Medical Assistant - Wellness Advocate at VCC: Vale Terrace – Vista, California

At Vista Community Clinic (VCC), we believe healthcare is more than medicine, it’s about hope, community, and impact. For over 50 years, we’ve been a leader in the community clinic movement, growing from a small volunteer-driven effort in Vista to a nationally recognized network of state-of-the-art clinics across San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties. Today VCC has 14 clinics serving over 70,000 patients annually, we continue our mission of delivering exceptional, patient-centered care where it’s needed most.

As a private, non-profit, multi-specialty outpatient clinic, VCC provides more than healthcare, we provide opportunity. Here your skills are celebrated, your growth is supported and your work makes a difference. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.

✨For eligible employees, benefits include:
✅ Competitive compensation & benefits
✅ Medical, dental, vision
✅ Company-paid life insurance
✅ Flexible spending accounts
✅ 403(b) retirement plan

• 🏅 Winner of the 2025 HRSA Gold Medal for Outstanding Care, placing VCC among the top 10% of Federally Qualified Health Centers in the U.S.

• Recognized by HRSA as a National Quality Leader in Behavioral Health and Diabetes and for excellence in Preventive Health and Health IT.

• A robust training & development culture to help you grow and advance your career.

• A workplace built on respect, collaboration and passion for care.

• Print and review schedule daily in preparation for the day
• Prepare patients for examinations and assist clinicians with the examination and/or procedure
• Take vital signs, height and weight of patients; plot growth charts; record immunizations
• Perform simple laboratory and screening tests customarily performed in a medical office such as visual acuity
• Set up rooms for clinician use in accordance with patient's needs
• Give counseling, care and follow-up instructions, health education and materials to patients as instructed by clinicians

Wellness Advocate Essential Job Functions

• Utilize the PCMH model to provide coordinated team care that addresses current health issues, preventive care and health maintenance follow-up to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities
• Provide end of visit interviews, process referrals for outside agencies and specialists, initiate patient engagement conversations as directed by the Clinicians, documenting in the patients’ progress note or Care Plan
• Coach patients using positive reinforcement and encouragement and a flexible approach to address critical issues to help patients develop achievable self-management care plan goals, presenting new skills using a step-by-step process
• Act as point of contact for patients and families asking questions or raising concerns through the patient portal, or via telephone and/or texting
• Use motivational interviewing to gather patient information and understand barriers from the patient’s view to enhance efforts to engage, educate and empower behavior changes
• Assist in recruiting individuals for participation in educational programs

Minimum

• High school graduate or equivalent
• Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate from an approved school or hospital including externship verification of 6 months’ clinical

(back office) MA experience may be submitted in lieu of externship)
• Bilingual English/Spanish
• Current CPR/BLS (Child, Infant and Adult) certification
• Phlebotomy experience

Preferred

• Minimum one year back office experience in a clinical environment
• Phlebotomy certification

Required Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Good knowledge of general back office procedures, such as taking vitals, performing venipuncture, administering immunizations, etc
• Good comprehensive knowledge of medical terminology in English and Spanish
• Emergency response capability for possible crisis situations
• Experience/familiarity with computers, Microsoft Office products (Word/Excel), business e-mail communication systems and internet search capabilities

Pay Range

• $23.00 - $25.00 Depending On Experience