Why Become a Medical Assistant?

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Allen School of Health Sciences offers a competitive Medical Assistant certificate program at Brooklyn, NY; Jamaica, Queens or Phoenix, AZ. Now is the perfect time to become a Medical Assistant. According to BLS.gov Medical Assisting employment is expected to grow 23% between 2014 to 2024. Allen School of Health Sciences successfully trains and prepares students to meet the growing demand of healthcare professionals. The need for Medical Assistants is evident as Baby Boomers increase in age causing more physicians to need assistance at their practices. Physicians hire more Medical Assistants to help with administrative and clinical duties so physicians are able to see more patients, especially as practices expand. MA Chart What does a Medical Assistant do?   Administrative Duties:
  • Answer Phones
  • Greet Patients
  • Schedule Appointments
  • Handle Correspondence
  • Update Patient Records
  • Book Keeping and Billing
Clinical Duties:
  • Perform Phlebotomy
  • Blood and Urine Analysis
  • Perform Electrocardiogram (EKG)
  • Measure Vital Signs
  • Prepare Patients for Examination
  • Assist Physician with Examination
Do you have a passion for healthcare? The Medical Assistant field is growing rapidly and offers a stable career at healthcare facilities. If you are ready to learn more about Medical Assisting and how get your career started then call us today at 877-591-8753 to speak with an Enrollment Advisor at a campus near you!

Students of the Module

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Allen School of Health Sciences celebrates student success across all campuses. One of the ways our instructors honor students is through Student of the Module. Each module instructors select a stellar student that demonstrates our EDUCATE values. Join us in congratulating our Brooklyn, New York; Jamaica, Queens and Phoenix, Arizona Student of the Module winners! Please, take a moment to read what our instructors shared about these impressive students

Tanj

Jamaica Student of the Module

Tanjima Tamanna

  Tanjima is our student of the 5/30/2017 module.  She has shown herself to be professional at all times and displays the characteristics of a professional medical assistant–always on time, participates in class discussions, is helpful to other students, and is knowledgeable with her studies.

june

Brooklyn Student of the Module

Junie Roache

There are people who make excuses for not becoming successful, and there are those who are determined to be successful, without excuses. Junie is a perfect example of the latter. First, she survived cancer, now she is surviving textbooks, exams, homework, and lectures. A model student, Junie works hard, paying attention to the smallest details. She strives for excellence in each of her courses, earning a cumulative 4.0 GPA. She serves as living proof to her classmates, that nothing can stop you from reaching your goals

andres

Arizona Student of the Module

Andres Gregorio

Andres has just completed his third module at The Allen School of Health Sciences and has in that timeframe accomplished 100% attendance and academic excellence. He always sets the standard high for each and every assignment, task and scenario.  He is not only goal-oriented for himself but encourages classmates to reach their full potential. He always has a caring smile for staff and students alike. We are honored to have Andres as a student in the Medical Assisting Program. He possesses leadership skills that are displayed in the classroom each day. The academic team see in him the EDUCATE values of The Allen School of Health Sciences.

National Immunization Awareness Month

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August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) which focuses on the importance of vaccinations for every age group. NIAM was created to educate individuals of what vaccines are needed to remain current for every age. They also stress the importance of vaccines as a preventative measure for serious and sometimes deadly diseases. National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) is the proud sponsors of NIAM. NPHIC and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have joined forces and created communication toolkits that help with discussing vaccines with any audience. The communication toolkits are separated by age groups and can be easily downloaded. Fortunately, each week in August features a different age group:
  • July and August: Back to School
  • July 31-August 6: Babies and young children
  • August 7-13: Expecting mothers
  • August 14-20: Adults
  • August 21-27: Pre-teens and Teenagers
Allen School of Health Sciences Medical Assistants and Nursing Assistants are you and your loved ones current on your vaccinations? If you would like to learn more about National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) then click here.

Importance of Internship

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Allen School of Health Sciences believes strongly in incorporating mandatory internships for both the Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant programs. Ultimately, students gain hands on experience in a medical facility once they have successfully completed all of their coursework hours. Our Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant students look forward to internship the most because they are able to apply everything they have learned and/or mastered through out their program of choice. Thankfully, we have a seasoned Career Services team at each campus: Phoenix, Arizona; Brooklyn, New York; and Jamaica, Queens that locates internship sites for students. We are very proud that a large number of our students are hired from their internship sites. On a daily bases we are able to celebrate student success as Career Services announces students hired from their sites or other locations post internship with their assistance. Students have shared their success stories and they can be viewed on our multiple social media platforms  or Allen School YouTube under ‘I Got Hired.’ Are you ready to elevate yourself and maximize your potential? If so, then call Allen School of Health Sciences today to speak with one of our experienced Enrollment Advisors at a campus near you – call 877-591-8753 or visit www.allenschool.edu  

Summer Travel: Safety First

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Summer is upon us and traveling increases within these warm months. When traveling internationally the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is a great source to consider for all things health, so you and your loved ones are Proactive, Prepared and Protected. Allen School of Health Sciences would like to share the following information with you from the CDC: Be Proactive – Take initiative and consider issues that may arise while away
  • Research your destination
  • Visit your doctor
  • Current health status – would status worsen due to travel?
Be Prepared – Sometimes things happen unexpectedly
  • Pack smart
  • Plan for possible illness during your trip
Be Protected – While on your trip
  • Follow local laws and be respectful
  • Avoid health and safety risks
  • Always wear a seatbelt
  • Be mindful about water and food
  • Wear sunscreen
While on your trip and when you return home make sure to pay extra attention to your health. To learn more about being Proactive, Prepared and Protected visit the CDC site. Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant students do you have any tips you would like to share? Please, share and comment below.

Social Media: Mindful Posting

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Social Media is not viewed only by your friends and family, but also potential employers. Be aware of what you are posting to social media outlets. Both pictures and comments could be potentially viewed by recruiters. There are a few ways to keep a positive presence on social media while still remaining true to your individualism.
  • Comments – When leaving comments on social media outlets use discretion. Think before writing and remember that it can be viewed by anyone.
  • Photos – Some photos need to stay in your private cell phone. Do not post questionable photos! If friends or family members post photos of you that are inappropriate then ask them to remove it or un-tag yourself.
  • Profile Picture – Appropriate image that you would not mind your boss viewing.
  • Social Media Presence – Having a limited presence or no social media presence at all can be a red flag for recruiters.
  • Social Media Friends – Be selective of who you follow and who you accept as followers on social media – quality trumps quantity.
Anything that you post on the web is out there and can be recovered even after deleted. Remember, always be mindful of everything you do on the web. Recruiters view potential candidate’s social media as a process of elimination. Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant students view and edit your personal social media profiles to ensure that they are appropriate and professional.  

Cover Letter Refresh

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When applying for a job do you dread seeing the words, “please attach cover letter?” You are not alone; cover letters do not win the ‘most liked’ award when it comes to job hunting. A well written cover letter could be standing between you and landing an interview. Keep the following tips in the forefront of your mind when writing cover letters:
  1. Do Not Overthink – This is sometimes more easily said than done.
  2. Tailor It – Make sure to tailor your cover letter to each specific job. Recruiters can tell if it is a generic cover letter. Instead make sure that you address relevant points that were listed in the job description.
  3. Do Not Over Share – Sometimes excitement takes over and with that comes oversharing. Do not list everything you have ever accomplished professionally. Keep it simple and to the point. A lot of information can be shared during the interview.
  4. Convey Confidence – Make sure to convey confidence through your writing that you can successfully do the job.
Medical Assistants and Nursing Assistant students consider these tips as you enter the job market. Also, speak with your campus specific Career Advisor to gain more insight about cover letter and resume writing. Allen School of Health Sciences wants you to be fully prepared and successful as you enter the healthcare job market and take advantage of the resources offered on campus.

High Blood Pressure

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The latest debate on defining the “high” in high blood pressure started a few months ago when the Annals of Internal Medicine released recommendations by the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Much to everyone’s surprise the guidelines were higher than ever for patients ages 60 and older. Medical Assistants and Nursing Assistants: here are three simple tips to be mindful of if your blood pressure is at or above the 140mm/90 Hg range:
  1. Speak with your doctor – consult your doctor about what he suggests and what necessary steps to take before needing to resort to medication
  2. Monitor blood pressure – regularly measure your blood pressure as it can change daily
  3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle – this can be accomplished by eating a well-balanced low sodium diet, exercise regularly, avoid tobacco, limit alcohol use and try to reduce stress
Remember that everyone is different, so there is not one set number that applies to every individual. Lifestyle and health history are a huge factor and greatly influence heart health. Make sure to partner with your doctor to ensure that you are on track and being monitored properly. Allen School of Health Sciences students: what have you learned during your studies about blood pressure and how to manage it? If you would like to read more about the blood pressure guidelines and how to manage it click here.

Institution for Hope: Skin Cancer Awareness

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Allen School of Health Sciences July Institution for Hope cause is Skin Cancer Awareness. According to www.skincancer.org “skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, each year in the U.S. over 5.4 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are treated in more than 3.3 million people.” We will be sharing tips on how to spot the warning signs to help with prevention and early detection. Please, make sure to do occasional self-exams about once a month or more often per your physician’s advisement. If you have a suspicious growth or abnormalities make sure to contact your physician immediately for medical attention. Spot the Warning Signs If you have a beauty mark, birthmark, brown spot or mole that:
  • has an irregular outline
  • appears beyond age 21
  • has texture change
  • has thickness and/or size increase
  • is larger than 6mm or 1/4” (similar in size to a pencil eraser)
  • has color change
Other warning signs
  • Sore or spot that continuously erodes, itches, hurts, bleeds, crust or scabs
  • If it has been three weeks’ time and an open sore has not healed
Allen School Medical Assistants and Nursing Assistants make sure to keep all these warning signs in mind while doing self-exams. Self-exams should not be more than 10 minutes. Being proactive can help save you from being another skin cancer statistic and possibly save your life. Another preventative measure to take would be to wear sunscreen. Read our Sunny Summer: Wear Sunscreen blog to learn more.

Yoga Benefits for Chronic Back Pain

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Allen School of Health Sciences Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant students do you or someone you know suffer from lower back pain? Recently, there was a trial conducted that proved yoga can help relieve chronic lower back pain just as effectively as physical therapy. People who practiced yoga or physical therapy during a 12 week time period noticed improvement for over a year. Some of the lower back pain sufferers were able to cut out pain medication completely. The findings proved that this may not work for everyone suffering from this type of pain; however, yoga is a highly encouraged treatment option. According to American College of Physicians (ACP) published guidelines this year stating, “non-drug options should be the first-line treatment against low back pain.” If practicing yoga might be something that interests you for assisting with chronic back pain then keep in mind that there are various types of yoga classes. Try to attend classes that have gentle poses such as beginner yoga classes. Unfortunately, yoga can be costly and not likely covered by insurance. Instead of paying upwards of $20 a session – look into other options such as discount sites like Groupon or Living Social for yoga packages in your local area. While physical therapy is covered by insurance, it generally has steep co-pays which can be difficult for patients to afford. Allen School of Health Sciences Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant students in Brooklyn, Queens or Phoenix campuses do you know of any other non-drug lower back pain treatment options? If, so then please comment below. Click here to read the full WebMD article.