How a Free Training Program Launched a Healthcare Career at UCSF
How a no-cost workforce development program helped a San Francisco resident turn an internship into a healthcare career at UCSF.
When a flyer for a no-cost training program arrived in LaPrea Boudreaux’s mailbox, she was home caring for her newborn and weighing her next steps. At the time, returning to her previous job no longer felt right, but she wasn't sure what came next..
The flyer introduced her to the EXCEL Medical Administrative Assistant program, a partnership between UCSF and JVS that offers a six-month certification through San Francisco State University.
“It felt like the sign I needed to make a change,” Boudreaux said.
A Journey Shaped by Persistence
Boudreaux’s path to healthcare was not linear. She spent several years attending community college before earning an associate's degree in business administration. After graduating, she worked in hospital security, gaining exposure to the many roles that support patient care.
That experience shifted her perspective. She started paying attention to the people who kept everything running behind the scenes: the administrative staff coordinating appointments, navigating insurance, and making sure patients got where they needed to go. She began to see healthcare as not only clinical roles, but also as the essential work of administrative staff who keep systems running smoothly.
“I started noticing positions like practice coordinators,” she said. “It opened my eyes to new possibilities.”
A Pathway to Opportunity
For many San Francisco residents, the biggest obstacle to a healthcare career is not motivation — it's access. Tuition costs, uncertain job prospects after graduation, and the challenge of gaining experience can make even promising paths feel out of reach.
But the structure and built-in supportive services of UCSF’s workforce development programs make it possible. For Boudreaux, the EXCEL program offered more than training—it offered a pathway. Through mentorship, hands-on experience, mock interviews, and career preparation, she gained the confidence and skills needed to compete for opportunities at UCSF.
"Treat it like a real workplace from day one," she said. "Stay organized, ask for help when you need it, and take advantage of every opportunity."
She credits the mock interviews and resume prep as confidence-builders that helped her walk into hiring conversations ready. "Your experience is what you make of it," she said.
Balancing coursework, family responsibilities, and caring for a newborn was not always easy, but Boudreaux remained focused on creating new opportunities for herself and her growing family.
"My biggest 'wow, I really did that' moment was receiving my certificate of completion," she said. "Juggling motherhood and school at the same time was a challenge, but finishing that last assignment made me stop and realize, I really pushed through and got it done."
The Offer Letter
She completed the program and earned her certificate.
Then, not long after the application process, she received an offer letter from UCSF, another milestone that affirmed her hard work had paid off.
“That’s when it really hit me,” she said. “All the work I put in had paid off.”
With an associate degree and a medical administration certificate, Boudreaux says she can now envision building a meaningful long-term career in healthcare administration.
Today, Boudreaux serves as a Practice Coordinator in Radiation Oncology at UCSF Mission Bay’s Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building, the exact kind of administrative role in healthcare for which she trained. This role offers her stable employment, benefits, and a clear professional growth pathway within UCSF.
More Than Just a Job
Boudreaux's personal story is powerful. But it highlights something bigger.
Programs like EXCEL reflect UCSF’s commitment as an anchor institution. It’s not only a place where people receive care. It’s also a place where residents can build careers. By connecting residents to real-world training for in-demand careers, UCSF is simultaneously investing in its workforce and the city's economic vitality.
The demand for healthcare support professionals is growing, creating opportunities for people like Boudreaux to enter and advance within the healthcare workforce. For Medical Assistants, for example, there are more than 83,000 annual job openings nationally and a projected growth of around 10% over the next five years. These roles offer competitive wages, benefits, and a foundation for advancement into nursing, healthcare administration, and beyond, creating long-term career pathways rather than simply filling immediate job openings.
The EXCEL Medical Administrative Assistant program is offered through a partnership between UCSF and JVS Bay Area, with certification through San Francisco State University. Learn more about UCSF's workforce development programs at Anchor Institution Mission.