MA 290 Welcome to your Externship!

Welcome to MA 290 Please read and understand the Syllabus for the course. The Course Calendar is vital to staying on task and keeping up with the course All assignments have instructions and rubrics Grading scales are included

Seminars Seminars are held in Week 1, 4, and 8 only. There are no seminar requirements for any other Unit/Week. Option 2 is available for each of these 3 seminars Refer to the rubric in the syllabus 20 points each

Discussion Boards A minimum of 3 posts per unit  1 initial post by 11:59 pm on Saturday of each week  2 posts by Tuesday (end of week) at 11:59 pm Significant penalty for late initial postings! A grade of “F” or points is the only possible score for late posts. Worth 15 points each week  Refer to rubric  I may not respond to each post, but I read every post

Journals Journals are a requirement for each week Located in the dropbox area First entry due by Sunday, second by Tuesday Late entries are penalized – 20 points each Refer to Rubric

Project There is one project in this class that requires students to update their resumes. Turned in during Unit 8 or 9 – in the Unit 9 grade book section Refer to rubric May be turned in during Unit 8 or Unit 9

General Information All questions related to clinical site issues should be addressed with the Clinical Placement Team. There is a section to post questions to them on the Course Home tab. Utilize your CPT and advisor

General Information The University Policy is No Late Work unless there are extenuating circumstances that can be documented like death in the family, hospitalization, emergency situations. Unacceptable reasons:  No internet access  Computer failure Have a back up plan in place!

General Information No assignments will be accepted in any other format other than Microsoft Word which is KU policy.

General Information Please be very familiar with the rubrics. Always use APA format and references even on DB Always use spell check in DB posts and assignments Refrain from “slang” in postings and assignments! Contact the instructor immediately with any issues.

Seminar Rules Raise your hand = // or type “?” No side conversations Be respectful of others opinions DO NOT USE ALL CAPS I will answer all questions Begin and end on time.

Purpose of Externship The Externship Experience Medical assistant school graduates need skills and knowledge that prepare them to function in a real workplace with real people. Therefore, most medical assisting training programs provide their MA students with an externship experience of at least 160 hours.

Purpose and Opportunity The purpose of the Medical Assistant Program is to prepare students for employment in a variety of clinical positions in the health care field. Graduates are prepared to work in various health care settings including: medical offices, nursing homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. Employment opportunities exist as medical assistants, EKG technicians, and phlebotomists.

Your Externship Experience! The Externship Is About YOU! The externship is an important part of your vocational training! It signifies the point of transition from being a student to becoming a qualified medical assistant. Although most MA students have some apprehension about their externship, once they start they usually find it to be a very rewarding and much appreciated experience.

Professionalism is a Must! Professionalism Appearance can positively, or negatively influence the opinion one has of the medical assistant, and the overall reputation of the facility. It is important to act professionally and appropriately around patients, doctors, and other health care professionals. Both, professional appearance and attitude are VERY important.

MA Front office and back office duties Medical assistant's duties include clinical and administrative tasks, such as answering telephones, checking appointments, arranging laboratory services, photocopying medical records, and handling billing and bookkeeping tasks. This goes hand-in-hand with obtaining demographic information from patients that arrive for their appointment. Also, organizing the patient's medical records and taking them into the clinical area for check-ups, exams, or treatments is part of the daily routine.

Medical Assistant's Responsibilities Naturally, the responsibilities of medical assistants vary from state to state, facility to facility, and office to office. However, one thing that never changes is that all medical assistants must stay within their scope of practice, pay attention to detail, and always carry themselves in a highly professional manner. Having compassion is also very high on the list! Medical assistants are dealing with people in adverse conditions, and with diverse health concerns. Nowhere, is the need bigger for empathy, caring, professionalism, and proper conduct.

Paperwork! Please make sure that you are keeping an accurate record of your 160 hours. These hours must be reported to the clinical placement team as stated in the syllabus Keep in touch with the clinical placement team if issues should arise!

Certification vs. Registration If you are asking whether medical assistant certification is the same as registration then the answer is YES. For medical assistants, being certified is the same as being registered. In both cases, a person must FIRST pass a standardized computer certification exam to show their theoretical knowledge of professional skills, rules, and professional standards, and earn their credential.

Why get Certified? Certification is a way of saying, I am proud to be a medical assistant, and I am committed to the profession, the community, and my job. Continuing education to keep your certification

How to reach me AIM: BetsyKirkMit I make every effort to get back to you promptly!

Questions - ? Any questions? Seminars in Week 1, 4, and 8 only Are you ready for graduation? Check the KU Campus Home page under University info  Graduation center. Have you filled out your graduation paperwork? How will you celebrate graduation?