Why Hands-On Learning is Important for Medical Assistants
Have you ever thought about training to become a Medical Assistant? How you learn can be just as important as what you learn. When you’re a Medical Assistant, you have hands-on interaction with patients every day, so it makes sense to have training that mimics the real world. Discover some of the reasons hands-on learning will make you a better Medical Assistant.
Learn Medical Assisting By Doing
How would you like to go for a checkup and find out the person drawing your blood has never done it on an actual person before? Yikes!
Hands-on programs emphasize live demonstrations that give you the chance to follow an instructor’s example. From simulated lab experiences to work with volunteer “patients,” you are given a comfortable space to practice procedures before you step foot into a medical facility.
For example, in the case of that blood draw, reading a book might give you the steps. But watching a professional perform venipuncture and then being given the opportunity to do one on your own, now that’s learning!
Ask Your Medical Assisting Questions in Real Time
Have you ever read something that you didn’t understand and then by the time you got to the teacher, you forgot your question? With hands-on learning, you try, do, and ask. Unlike lecture-heavy courses, live demonstrations and training give you opportunities to ask questions right away. If you don’t understand something about what you’re learning, you get clarification before you move onto the next topic.
Learn and Retain Medical Assistant Knowledge Information
Hands-on learning improves retention and student engagement. In many educational settings, you read information, study terminology, and use repetition to memorize what you study. Reading through the steps to take a patient’s vital signs may introduce you to them, but it doesn’t give you that real life experience that will help you remember them. With hands-on training, you have the chance to hold the tools in your hand, take vitals, and ask questions while you actively learn. It gives you experience and confidence and can help you feel more comfortable when it’s time to deal with real patients in a doctor’s office.
Make Errors Now so You Don’t in the Future as a Medical Assistant
Training courses give you plenty of opportunities to learn how to take tests and perform tasks in a live setting. It also means you can make mistakes when the stakes are not as high as they would be in an actual clinic. Instructors can give you the room to take charge and make errors that they can help you correct. With this supervision, you can master your craft, ask questions, and make sure you’re ready by the time you finish your studies, all in a safe space.
Collaborate with Other Medical Assistant Trainees
During your program, you work alongside other Medical Assistant students. While you learn from the instructor, you also learn from one another. You watch your peers perform the tasks of the profession correctly—and sometimes the wrong way! But in both instances, it’s a learning opportunity. Working with your classmates helps you develop vital teambuilding skills, gives you different perspectives on how to solve problems, and helps you connect with others interested in your profession. You can use this time to build a strong network of like-minded individuals that can benefit you later in your career.
Work with Real Medical Assistants and Healthcare Professionals
As part of your Medical Assistant training, you will probably participate in an externship. This is where you get to work in a real healthcare setting, performing tasks of the Medical Assistant profession alongside people who have being doing it for years. There’s nothing better than seeing real-life situations to learn about your new career.
Are you ready to learn about medical assisting through a hands-on program? Charter College offers a Certificate in Medical Assistant that gives you online, classroom and lab experience and a 180-hour externship program. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.