Making the Transition: Student to Employee

1
Chapter 48

• Making the Transition Student to Employee

2
Externships

• An externship is a training program that gives
  you the experience of working in a professional
  medical office under the supervision of a
  preceptor or supervisor who will help you apply
  the theories and procedures you learned during
  classroom training.

3
Types of Facilities

• As a medical assisting student, you will
  experience an extensive scope of procedures
  during an externship in a general or family
  practice clinic or office.
• Family practices
• General practice facilities
• Specialty practices

4
Extern Sites

• An ideal site should provide a variety of
  experiences, both in administrative (front
  office) and clinical (back office) procedures.
• A preceptor works with externship students

5
Checkpoint Question 1

• What is the role of the preceptor?

6
Answer

• The preceptor acts as the instructor in the
  clinical site, providing supervision and
  technical direction to medical assisting students.

7
Benefits of Externship

• To the student
• To the medical assisting program
• To the externship site

8
Benefits to the Student

• Develop self-confidence
• Develop professionalism
• Broaden knowledge base
• Learn new or different techniques

9
Benefits to the Medical Assisting Program

• Medical assisting programs also rely on the
  medical profession to aid in updating and
  revising the curriculum and course content to
  ensure that the methods and procedures presented
  to the students from year to year are current.

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Benefits to the Externship Site

• Gain information
• Review or add policies

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Responsibilities of Externship

• Students responsibilities
• Programs responsibilities
• Externship sites responsibilities

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Responsibilities of the Student

• You must be dependable.
• You must act in a professional manner.
• You must be well groomed and meet the programs
  dress code.

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Checkpoint Question 2

• List three responsibilities that you have during
  your externship.

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Answer

• You must be
• Dependable
• Professional
• Well groomed

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Responsibilities of the Medical Assisting Program

• Arrange for best clinical experiences possible
• Externship coordinator
• Matches students to appropriate sites
• Visits frequently
• Evaluates progress

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Responsibilities of the Externship Site

• Provide opportunities for training
• Orient students to the office
• Provide opportunities to observe and ask questions

17
Guidelines for a Successful Externship

• Procedural performance
• Preparedness
• Attendance
• Appearance
• Attitude

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Procedural Performance

• You will be judged on your ability to measure up
  to the standard of care for an entry-level
  medical assistant.
• Arrive prepared
• Ask questions
• Perform procedures only when preceptor is present

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Preparedness

• Arrange to have
• Reliable transportation
• Day care
• Financial coverage if necessary

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Attendance

• If at any time you will be late or will not be
  able to attend the site for any reason, you must
  notify both the clinical coordinator and the site
  preceptor.

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Appearance

• Clean, laundered uniform
• Conservatively styled hair
• Minimal makeup
• No perfume or cologne
• Short fingernails
• Minimal, tasteful jewelry

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Checkpoint Question 3

• Describe the proper attire for your externship.

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Answer

• The proper attire for an extern includes a
  freshly laundered uniform, clean shoes, neatly
  groomed hair, limited makeup, and jewelry kept to
  a minimum.

24
Attitude

• Much attitude is determined by how well you
  handle change and direction and how adaptable and
  flexible you are during difficult assignments.

25
Externship Documentation

• Time records
• Site evaluation
• Self-evaluation

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Time Records

• Most programs use a time sheet or record of some
  sort to document your hours in the externship.
• Used to validate your time
• Requirement for completion

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Site Evaluation

• Used to gather impressions of the site and the
  experience
• Be objective and honest
• Positive or negative experience?
• Opportunities for learning?
• Staff open to questions?
• Availability of preceptor

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Self-Evaluation

• Used to help you determine additional skills or
  experience you need
• Encourages introspection and honesty

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Checkpoint Question 4

• What three types of documentation are often
  required in externship programs?

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Answer

• Documentation includes
• Time sheets
• Site evaluation
• Self-evaluation

31
Establish the Job for You

• Setting employment goals
• Self-analysis

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Setting Employment Goals

• Employment goal decide what you want and need
  from a job
• Describe the best job for yourself
• Specialty
• Duties
• Type of employer
• Atmosphere
• Hours
• To win the job you want, you have to learn to
  sell yourself.

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Self-Analysis

• Know your strengths and weaknesses
• Use strengths to sell yourself and your value
• Acknowledge and resolve weaknesses

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Checkpoint Question 5

• What is the purpose of self-analysis?

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Answer

• A self-analysis helps you identify your strengths
  and weaknesses.

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Finding the Right Job

• Many studies show that most positions are never
  advertised in the media.
• Sources of information
• Employment offices
• School placement office
• Medical facilities
• Private agencies
• Temporary services

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Checkpoint Question 6

• List four resources that you may use to identify
  potential job opportunities.

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Answer

• Sources of job information include government
  employment offices, your school placement office,
  medical facilities, private agencies, and
  temporary services.

39
Applying for the Job

• Answering newspaper advertisements
• Preparing your résumé
• Preparing your cover letter
• Completing an employment application

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Answering Newspaper Advertisements

• Do exactly what the ad asks
• Make your response distinctive

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Preparing Your Résumé

• Consult resources
• Books
• Websites
• Templates
• Neat, professional flash picture of yourself

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Preparing Your Résumé (continued)

• Guidelines
• List your skills and goals
• Keep it to one page
• Include key information
• Contact information
• Education
• Affiliations
• Experience
• References
• When you have chosen the people you want to use
  as references, be sure to ask their permission.

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Preparing Your Résumé (continued)

• Use action words
• Use regular type, black ink
• Proofread
• Use letter-quality printer
• Be honest.

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Checkpoint Question 7

• What is the difference between a functional and a
  chronological résumé ?

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Answer

• A functional résumé stresses skills and
  qualifications rather than employment history. A
  chronological résumé lists positions held,
  starting with the most recent and working
  backward.

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Preparing Your Cover Letter

• Must be included with résumé
• Keep it brief and meaningful
• Address the correct person
• Format
• First paragraph State the position
• Second paragraph Stress your skills
• Third paragraph Request an interview

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Completing an Employment Application

• Read completely
• Follow instructions
• Answer all questions
• Enter negotiable in wage line
• Make reason for leaving previous position
  positive
• Write neatly with blue or black pen

48
Interviewing

• A skill that must be developed and practiced
• Role-play with family or friends
• Practice answering tricky questions
• Crucial for obtaining a job

49
Preparing for the Interview

• Research the facility in advance
• Reputation
• Employee turnover
• Procedures performed
• Write questions to ask
• Anticipate questions that will be asked
• Go to the site ahead of time
• Dress appropriately
• Arrive a few minutes early
• Make eye contact

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Crucial Interview Questions

• Do you have the necessary skills?
• Do you have the drive and commitment for the job?
• Do you work well with others?
• Ask the interviewer questions
• Job responsibilities
• Advancement opportunities
• Continuing education
• Performance evaluation process
• Benefits
• Thank interviewer and offer handshake

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What If?

• You become tongue-tied during an interview. What
  should you do?

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Follow-up

• Thank-you note
• Call several days later

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Why Some Applicants Fail to Get the Job

• Lack of necessary skills
• Technical skills
• Confidentiality
• Human relations
• Communication
• Lack of professionalism

54
Keep the Job or Move On?

• Considerations for seeking other employment
• Salary
• Sense of achievement
• Recognition
• Status
• Job security
• Leave with positive feelings

55
Employment Laws

• Federal and state laws regulate employment
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Discrimination is illegal
• Race
• National origin
• Religion
• Sex
• Age
• Marital status
• Equal Pay Act