Online Medical Assistant Programs

Subject: Online MA Programs
Name: Lisa
Date Posted: Feb 9, 06 - 6:30 PM
Credential or Professional Title: CNA




Message:
Hello my name is Lisa and I was wondering if anyone knows about 100% online training programs. I am thinking of a college in CA and I live in MN. I checked out the website, accreditations, finacial aid office, and even spoke to a addmissions counselor. Everything is great but I am bit unsure if I can do all the hands on part online. My externship will be 10 weeks long and that is where I will get my hands on training. I would like some feed back on this info. My class starts next week!!!! Thanks Lisa


Re: Online MA Programs
Name: Tracy
Date Posted: Feb 9, 06 - 6:47 PM
Credential or Professional Title: CMA/ RMA/ CNA

Message:
I don't see how you can do it completely online. How can you learn venipuncture? Dressing changes, EKG's injections, without practicing on a real person? I can see the theory courses being online, but not the clinical portion.
Tracy

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Just remember: online training providers, non-traditional universities, and so called virtual colleges that offer distance learning programs have different accreditation standards than brick-and-mortar universities, colleges, and vocational training institutions. They may be great courses for many but always make sure they meet your specific goals!

Use Common Sense!
It is always prudent before joining any online programs to get in touch with the provider of the courses to ask questions. One should also contact the accrediting organization to find out whether a program is truly legitimately accredited by them, and to confirm the quality of the online training courses.

Online Programs:
One important aspect to consider when selecting an online learning program is the school's reputation. The school must be honest and credible in their dealings with the public, have a clean record, and should be accredited and approved by the right organization!

Online courses are seldom accredited, or approved by the board of education and unless they truly have met or exceed established national standards. The application process for reviews and approval is tedious and lengthy. Only the best achieve accreditation!

Those institutions who went through the process and are approved will always have their program's accreditation status visibly posted on their Web site and online course catalogs.

Awareness is the Key!
It is the presence of a number of certain features taken together that should signal to students that they may be dealing with a “mill.”

Web page advertisements that contain text, images, seals, and any profound sounding designations to proclaim that a school and their programs are accredited may contain words such as approved, accredited, accreditation pending, authorized, chartered, licensed, empowered, sponsored, recognized, and registered. Web sites that feature such ads should be critically examined to determine whether these claims are merely common catch phrases, or the assertions are legit.

Those whose goal is proper vocational training to receive a much desired promotion, or to achieve educational goals that will allow them advance into a new position or career must graduate from courses that are accredited not just by any, but by the RIGHT organization.

To learn more about educational requirements, and practical tips for handling emergencies, and proper documentation visit Medical Assistant Net on the Web. There is lots of additional "scope of practice for medical assistants" info at that web site.

Does St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants Uphold Honesty?

Biting The Hand... It is no secret that St. Augustine Medical Assistant School aka St. Augustine Educational Services, which offers online education for medical assistants, has regarded our medical assistant websites as a reliable source for ideas and guidance regarding the latest trends in the medical assistant profession, training, and education.

In 2003 St. Augustine Medical Assistant School contacted us via email for support and advise, however we declined their request to form an advertising partnership with Certmedassistant.com and MedicalAssistant.net.

Unfortunately in September of 2005 we found out that the Augustine Medical Assistant School/St. Augustine Educational Service's website featured content that belonged to us. Entire paragraphs and images were lifted off our MedicalAssistant.net and published to one of their sites without our prior knowledge and permission.

We reported their site for violations of ISP's Terms of Service TOS and intellectual property rights violations/copyright infringement and as a result, the St. Augustine Educational Service's Web site was shut down temporarily by their webhosting firm as a result.

A person, who called himself Dr. Jeff Andrews retalliated by contacting our media partners under false pretense questioning our affiliation with them to pry into our business. At the same time, anonymous emails of dubious nature were forwarded to us with threads that our website will be reported to the FCC! We consulted with our copyrights attorney Fierst, Pucci & Kinder Law Firm to find out how we can protect our business and websites against such shameless threats and insidious actions.

While St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants SRSPsych@aol.com denied any knowledge or affiliation of Dr. Jeff Andrews at drjeffandrews@yahoo.com a recent entry in St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants Blog confirms that Dr. Jeff Andrews is indeed directly affiliated with St. Augustine Medical Assistant School where he, according to them, functions as one of their new Medical Assistant faculty advisors.

Where a business resorts to such underhanded actions, it comes as no surprise that we never will allow St. Augustine Medical Assistant School/St. Augustine Educational Services advertising, which includes their AdWord Google ads, on ANY of our websites! Neither will we ever recommend their programs to any medical assistants looking for online learning opportunities. This is  just our stance... but wait! There is more.

St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants Victim Complaints

Those who are as little as just thinking about giving their program a try are HIGHLY encouraged to look up St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants rating on the Better Business Bureau Website. It pays to take the time to do so. There also have been complaints filed with the Rip-Off Reports website, an online service by consumers for consumers. 

One person, who posted her complaint under the name Hobby of Oakland, Michigan writes:

"I signed up with this school thinking that I can start a new career in the health field, but I found that the school is a total failure.... I tried to email them for some information and they didn't answer. Then I send them a letter through the mail and the letter came back saying the company moved. Then I send a letter to the BBB so they can send the school a letter, so I can get my money back, but the BBB got nowhere."

Rachelle, who calls herself a victim of St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants writes:

"Due to an online search, I found this company as a "certified" online organization that offered a "certification" program for Nursing Assistant... There are several non-satisfactory reports from consumers already, and there is no legitimate address for these services-despite the address that is given on their online website (which has apparently changed three times already). This company is ripping people off around the country. I have been one of those victims."

Mike, in his complaint about St. Augustine Educational Services writes:

"Even when you complete all coursework and final exam you aren't certified. You can't get a job after going here, you still have to find your own internship and do your own clinicals. You might have the knowledge, but you're not certified. It sounds too good to be true, and it is. Stick with going to school."

Indeed.com Peer-To-Peer Discussion About St. Augustine's Medical Assistant School

Another useful peer-to-peer discussion about St. Augustine's Medical Assistant School is taking place on the Indeed Medical Assistant Jobs Forum; check out what other people say about St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants.

Succeeding In An Externship

Some people aren't familiar with the term externship. Your externship is the final step of your medical assisting training. An externship has to do with YOU! It means you finally get a chance to put everything learned in the classroom to use, dealing with actual patients and medical professionals in an actual medical office environment. Although many students have some apprehension about beginning the externship, once there they find it to be a very rewarding experience.

Usually the teaching staff where you receive your medical assisting training makes all necessary arrangements to set you up with a suitable externship site. Usually, a medical assisting education program must provide its students with an externship experience of at least 160 hours. The school has an already established contact list of possible externship sites. Sometimes you get to submit your "dream, or wish list" where you can name a couple offices or specialties that you would really love to do. At my school, for example, to be sent to attend to patient's needs at the local medical center's day stay program, or dialysis was highly desired. The externship is an important part of the transition from student to qualified medical assistant.

Shortly before it is time to begin the externship, you may be asked to interview with the physician or office manager at the facility. Treat this interview exactly as if it were an actual job interview. Dress appropriately and professionally, and always take a resume, even if the school has forwarded one to the clinic. Compile a list of all the addresses, telephone numbers, and names of the supervisors and businesses you have previously worked for. Do not appear unprepared by having to ask for a phone book to look up information if asked to complete an application for employment. Once a good match is determined, a date will be set for the externship to begin.

The externship is designed for several purposes. You expected to perform duties that were learned in school, as well as to learn and refine new skills that are taught by the medical office staff. The ability to perform is important, but equally of value is your ability to be a good team member. You must use appropriate interpersonal skills, have a professional appearance, and display a good attitude. The externship gives you the opportunity to prove your dependability. Attendance and punctuality are indicators of reliability and dependability. You must be willing to help with the smaller duties, like pulling and filing patient's charts, and sometimes answer the phones, as well as the more critical ones, like assisting with patient intake and doing basic clinical procedures.

Remember, while performing the externship, you are a guest at the facility, and will be expected to follow the same office policies that the employees do. It is recommended that you read the office policy handbook during the first few days and note any memos on the bulletin boards. Also, make sure you know how to locate emergency equipment, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and emergency telephone numbers.

As with any new employee, you may be given the simpler duties on the first few days of the externship so that an evaluation can be made as to whether you can follow simple directions and work efficiently. However, the duties and responsibilities should increase in importance as the externship progresses. If not, you should speak with the externship supervisor to determine if there is a reason why more responsibility is not being offered. It is important that you be able to accept constructive criticism and change any habits that might be unacceptable on the externship site. Once people in charge of you are confident of your abilities to perform certain tasks, they will let you do them without asking, so, make it your goal to observe, learn all you can about unfamiliar procedures, and ultimately, perform certain tasks without being asked!

You must wear appropriate work attire, such as a uniform that identifies you as a student, or our own scrubs, wearing an identification badge. Medical assistants are expected to have a neat, clean, professional appearance. Do not gossip, complain, interrupt, or insist that the office is performing a skill differently than you learned in school. You should not have excessive personal phone calls on the site. If there are problems on the externship, you should first speak to the site supervisor, and if no resolution is obtained, the school supervisor should be involved. You must learn to communicate with supervisors and not allow problems to go unresolved. You should not ask or expect the physician to treat you or your family if an illness should occur during the externship period. Do not expect or ask the physician to dispense any medications from the office. Also remember that confidentiality guidelines apply to the externship student. No information regarding a patient should be discussed outside the office for any reason.

By following professional guidelines and being willing to learn, you will find the externship to be a positive learning experience. Remember, the externship will in most cases be the first job reference in the medical field, so do a good job! Be sure to leave a few copies of your resume with the externship office so that if job opportunities arise later, or if the staff is aware of a position in another facility, they will be able to pass your resume along and assist you in the job search process. It is acceptable to ask for a letter of reference from the externship site supervisor or physician. Be sure to send the externship office a "thank you" note for allowing the externship in their facility. This makes a good impression and will express your appreciation for the opportunity to learn in the facility. By adhering to these suggestions, you will find the externship experience to be one of great value.

Now, the time has come to find a job! Good luck!
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To learn more about educational requirements, and practical tips for handling emergencies, and proper documentation visit Medical Assistant Net on the Web. There is lots of additional "scope of practice for medical assistants" info at that web site.