Currently Accepting Applications

Application Deadline: April 24, 2026
Registration Deadline: April 29, 2026

Overview

Join NACHC and the Washington Association of Community Health for a small group learning cohort in which we will walk through the steps to build a successful on-the-job-training (OTJ) program for medical assistants, dental assistants, or front desk staff. Faculty will outline key decision points and provide guidance on how to set program goals, develop a scope of practice, select curriculum, design wage progressions, and other details. In between sessions, participants will take manageable steps in program development. Come with your decision-makers and program stakeholders to learn and plan together!

Learning Objectives

This training will prepare learners to:

• Articulate the primary goal of the OTJ and define intended participant pathways, including entry requirements, eligibility criteria, and advancement outcomes.
• Determine curriculum source, instructional delivery need, and on-the-job skill development tracking.
•  Develop essential program policies and procedures required to support an OJT program.
• Establish an evaluation and feedback framework to support continuous improvement, program refinement, and long-term sustainability.

Best For

This training is best for a team of stakeholders from a health center invested in building an OTJ program to attend together. Teams may be up to 5 people per health center.  Your team should include:

• At least one person who is authorized to make program decisions, for example, an operations or human resources executive or director role.
• At least one person who is currently in the role of the OTJ training program or the supervisor of the role.

This training is best for a team considering an OTJ program for the following roles:

• Front-desk/reception for medical offices
• Medical assistants (MA)
• Dental assistants (DA)

Course Schedule

All sessions are from 2:00-4:00 pm ET/ 1:00-3:00 pm CT

May 7, 2026 - Session 1: Organizational Assessments & Groundwork

In the first session, we will focus on evaluating your “why” behind building an on-the-job training program and discuss some basic information about the position you want to train. This will serve as the foundation for the remaining sessions.

• Articulate the primary goal of the OTJ and choose the program model that aligns with goals. Common goals include external recruitment, current employee career advancement, or both recruitment and retention.
• Determine applicable credentialing, licensing, or regulatory requirements associated with the target position, including whether the role requires or benefits from external certification.
• Define or refine a clear scope of practice for the position to be trained, ensuring alignment with state policy, organizational needs, and/or legal requirements.

May 14, 2026 - Session 2: Program Framework, The Basics

In the second session we will start to build the basic framework for your OJT program, including your recruitment goals and curriculum plan.

• Determine an appropriate training duration and structure based on role complexity, scope of practice, and organizational capacity.
• Identify curriculum sourcing strategies, including partnering with external providers, adapting existing curriculum, or developing curriculum internally.
• Evaluate instructional faculty and modality needs based on role and operational feasibility.

May 21, 2026 - Session 3: Program Framework, The Details

By the third session, we still start outlining specific policies and procedures that should be implemented to ensure your OJT program is successful.

• Identify essential program policies and procedures required to support an OJT program, including grading or competency standards, leaves of absence, academic integrity, and participant conduct.
• Define roles and responsibilities for supervisors, instructors, mentors, and program administrators related to skills validation and program oversight.
• Design a wage progression or incentive structure that aligns with skill acquisition, training milestones, and organizational compensation practices.

May 28, 2026 - Session 4: Program Launch & Review

Focus: In the final session, we will review the final steps required to launch your OJT program, including marketing recommendations, strategic partnerships. We will close with a discussion on program evaluation suggestions for continual improvement.

• Identify and engage strategic partners to support recruitment, promotion, and talent pipeline development, including education, workforce, and community organizations.
• Select meaningful program metrics and success indicators, including recruitment, retention, skill attainment, wage progression, and completion outcomes.
• Establish an evaluation and feedback framework to support continuous improvement, program refinement, and long-term sustainability.

Faculty

Alyssa Burgess, Director of Career Pathways at Washington Association for Community Health.

Registration Information

This training is free for FQHC and Look-A-Like health centers.

How to Apply

• Spots are limited, this is a cohort-style training.
• Teams must complete an application and be accepted into this program.
• Only one application is required per team.

NACHC staff will respond to the indicated point of contact within five business days of application submission. Upon admission, the team will receive virtual meeting invitations and additional instructions. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the course is full or until registration ends. A waiting list will be developed once the course has reached capacity. Wait listed applicants will be given priority to fill a cancellation spot. 

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This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,625,000 with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.