Medical Assisting (UC "g")
Learn back office medical procedures. Topics include medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, lab procedures. Clinical training in hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices is available. The class focuses on academic, technical skills, and employability practices. Students will develop personal and professional skills in the classroom that will transfer to the workplace:
- Time management and organization
- Interpersonal skills
- Work with a variety of technology
- Creative thinking and problem solving
- Job search skills including: resume, job applications and effective interview skills
- Essentials of Fire Department Customer Service
Class Benefits
- 30 high school credits earned per year
- Develop skills leading to a highly paid, high demand job
University Majors & Degrees (BA or BS)
- AA or AS in Biology, Chemistry, Nursing, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy
- BA or BS in Biology, Chemistry, Nursing, Pre-Med
Certifications Earned Within the Class
- Class completion certificate
- CPR & AED with successful completion of training
Job Opportunities Upon Completion
- Medical Assistant
- Chiropractic Assistant
- Pediatric Assistant
- Hospital Admitting Clerk
- Outpatient Admitting Clerk
- Unit Clerk Home Health Aides
About the Instructors
The Medical Assisting program is taught by medical experts, Luz Maria Gamboa and Nadine Gonzales.
Nadine Gonzales
Nadine Gonzales has more than 16 years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from Western Career College, now known as Carrington College. Her background includes specialty medicine, including fertility, Sports Medicine, pain management, and pain management surgery. Nadine trained in assisting with spinal epidurals and radio frequency ablations as well as platelet-rich plasma injections. During most of her career, she has worked in sports medicine, where Nadine was privileged to work with the San Francisco Forty Niners and San Francisco Giants team doctors. After spending some time in patient care, Nadine wanted to expand her horizons and teach college as a way of giving back all that she was taught. She taught three-and-a-half years of college before joining SVCTE. Nadine still currently works in patient care as an on-call MA at Kaiser Permanente. When Nadine isn't teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family, her two dogs, going to the beach, and helping her daughter fundraise for her foundation.
Luz Marie Gamboa
Ms. Luz Gamboa is a dedicated Career Technical Education (CTE) Medical Assisting Instructor at SVCTE, a place she never imagined would become such an important part of her life. In 2008, she began her journey in healthcare by attending the Adult Medical Assisting Course at SVAE. After completing her training, Ms. Gamboa worked as a caregiver for two years, gaining hands-on experience in patient care. She then spent 13 years at Samaritan Urgent Care, where she honed her skills and deepened her knowledge in the medical field. On her days off, Ms. Gamboa dedicated her time to education, working as a Teaching Assistant (TA) at De Anza College as a Medical Assisting Lab Tech, as well as at SVAE. Today, she continues to share her expertise as the Medical Terminology instructor for adult learners at SVAE. Growing up, Ms. Gamboa faced challenges that many of her students can relate to. Her father did not allow her to attend what was then known as the Central County Occupational Center (C.C.O.C.), out of fear she might not finish high school. At the time, C.C.O.C. carried a stigma, but today it stands as SVCTE an exceptional institution empowering students with the skills and opportunities to achieve their dreams. It is this full-circle moment that makes Ms. Gamboa’s work so meaningful: she is now teaching where her parents once discouraged her from going. Ms. Gamboa brings not only her professional experience but also lived experience to her classroom. Her years as a caregiver, medical assistant, and educator provide her with a wealth of knowledge and practical skills, all of which she passionately shares with her students. She understands what it’s like to navigate education and career pathways without a mentor to guide the way. It is this understanding that drives her passion for preparing students professionally, academically, and personally for successful futures. Ms. Gamboa wakes up every day with the mission to inspire her students, whether they choose a healthcare career or any other path they wish to pursue. Her goal as an educator is simple yet powerful: to be the mentor she wished she had, to encourage students to dream big, and to help them realize that no goal is out of reach with hard work, discipline, and determination.
