- Communication Skills
- Compassionate
- Handling Stress
- Reliability
- Honesty
- Willpower and Politeness
How do you feel about going back to school? Do you dream of where it could take your career, or do you fear that because you’re a working parent or professional that you won’t have the time or energy to go back? Fear has this funny way of holding us back from exceptional things. We can think of many reasons not to take on this challenge like the additional workload, the time and energy it’ll take, and the biggest one of all- fear of failure.
How can you put these fearful thoughts aside and truly judge if it’s time for you to go back to school? School should give you something you’re missing. Why do you want to go back to school? What is missing in your life right now that school could provide? What will furthering your education bring you? A promotion, growth of your knowledge and skill of your field, or a change your career track all together? When you can articulate the reasons or your “Why statement” then you can use it to fight back your fear and leave your fearful thoughts behind.
Get Your Support System to Back You Up
There will be times when you need help with your home life responsibilities. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the extra workload, think about who your support system is and how they can help you accomplish your goals. Identify what you need help with. Will you do homework at night, early mornings, or on the weekends at the library?
Next, get that support system on board. These can be your spouse, partner, parents, neighbors, kids, or friends. Share with them why you’re going back to school and share any areas you need help with. You’ll feel relief knowing that your support system has your back.
Find Extra Time Blocks in Your Day
Do you feel like you won’t have enough time or energy to do homework? Then try this; Throughout your day tomorrow make it a priority to look for small blocks of free time. Did you spend too much time on social media during lunch? If so, then that could be time in your day to do work.
Keep a lookout for these blocks of time where you could give up something to make room for schoolwork. School won’t last forever and making some sacrifices will be worth it. It’s hard to contain excitement and anxiety over what will happen once you get that degree or certificate, but all good things come to those who wait or work hard.
When fearful thoughts creep up when thinking about returning to school, take a deep breath and put them aside. You have many options for making it work for you and you could reap some big benefits going for it. Following these tips is a way to “go the extra mile.” If you follow these guidelines, you can improve your approach to going back to school.
Ready to start working towards a new career? The Allen School of Health Sciences is offering virtual campus tours for enrollment for our classes starting soon. Contact the Allen School today! We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
It’s no secret that the healthcare industry is one of the biggest industries in America. What might not be as obvious is the fact that you can have a prosperous career in the field without becoming a doctor or nurse. One occupation students might want to consider is that of a Medical Assistant.
A Medical Assistant, or MA, is someone who aids doctors, typically in offices and healthcare clinics, with administrative and clinical tasks, according to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). An MA can check blood pressure, direct patients through the office, and perform a myriad of administrative tasks. Other common responsibilities of an MA include maintaining patient records, scheduling appointments, sanitizing medical equipment and helping physicians with examinations. Let’s examine a few traits that successful MAs embody in their job:
Communicating is a fairly significant part of an MA’s job. Medical Assistants communicate with doctors, patients and each other to keep the office or clinic functioning effectively. Medical Assistants who work more on the administrative side may serve as intermediaries between the doctor and patients or the doctor and health insurance companies.
Medical Assistants are, in many ways, the glue that holds physicians’ offices and healthcare clinics together. With this in mind, it is important that they are team players and willing to do the work that is necessary to efficiently provide patients with the proper care. Feeding off the prior point about communication, part of being a team player is communicating with those with whom you work with. Being a team player can increase synergy among you and your co-workers, in addition to the obvious advantage of completing the work required to run the office or clinic.
Paying attention to detail is another quality that successful MAs exemplify in their work. This is not limited to cases in which an MA is permitted to administer drugs to patients and need to accurately measure the dosage. It is also crucial in the maintenance of patient records, scheduling and taking vitals; to name a few other examples.
Compassion is another trait that successful MAs embody. Medical Assistants are often responsible for ensuring that patients are comfortable during their visit to the office or clinic. As mentioned earlier, Medical Assistants serve as a point of communication between patients and doctors. Offering compassion and understanding of a patient’s concerns can go a long way towards their overall satisfaction with medical care. Medical Assistants can take comfort, pride and satisfaction in knowing that they helped change a patient’s life for the better.
Medical Assistants are responsible for performing a multitude of different tasks throughout doctors’ offices and healthcare clinics. They are skilled in both clinical and administrative aspects of running an office or clinic. With this in mind, it is important for an MA to show the willingness to learn new skills as required by the doctors under whom they work. Changes such as new technology used in offices and clinics necessitate an MA to adapt to such updates. Being a “jack of all trades” can provide Medical Assistants with a degree of variety in the everyday happenings of their jobs. In many cases there are things within an office or clinic that an MA can help with, even though they might not be in the job description. Armed with an array of skills, Medical Assistants can work in many different realms of medicine, exploring different disciplines and discovering what they are passionate about. Medical Assistants have the opportunity to specialize in a certain type of medicine, teach students who also want to be Medical Assistants or even become the office manager. Many also go back to school to expand on what they learned as an MA and land an even better job.
Launch your Medical Assistant career at the Allen School of Health Sciences! Perhaps you feel that the traits in this post describe you and you are now thinking of studying to start your career as a Medical Assistant. For prospective Medical Assistants there is one clear choice for an accelerated training program: Allen School of Health Sciences.
The Allen School of Health Sciences Medical Assistant program thoroughly prepares you to enter the healthcare field as a Medical Assistant. The program can be completed in less than a year.
To learn more about our health care programs and externships, contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for our classes starting soon! We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
Are you preparing for a job interview for a Medical Assistant position? Familiarizing yourself with these common interview questions will help you have answers ready and feel more comfortable. When attending the Allen School of Health Sciences, our career services team will assist you using these questions to give you a practice interview:
This is a basic interview question that can be tough to answer due to its open-ended nature. Instead of sharing hobbies or personality traits, keep your answer focused on your professional experience and education.
Example: “I recently completed my Medical Assistant program at Allen School of Health Sciences, where I learned to work with patients while taking their vital signs and assisted doctors in physical exams and other procedures. I especially enjoy communicating with patients and helping to make their experience easy and comfortable.”
If you have prior experience as a Medical Assistant, tell them where you have worked, and how long you worked there. If you are new to the Medical Assistant field, tell them about your experience with the Allen School and the 275 clinical hours earned from your internship (which is part of the Allen School of Health Sciences Medical Assistant program.)
Example: “I recently completed a 275-hour internship at City Medical, where I got valuable hands-on experience in the responsibilities of a medical assistant. Now that I have graduated and completed my internship, I am looking forward to finding a full-time position and continuing my professional growth.”
When answering this question, it’s important not to brag. Simply discuss the areas that you feel you are strongest in.
Example: “Phlebotomy is one of my biggest strengths. I feel confident when drawing blood. I am also good at communicating with patients and making them feel comfortable as well.”
When answering this question, do not put yourself down or say you are bad at something, simply mention areas where you are looking to improve.
Example: “I am currently more comfortable with clinical tasks than administrative responsibilities, but I am good at communicating, so am confident that I can adapt to that role quickly.”
When answering this question, be sure to mention your medical billing and coding training as well as your electronic health records training at the Allen School, as both are very important when employers are looking to hire candidates
Example: “I am trained in Electronic Health Records software, specifically the Example program. I am also trained in medical billing and coding and have learned how to process claims. I am also experienced with all Microsoft Office programs.”
It is common for Medical Assistants to do a combination of clinical tasks and administrative work. Be ready to talk about the office tasks you have been trained to do; this is another good opportunity to bring up your EHR and medical billing and coding training.
Example: “We learned many front office duties in my training program at the Allen School of Health Sciences, with an emphasis on customer service and professionalism. I have been trained on medical billing and coding and Electronic Health Records, and I am comfortable talking to patients both on the phone and in person.”
Phlebotomy is an important part of a Medical Assistant’s job, so employers will want to make sure you are trained and ready to take on that responsibility, even if you have not had any experience in the field yet.
Example: “I am comfortable with drawing blood and all phlebotomy procedures and did well in my training at the Allen School of Health Sciences. I have had a lot of practice drawing blood from fellow students, family, and friends as a core component of my training, and continued receiving experience throughout my internship.”
These are important responsibilities for a Medical Assistant, so be sure to detail the procedures you learned in your training program.
Example: “I have been trained in taking weight, temperature, blood pressure, and pulse. We practiced in the lab at school, and I had the opportunity to take these measurements on patients during my internship.”
It’s important to research a company before you interview with them. If this question comes up, have a specific answer about what you can bring to the company. Avoid talking about personal motivations such as the good pay or easy commute.
Example: “Example Hospital’s pediatrics department would be a good fit for me because I enjoy working with children. Working with six different doctors would give me a great range of experience.”
When answering this question, you do not want to come off conceited. Simply reiterate your training and experience, and that you feel you would make a valuable member of the team.
Example: “I feel that my training, internship experience, and communication skills make me a strong candidate for this position. I am confident in all of the responsibilities in the job descriptions, and my personal skills will allow me to make patients comfortable during their visit.”
Think you might have what it takes, but afraid to ask? Take part in one of our virtual career planning sessions and discover the many healthcare pathways available to you. Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for our classes starting soon and cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
-Allen School
As a professional entering the field of health care, there is a lot to consider when searching for a new position. Graduating from the Allen School of Health Sciences you can feel confident knowing you are equipped for employment across the healthcare industry. The proper credentials and experience gained with graduating from the Allen School can make the job search and application process easier.
The next step is tackling the interviews, which can be daunting for even the best-prepared candidate! Prior to sitting down for an interview, consider these tips for securing the position:
Showcase your education and training When you walk into an interview, the ball is in your court. You have the ability to paint a vivid picture of who you are as a person, what professional skills you possess, what your ambitions are and how you would face pressing healthcare issues. Your grades and certifications are already in writing so go beyond that to show the employer the kind of role you would play in their organization or agency. Don’t be afraid to propose new ideas and solutions for current health care challenges. This can lead to discussions that your interviewer will be thinking of long after you’ve walked out the door. Remember they need you just as much as you want the role!
Incorporate your professional experience Even if you have the highest test scores and certifications, an employer will still want to know about your hands-on training and experience in the field. The Allen School of Health Sciences is a prime example of this. Through hands-on learning and internships at our clinical sites, you can gain the necessary skills needed to work in health care. Using anecdotes to highlight your experience as an intern or volunteer can help showcase the wealth of knowledge and critical thinking skills you have gained thus far. These stories can demonstrate how you think and respond to problems or conflict.
Be prepared with questions for the interviewer One of the most basic rules of any interview, no matter the field, is always to be prepared with a list of questions for your interviewer. Asking career-oriented questions, both personal and organization-based, demonstrates not only your interest in the company, but conveys your ambitious and forward-thinking attitude in the field as well. Take this opportunity to express your excitement about the position and the possibilities for the future. The hiring managers will want to know that their investment in you as an employee is worthwhile and by demonstrating your enthusiasm to take on your new role, they will see that their time and money invested will in fact pay off. Do your homework. Look into the company of which you are applying so you can ask questions pertaining to them specifically.
Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for classes starting soon. We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
-Allen School
Gaining experience, becoming proficient in skills and widening your medical knowledge base are all tools you’ll need to advance in your career as a Medical Assistant. You may decide to aim for a management job, work in a competitive area of medicine or go into teaching. No matter your goals for career advancement, a few extra tools may help you successfully work toward advancement opportunities.
Different Career Specialties in Medical Assisting
Whether you work in medical administration or clinical practice, choosing a specialty can be a wise choice for future career advancement opportunities. Some medical specialties require more knowledge and skills than others and may offer more opportunities for growth. Healthcare is a multi-dimensional field; The vast array of medical specialties and subspecialties can provide the certified Medical Assistant with limitless employment opportunities. Though you may begin your career in a clinic or out-patient center, you may want to specialize in another area of Medical Assisting at some point. Luckily, Medical Assistants are able to work in tons of specialties.
Clinical Specialties
Medical Assistants have many medical specialties to consider as a career. Some specialties allow you to earn additional certification, while others rely on experience and hands-on training. If you’re currently a Medical Assisting student, consider working in a medical specialty during your externship.
Administrative Specialties
If you feel that administrative Medical Assisting is more your taste, you can specialize in non-clinical areas as well. Opportunities for branching out into administrative areas may come as you gain more work experience. You may be required to take additional classes, however, the administrative procedures you learned during Medical Assisting school will be a good foundation to build on.
Medical specialties like these can be demanding and have a higher learning curve. Because of the demands, employers may have a harder time finding qualified Medical Assistants to fill open positions. If you’re currently working in an entry-level Medical Assistant position, moving into a medical specialty may offer better opportunities. The longer you work in a specialty practice that you enjoy, the more valuable your skills and knowledge will become to your employer. Remember that because Medical Assisting is so versatile, opportunities to specialize will continue to grow. The more experience and continuing education you have, the more doors may open for you.
At the Allen School of Health Sciences, we are devoted to fostering positivity, empathy, professionalism, and integrity in our future Medical Assistants. In order to protect our community during the COVID-19 crisis, The Allen School of Health Sciences is offering virtual campus tours for enrollment for our classes starting soon. Contact the Allen School today! We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more. -Allen School
The Future Begins Here! Medical Assistant Skills & Attributes
Medical Assistants are held to a higher standard of professionalism than employees in other industries. The way the Medical Assistant approaches the job and interacts with patients is critical to the success of the patient’s initial experience, physician’s practice, hospitals, outpatient clinics and other healthcare facilities. Patients expect professional behavior and put trust and confidence in those who are professional in demeanor.
Some Specific Skills and Attributes that shape a Medical Assistant into a professional:
Loyalty, dependability, courteousness, being initiative driven, having flexibility, being credible, confidential, and optimistic.
Loyalty – Medical Assistants should be devoted to the success of the medical practice and hold the belief that being a Medical Assistant at the medical practice is in their best interest. Loyalty should be reciprocal and if a medical practice is offering equal pay for equal work, the Medical Assistant will feel like the medical practice is doing its best for them as well. Medical Assistants can go one step further and be committed to the medical practice if they support the employers’ strategy and objectives.
Dependability – A dependable Medical Assistant not only shows up for work on time but also produces consistent work. They must follow through when the physician gives an order and will be counted on and given more responsibility the more dependable, they prove to be.
Courtesy – The Medical Assistant should be friendly and kind to patients at the medical practice. Attention should be given to the patient as they arrive at the medical facility and a warm smile and friendly attitude should be presented to the arriving patient.
Initiative – The Medical Assistant should be self-motivated and ambitious. An MA that shows initiative has a take charge attitude. They should observe a need and make themselves available, rather than wait for a supervisor to direct them to an area that needs attention.
Flexibility – The Medical Assistant should have the willingness and ability to respond to changing situations and expectations. A flexible MA will modify their approach to tasks based on the unique demands of each situation, especially in an emergency. In a medical facility the patient comes first so an MA should lend a hand wherever needed.
Credibility – Trust is a vital component of the Medical Assistant and patient relationship, and the credibility of the MA should be strong. The information that is given to patients must be accurate as the patient may see you as an agent of the physician.
Confidentiality – Patients are entitled to privacy under the HIPAA act. Confidentiality extends to the home and other environments outside of the medical office. The Medical Assistant is prohibited from discussing confidential patient information to family and friends. Consequences will be enacted if patient privacy is breached.
Medical Assistant Professional Attributes
The Medical Assistant will need specific attributes to be a professional while working with colleagues and dealing with patients. These attributes include teamwork, time management, prioritization, and goal setting.
Teamwork – Medical staff must work together for the benefit of the patient. The Medical Assistant should accept the tasks given to them by their supervisor unless they are illegal, unethical, or place patients in danger.
Time Management -The Medical Assistant should use their time efficiently and concentrate on the most important duties first. They should make a schedule, prioritizing tasks and allowing for emergencies along the way. The key to time management is prioritizing.
Prioritizing – A form of triage should be used by the Medical Assistant to sort tasks into the must, should and could categories. Of course, an MA needs to attend to emergencies, but they also must anticipate what will do the best and in what order those tasks should be completed to benefit the most.
Setting Goals – If the Medical Assistant doesn’t set goals, they will never know when the goals have been achieved. Setting goals can also help an MA accomplish what they want or need each day, giving them more motivation to achieve those goals.
Learning never ends as a Medical Assistant and that is what makes this career so rewarding.
Interested in learning more about developing the skills and attributes of a medical assistant? Don’t let your old career keep you down? Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for our classes starting soon and cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more. Please feel free to Contact Us today.
-Allen School
Expectations of a Medical Assistant Externship.
You can learn a lot in the classroom, but you can’t learn everything, especially if you’re studying to be a Medical Assistant. It’s a job that requires extensive medical knowledge, as well as skills and professional attributes that can only be gained through hands-on experience. At the Allen School of Health Sciences this comes in the form of an externship, consisting of 275 hours in a healthcare facility. We want to ensure our students are prepared for all aspects of this career. To assist you, we have written an outline of what to expect from your Medical Assistant externship.
Working under Supervision
The greatest benefit of a Medical Assistant externship is opportunity to practice skills and duties while being supervised. In your classes, you’ll learn what and why Medical Assistants do what they do. When you take that knowledge into the real world with real patients, however, some tasks can be daunting. The good news is that you’re not alone, and there is a huge support system.
Your supervisor will work with you closely, especially at the beginning, to ensure you remember everything you’ve learned in class, and you feel comfortable administering your duties. In addition, your supervisor may also serve as your safety net to ensure that you don’t miss anything. This aspect of supervision can and should relieve a lot of pressure. It’s common to feel nervous before you’ve gained your skills, practice, and habits, but a supervisor’s presence should assuage most of these fears.
You’ll also be able to watch your supervisor and others perform procedures that you’ll eventually perform yourself. It’s one thing to read about Medical Assisting in a textbook and quite another to witness it in a working environment. The examples of your supervisor and others will give you opportunities to gain experience before you must perform a task yourself and provide you with confidence to do so.
Asking a Thousand Questions
Your Medical Assistant externship should be a time to unleash your curiosity. These 275 hours of training provide an opportunity to learn all aspects of a job from the professionals who are doing it every day. In class, you’ll learn about best practices and may have already questioned different medical procedures are done a certain way. In your externship, you can ask the less technical questions such as “How do you help nervous patients calm down?” or “Why do we put files away like this?”
Asking questions that interest you will make all aspects of the work more personal and will help the answers stick.
Learning the Role
A big part of the job is all about communication. The authority with which you carry yourself, and the empathy you bring to patient interactions cannot be taught in a lecture. They’re skills, critical to the position, that you can only learn in your Medical Assistant externship. As you practice and observe the professionals around you, you can understand the interpersonal aspects of the work- and become good at them. When you begin your externship, you will feel like a student. However, by the time you leave, you can expect to feel like you fit the role.
Gaining Confidence
As a result of this experience, you can expect to feel confident in your abilities in becoming a Medical Assistant. Self-confidence is a huge part of any healthcare job and is often challenging for educators since it can’t be learned in a textbook or seminar. Gaining confidence in your ability to perform administrative and clinical duties requires practice, life experience, and supportive supervision. It requires…an externship! Here, you won’t just learn how to be a Medical Assistant, you can become one.
At the Allen School of Health Sciences, we’re committed to preparing our Medical Assistant students for work as soon as they graduate, which is why externships are such a critical portion of our curriculum. Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for our classes starting soon! We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
-Allen School
Scrubs: Why the Color of Your Scrubs Matter.
One of the main benefits of being in the medical field is getting to wear the comfiest work uniform known to man, scrubs! But with so many styles to choose from, how do you pick? The truth is the color or pattern of your scrubs can say a lot about your personality, so it is important to get a pair that shows the world the kind of person you are. While it can be easy to get caught up in the details, picking out the perfect pair of scrubs is easier than you think; Focus on something that feels like you!
Plain Blue
Blue is the most common scrub color, and for a good reason. Plain blue scrubs give off a calming, professional vibe. They tell your patients that you have the necessary qualifications, making you appear more trustworthy. Wearing blue can tell others that you take your work seriously. Blue scrubs may also be a requirement as part of the dress code in some medical facilities.
Fancy Pocket Scrubs
Fancy pocket scrubs give a fashion-forward appearance. Wearing the same thing every day doesn’t have to be boring. Decorative pockets add a touch of style to your look while remaining a mostly solid color. If you sometimes feel stifled by your uniform, fancy pocket scrubs can be a fantastic way to branch out and try something new.
Patterned Scrubs
Wearing patterned scrubs can help patients see you as more open and friendly, helping them relax when you walk into the room and can allow you to express your personality. You may find that patients open up more when you’re wearing patterned scrubs, so be prepared to talk! The vibe your scrubs give off can help you feel confident and put your patients at ease.
Holiday Themed Scrubs
If you like patterned scrubs, celebrating the holiday, or both, you’ll love holiday-themed scrubs. Holiday-themed scrubs let everyone know that you’re the life of the party, ready to spread holiday cheer. Wearing holiday scrubs can help brighten your patient’s day and help you feel in the holiday spirit even while working.
Other Scrub Colors
Certain scrub colors are sometimes a requirement by the medical facility where you work. Other times, you can choose the color you want to wear. It is important to know that the color scrubs you choose may say something about your personality. Here are some common scrub colors and what they may tell others about you.
White
White scrubs are seen on physicians, nurses, and surgeons. White represents cleanliness and purity. Unfortunately, white is often hard to keep clean, staining easily. This struggle can make white an unpopular choice in certain situations. From a patient’s perspective, white can be too bright, making it uncomfortable to look at and causing eye strain. While white scrubs can work in certain settings, it is important to think carefully before choosing this color.
Purple
Purple scrubs tend to be easier on the eyes. They are similar to blue, making you look professional and confident. Purple scrubs are also a popular color in pediatrics. If you plan to work with children, purple can be a great color to help you relate more to the children if you decide to choose a solid color over a pattern.
Green
Green is associated with peace, healing, and tranquility, making it an excellent color for scrubs. Green has been shown to lower blood pressure and can decrease eye strain for patients. There aren’t any downsides to green, making it an excellent choice for scrubs.
Yellow and Red
Both yellow and red are eye-catching colors, but their heart rate increases when people look at these colors. Neither are popular choices for scrub colors for this reason. On the other hand, yellow can represent happiness, making it a potentially great option for pediatrics and hospice care.
Pink
While red tends to strike negative emotions, pink tends to have a more calming effect. Pink scrubs can show patients that you are a fun, calm provider. Pink scrubs can be great for various fields, making them a smart choice that allows you to express yourself.
Start Your Healthcare Career Today!
If you’re interested in starting your healthcare career, enroll in a school you can trust. For over 60 years, the Allen School of Health Sciences has assisted and trained thousands of people for their new careers in healthcare. Ready to start working towards a new career? Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for classes starting soon. We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
-Allen School
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