strengthen their pipelines for Certified Medical Assistants and other essential roles, Fershtman shares strategies for addressing staffing shortages, creating flexible education pathways and building long-term retention in medical practices.

Key Takeaways:

[05:41] - Identifying workforce gaps: How rural healthcare organizations are struggling to recruit talent and why early-stage career roles, like medical assistants, are critical to closing the gap.
[08:14] - What US Career Institute offers: An overview of the accredited programs and degrees, with a focus on entry-level healthcare pathways and medical assistant training.
[10:40] - Real-life success stories: How individuals from diverse backgrounds (oil riggers, hairstylists) transitioned into healthcare careers and thrived with support from their employers.
[12:15] - Didactic + clinical training model: Why combining online coursework with hands-on clinical instruction creates the most effective outcomes for medical assistant preparation.
[17:20] - Open-book learning and retention: How cognitive load theory and open-book quizzes improve knowledge retention and prepare students for certification exams.
[25:20] - Partner-driven customization: How organizations can tailor the learning sequence and clinical checklists to align with their unique needs and workflows.
[28:08] - MGMA CMA program partnership: How practices can access U.S. Career Institute programs directly through MGMA to build and sustain their CMA pipelines.

Resources:

Visit the U.S. Career Institute website
MGMA Clinical Medical Assistant Certification, Powered by U.S. Career Institute - Learn More
Connect with Rob Fershtman on LinkedIn
MGMA Membership - Learn More and Register
2025 MGMA Leaders Conference: Sept 28-Oct 1 in Orlando, FL - Register Here

Additional Resources:

Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts.