Succeeding In An ExternshipWritten by Danni R., CMA, CCMA, CMAA
Succeeding In An ExternshipSome people aren't familiar with term externship. Your externship is final step of your medical assisting training. An externship has to do with YOU! It means you finally get a chance to put everything learned in classroom to use, dealing with actual patients and medical professionals in an actual medical office environment. Although many students have some apprehension about beginning externship, once there they find it to be a very rewarding experience. Usually teaching staff where you receive your medical assisting training makes all necessary arrangements to set you up with a suitable externship site. Usually, a medical assisting education program must provide its students with an externship experience of at least 160 hours. The school has an already established contact list of possible externship sites. Sometimes you get to submit your "dream, or wish list" where you can name a couple offices or specialties that you would really love to do. At my school, for example, to be sent to attend to patient's needs at local medical center's day stay program, or dialysis was highly desired. The externship is an important part of transition from student to qualified medical assistant. Shortly before it is time to begin externship, you may be asked to interview with physician or office manager at facility. Treat this interview exactly as if it were an actual job interview. Dress appropriately and professionally, and always take a resume, even if school has forwarded one to clinic. Compile a list of all addresses, telephone numbers, and names of supervisors and businesses you have previously worked for. Do not appear unprepared by having to ask for a phone book to look up information if asked to complete an application for employment. Once a good match is determined, a date will be set for externship to begin. The externship is designed for several purposes. You expected to perform duties that were learned in school, as well as to learn and refine new skills that are taught by medical office staff. The ability to perform is important, but equally of value is your ability to be a good team member. You must use appropriate interpersonal skills, have a professional appearance, and display a good attitude. The externship gives you opportunity to prove your dependability. Attendance and punctuality are indicators of reliability and dependability. You must be willing to help with smaller duties, like pulling and filing patient's charts, and sometimes answer phones, as well as more critical ones, like assisting with patient intake and doing basic clinical procedures. Remember, while performing externship, you are a guest at facility, and will be expected to follow same office policies that employees do. It is recommended that you read office policy handbook during first few days and note any memos on bulletin boards. Also, make sure you know how to locate emergency equipment, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and emergency telephone numbers.
| | Interview QuicksandWritten by Tamara Jong
How will you respond when you’re asked following two questions? What type of boss do you like to work for? What are pros and cons about your present employer?-March 2003 You scan career section. Then you see it; your dream job. Your resume is sent, calls made; an interview set up. Now you’re in hot seat. How will you respond when you’re asked following two questions? What type of boss do you like to work for? What are pros and cons about your present employer?You’re leaving your present position because you can’t stand your boss. He/She drives you insane, makes your skin crawl and shatters your nerves. Put-downs and sarcasm are norm, along with a snobbish, condescending attitude. Most of what they say sounds downright ridiculous and lacks common sense. Nothing is their fault. You are a team player, but cleaning up a rat’s cage, watching kids, emptying humidifiers, unloading 40 lb boxes up and down five flights of stairs, shoveling their driveway is beyond any job description. They listen to all your phone calls and screen everyone (including clients) like it’s Spanish Inquisition. Seconds have lapsed and now you need to answer. The interviewer is waiting patiently with pen in hand. What will you say? Or better yet, what won’t you say? Is this you? Ispos-Reid reported in a recent poll, that nine in ten (88%) Canadian employees agree they are happy with their current jobs, but one in ten (10%) agree they secretly hate their boss, and 11% agree they dread going to work each day because of their boss. Interestingly, working Canadians in lower income households (22%) are three times as likely as those in upper income households (7%) to say they secretly hate their boss.(1) Everyone will answer differently. You don’t want be regarded as a difficult employee. Even if your objections are valid, any type of negative response will work against you. This is how you should respond:
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