EMPLOYER FAQ PAGE
Frequently Asked Questions

Structured, Flexible Didactic Education Aligned with Real Clinical Experience

How do we get started with ICATAP at our healthcare facility?

Contact us to schedule a presentation of our programs and how they can support staff training and development- we will answer many of your questions during this meeting. Afterward, meet with your team to determine if an apprenticeship program fits your organization.

Next, meet with ICATAP staff to customize and develop an agreed-upon contract of services. Determine which of your staff will act as the primary liaison with ICATAP and which will mentor the apprentice(s). Apprentices can be onboarded with your facility and ours any day/week/month.

What are the steps to activate the ICATAP Apprenticeship Program?

After contracting with ICATAP and identifying your staff to be involved:

The facility identifies staff mentors for apprentice(s)
The organization advertises and hires apprentice(s)
With some programs, the healthcare facility will register with the respective certifying board as an apprenticeship program.*
Apprentices are onboarded at the workplace in tandem with ICATAP.
An agreed-upon schedule begins with full-time apprentice training on-site while coursework commences in the instructor-led hybrid academic setting with ICATAP outside of the workday.
Apprentices will be employed full-time for 26- 52 weeks ( a range of approximately 1040 hours of skill development) of on-site training.
Apprentices move out of the program and remain in employment after completing the board exam for the program.

* Hospitals must register their apprenticeship program with the board for surgical technology in order to allow employees to sit for boards after 1 year.

What is the length of each program and how are they scheduled?

The Medical Assistant Program ranges from 26-52 weeks. The Surgical Technology Program is 52 weeks (Due to partner-specific design, this may differ), with the apprentice engaged full-time in your facility for approximately 1040- 2000 hours during the training period.

Outside of work, the apprentices engage in instructor-led hybrid coursework through ICATAP. Coursework is designed in modules and can be sequenced to be studied in correlation to on-site work in the same areas of clinical skill development where the apprentice is engaged. ICATAP believes the employer is in the driver's seat when it comes to aligning education to the work environment.

Although we advocate and support flexibility in use of ICATAP academics, we also understand optimum learning, and our education department is highly skilled in the development of successful academic plans. ICATAP's recommended sequencing of course modules is designed with best practices in mind.

Partners who wish to initiate significant changes to sequences should consult with ICATAP before implementing changes.

ICATAP provides an assessment process at 60 and 90 days and at the 6-month mark. Measurement of progress is essential for all involved in the program. Reviews include the apprentice, the clinical setting, and ICATAP academics.

Life happens! During the first 90 days, it is possible to work with ICATAP to provide accommodations for additional academic support of an apprentice, or to offboard an apprentice who may have to be removed from employment. The 90 day offboarding policy

( Premium Plus Only) does not incur additional costs if completed within that time period. ( one free replacement per position).

Note Regarding Termination.

If an apprentice is terminated by either the clinical site or ICATAP, the apprentice will not be continued by either partner.

ICATAP Curriculum Methodology

ICATAP delivers a proven apprenticeship model

How does the ICATAP progam compare to cheaper short-term programs?

Is your short-term medical assistant program promising terrific board pass rates? Many programs advertise rates as high as 95 % or higher, but those numbers may not tell the whole story. Many very short-term programs focus heavily on the board exam itself, teaching students how to answer test questions rather than helping them master the full body of knowledge covered in a longer, more comprehensive program.

Does the program offer comprehensive skills development, or does it only cover the minimum needed to pass an exam? Strong training should include coursework that explains why each skill matters, how it supports patient care, and how employees should apply it safely and consistently in real clinical situations.

The lower cost of a short-term program can be appealing, especially when you are training several employees. But the real question is what you may be giving up in exchange for those savings. If the training does not produce well-prepared employees who can enter the job with confidence, the organization may pay for it later through weaker patient care, slower onboarding, more supervision, and employees who are not ready to perform at the level the role requires.

A program that takes more time and costs a little more upfront may ultimately protect patients, strengthen employee performance, and give your organization a better return on its training investment.

ICATAP curriculum and program design were developed using standards of practice in the healthcare industry and as evidenced by the respective certifying boards. The programs are framed for excellence following the guidelines and best practices recommended by the Higher Learning Commission and the respective industry certifying boards for each program.

How does the ICATAP curriculum compare to that of colleges and tech schools?

What kind of diploma / certification will they receive?

ICATAP programs award a transcript and certificate for successful completion of the program.

Additionally, each candidate is able to sit for board exams to be certified. Please see each program page to determine which board exam is available after completion of the program. Those medical facilities that contract with ICATAP will receive a detailed package of information for the program(s) they are undertaking.

Set up a meeting today!

Go to Medical Assistant Page

Go to Surgical Tech Page