What Will You Do on Your Medical Assistant Externship?
On your medical assistant externship, you jump into the real world of a Medical Assistant (MA). You shadow a healthcare team, see the day-to-day workings of an actual medical facility, and perform some of the responsibilities of a Medical Assistant. From clinical to administrative duties, you get to take what you learned at school and apply it to real life. Your medical assistant externship offers you the chance to hone your skills through practice and observation at a healthcare facility. It brings the lessons you learn in textbooks to life. Here’s a closer look at what you can expect to do on your medical assistant externship:
Observe Patient Interactions During Your Medical Assistant Externship
At the beginning of your externship, your main task will be observation. As you follow professional Medical Assistants, nurses, and doctors, take mental (or even actual) notes on how they perform their job. Observation is especially important when it comes to patient interactions. Listen closely as the Medical Assistant explains to a patient what to expect from their upcoming procedure or as they provide follow-up instructions at the end of an exam. Watch how they greet patients and measure vital signs. Your mindfulness will pay off once you become a Medical Assistant.
Learn to Use Electronic Health Records at Your Medical Assistant Externship
Medical records are now maintained and stored digitally, so it’s important to know how to use the online system. During your externship, you learn best practices for logging in, such as making sure that the proper date and time are included with the entry. You learn to edit entries for accuracy and how medical record audits are performed by staff. You might also have the chance to practice using the software by coding some medical records for billing.
Schedule Patient Appointments
You learn how to make and update patient appointments during externship. Your supervisor will show you how to respond to written inquiries and how to coordinate appointments with patients over the phone. They also show you how to use medical office software to maintain the doctor’s calendar and to use AI tools that can prevent double bookings and predict future openings for patients who need it the most.
Assist With Exam Room Setup as a Medical Assistant Extern
One of your most important responsibilities as a Medical Assistant is to maintain a clean and safe environment for your patients. Infection control and sound sterilization practices are critical. As you shadow Medical Assistants and other support staff, you can also put your knowledge of infection control into practice as you help to clean, sterilize, and set up instruments for the doctor’s use. You might also have the chance to observe the Medical Assistant before, during, and after a routine exam so you can see how it all fits together.
Practice Medical Billing During the Medical Assistant Externship
As a Medical Assistant, you will be responsible for filing insurance claims and working with insurance companies when claims are denied or need to be resubmitted. Your externship allows you to note the information that needs to be entered into the system and how to interact with patients. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about the types of mistakes that could get a claim denied, or how a claim should be adjusted for resubmittal. The more you learn during your externship, the more of a competitive edge you have during the job search.
Are you thinking about becoming a Medical Assistant? The externship is a vital component to your education. When you enroll in the Medical Assistant program at Charter College, you participate in a 180-hour externship for AK, CA, NV, and UT residents and 160-hour externship for WA and NM residents that lets you get hands-on experience in a medical setting. Contact 888-200-9942 or fill out the form for more information.