1. 60 Externship and Career Opportunities Lesson 1:
Preparing for the Externship and Certification Examination

2. Lesson Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, students should be able to:
Define and spell the terms to learn for this chapter.
Discuss three advantages of an externship experience.

3. Externship and Career Opportunities
One of the best means to facilitate transition between classroom and medical setting is through externship experience
Student is able to gain experience while under supervision
Most medical facilities who employ medical assistants prefer medical assistant has national certification

4. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Externship (practicum): student leaves the confines of the classroom and works, without payment, in physician's office, hospital, other health care setting using newly acquired medical assisting skills under supervision of someone at the site
Offers student opportunity to get on-the-job experience

5. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Externship course can be as short as four weeks or as long as one semester school
Schools accredited by Council on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) require externship of a minimum of 160 hours

6. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Both AAMA and AMT professional organizations expect graduates to have had actual mentoring experiences in a real medical office to be certified
Externship experience should provide medical assistant with ample entry level experience in both administrative and clinical skills

7. What is an Externship or Practicum?
School will work with you to select right externship or practicum site based on your skills, needs, and place of residency
Practicum or externship experience monitored by school's clinical instructor or externship/practicum coordinator

8. FIGURE 60-1 Medical assistant administering an injection
FIGURE Medical assistant administering an injection. Mark Bowden/Getty Images

9. What is an Externship or Practicum?
The Externship/Practicum Experience
Opportunity to see how physician's office, ambulatory care setting, or clinic operates on a day-to-day basis
You will be exposed to a variety of different personalities in the work setting

10. What is an Externship or Practicum?
The Externship/Practicum Experience
Gain additional experience using your skills
Gain experience in managing your time and balancing your workday, school day, home life

11. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Some of the areas evaluated are:
Administrative and clinical skills and techniques
Caring attitude
Empathy for patients
Enthusiasm
Ethical standards
Grooming and dress
Initiative

12. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Some of the areas evaluated are:
Integrity
Interpersonal skills with patients, physicians, and office staff
Language and communication skills
Poise under pressure
Professionalism
Punctuality and dependability

13. FIGURE Medical assistant working in a front office area of a medical office. Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock

14. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Student Responsibilities
Prepare in advance of the interview
Review skills
Update resume
Plan how to project professional appearance
Each externship or practicum site is unique
May have additional requirements 14

15. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Student Responsibilities
Malpractice insurance coverage
Documentation of recent physical exam
Immunizations (hepatitis and tetanus)
Be extremely cautious regarding ethical and legal concerns

16. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Student Responsibilities
When errors are handled immediately, in many cases they can be corrected
Issues of confidentiality and patient privacy

17. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Student Responsibilities
You will be observed and supervised by on-the-job supervisor and your practicum or externship coordinator
Practicum or externship experience is meant to be a learning experience; ask questions
Your behavior and work performance will be a direct reflection on school that prepared you

18. FIGURE Medical assistant extern clarifying externship issues with the office manager. Steve Debenport/Getty Images

19. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Finding the Right Site
Most schools have externship coordinator who screens and selects health care sites appropriate for training
Often the school has affiliation agreement with externship site; outlines responsibilities of school and site

20. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Finding the Right Site
Generally, students do not select practicum or externship sites without assistance from the school or its externship/practicum coordinator

21. What is an Externship or Practicum?
The Preceptor Role
Physician may designate another member of health care team as supervisor for student
Provides additional instruction and guidance for student by observing student's performance of particular skills

22. What is an Externship or Practicum?
The Preceptor Role
Provides formal written evaluation for student
Looks for continual improvement in skills as student gains confidence

23. FIGURE Taking a blood pressure is one of the procedures the medical assistant extern may perform under the supervision of a preceptor. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

24. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Externship/Practicum Site Evaluation
Was overall externship experience positive or negative? Explain.
Was supervisor or preceptor approachable and available to answer questions?

25. What is an Externship or Practicum?
Externship/Practicum Site Evaluation
What, in your opinion, could be improved about this externship/practicum site and experience?
Should this externship/practicum site be offered to other students?

26. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Starts as soon as the student begins a training program
All class notes and information acquired during training program should be maintained
Variety of examination preparation courses are offered
Review books provide student with sample test questions

27. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Study questions generally related to three major categories covered on examination:
General
Administrative
Clinical

28. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Certification examination offered by AAMA and AMT organizations throughout year
Examinations available at computer centers throughout United States

29. Preparing for the Certification Examination
CMA (AAMA) examination
Students who are graduates of CAAHEP or ABHES accredited programs in medical assisting

30. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Eligibility for RMA (AMT) medical assisting certification examination is graduation from regionally or nationally accredited program approved by U.S. Department of Education

31. Preparing for the Certification Examination
CMA and RMA examinations consist of a comprehensive test that includes questions relating to:
General transdisciplinary knowledge
Administrative knowledge
Clinical knowledge

32. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Major Areas Tested on CMA (AAMA) and RMA (AMT) Examinations
General
Medical terminology
Anatomy and physiology
Behavioral science, psychology
Medical law and ethics

33. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Major Areas Tested on CMA (AAMA) and RMA (AMT) Examinations
Administrative
Oral and written communication
Records management
Insurance and coding
Computers and office machines
Bookkeeping, collections, credit

34. Preparing for the Certification Examination
Major Areas Tested on CMA (AAMA) and RMA (AMT) Examinations
Clinical
Examination room techniques
Laboratory procedures
Pharmacology, medication administration
Emergency procedures
Specimen collection

35. Questions? 35