Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan just dropped $80,000 to fund medical assistant training scholarships in San Diego County. The investment targets students joining the Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute (LRMAI), a program run by Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD).
The money will cover students entering the 2026 cohorts. Training kicks off in January 2026. Students can choose full-time or part-time tracks. Both options require 710 hours of instruction. Graduates walk away ready to work as medical assistants in San Diego’s healthcare facilities.
Building Tomorrow’s Healthcare Workers Today
Jennifer Schirmer serves as vice president of Medi-Cal growth and community engagement for Blue Shield Promise. She framed the scholarship program as an opportunity builder. “This initiative is about more than funding — it’s about creating opportunity,” Schirmer said. “By investing in local talent and expanding educational opportunities, we’re helping to grow the next generation of healthcare professionals who will strengthen San Diego’s healthcare system by increasing the number of trained health professionals in the region.”
The funding approach here differs from typical scholarship models. Most LRMAI scholarships come with strings attached—employment requirements, repayment clauses, that sort of thing. Blue Shield Promise’s $80,000? No strings. Recipients can pursue jobs anywhere across San Diego’s healthcare workforce. That’s rare flexibility in medical training programs, where students often commit to specific employers or face financial penalties.
Addressing Real Gaps in Healthcare Access
San Diego County faces a persistent healthcare worker shortage. Low-income and medically underserved communities feel this shortage most acutely. Medical assistants serve as critical links between patients and providers. They take vital signs, update medical histories, prepare exam rooms, and handle administrative tasks that keep clinics running.
Fran Butler-Cohen, CEO of Family Health Centers of San Diego, connected the scholarship program to broader community health needs. “Blue Shield Promise’s scholarship sponsorship directly invests in the people who will shape the future of community health care across our region,” Butler-Cohen said. “By expanding access to medical assistant training, we’re creating career pathways that address workforce shortages and improve access to care for all San Diegans.”
The 710-hour program covers clinical procedures, administrative operations, patient communication, and electronic health records (EHR) management. Students learn phlebotomy, medication administration, medical terminology, and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability) compliance. The curriculum aligns with California’s certification requirements for medical assistants.
A Partnership with History
This scholarship commitment extends an existing relationship between Blue Shield Promise and Family Health Centers of San Diego. The partnership launched in 2022 with a $1 million grant. That initial investment expanded cardiac care services in eastern San Diego County. It also funded the El Cajon Urgent and Cardiac Care Center, which opened its doors to address cardiovascular health needs in a traditionally underserved area.
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan operates as a managed care organization offering Medi-Cal coverage. The organization serves approximately 580,000 members across Los Angeles and San Diego counties. NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance) rated the health plan 4 out of 5 in its Medicaid Health Plan Ratings 2024.
Healthcare professionals lead the organization with what they call a “members-first” philosophy. The approach prioritizes building provider networks and partnering with community organizations that serve uninsured, low-income, and medically underserved populations.
What Comes Next
Family Health Centers of San Diego will host an open house for prospective students on Tuesday, December 16. The event runs from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Oak Park Family Health Center, located at 5160 Federal Blvd. #150, San Diego, CA 92105.
Interested candidates can learn about program requirements, application processes, and scholarship availability. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about curriculum structure, clinical training sites, and job placement support.
The timing of this scholarship announcement matters. Healthcare staffing shortages continue to strain medical facilities nationwide. Medical assistants represent one of the fastest-growing occupations in healthcare, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections. The profession requires less training time than nursing or physician assistant programs, making it an accessible entry point for people seeking stable healthcare careers.
San Diego’s healthcare landscape includes major hospital systems, community health centers, specialty clinics, and urgent care facilities. All need qualified medical assistants. This scholarship program removes a significant financial barrier for people who want to enter the field but lack resources for tuition and training materials.
The $80,000 investment will fund multiple students through comprehensive training. Each scholarship covers program costs, study materials, and exam fees for certification. Blue Shield Promise’s decision to waive employment and repayment requirements gives graduates genuine career mobility. They can choose employers based on fit, location, and professional goals rather than contractual obligations.
This kind of workforce development investment benefits everyone in the healthcare ecosystem. Patients get more access to care. Healthcare facilities can fill critical staffing gaps. Students gain marketable skills and stable employment opportunities. Communities see improved health outcomes when medical services become more available and accessible.