Medical Assistants in Wonderland
By: Katie Lowe
Medical assistants are some of the most important people in the medical field and the ones we spend the most time with in the doctor’s office. They take vitals, give injections, run lab tests, and they can even draw your blood (phlebotomy). MAs do all these things to make it easier for the doctor to make a diagnosis and get you on your way to feeling better. Medical Assistants are the unsung heroes of the doctor’s office.
What makes a Medical Assistant so important to the doctor’s office?
As stated previously, they perform blood draws, vitals, and give injections. They also assist in many administrative duties such as helping admit and dismiss patients, filing, scheduling appointments, and talking to insurance agencies. The Medical Assisting students I spoke with can do all of these things, AND they know how to have fun. I visited them in their lab and I have never felt so welcome. They were truly lovely and I believe that they were very happy to have me visit with them.
After I entered the room and we made our introductions, these girls quickly got to work, doing blood draws, urinalysis tests, and the many other things that they could demonstrate for me in their lab. Not only were these girls fabulous, but so was their instructor, Mrs. Scott. She was very personable, bubbly, and helped me feel welcome in her classroom. There was not a moment in that lab where these girls were not smiling or striking up a conversation about the different things they were doing. These girls are the future of the Medical Assisting world, and I couldn’t be happier to see them on their way. After I was finished taking pictures and before saying my goodbyes, I asked for four girls to interview.
The girls that I got to interview were Kami Tice, who is graduating in December, Mercedes Brown, who will be graduating in March, Starr Reed, who is also graduating in December, and Courtney Stephens who is graduating in February of next year. When I asked them what class they liked, they all agreed that their clinical courses were there favorite because they loved the fact that they were hands-on. When asked what skills they found the most valuable, they all agreed that all of the skills they learned were valuable. Mercedes said, “You are taught everything you need to succeed” and Courtney said, “Everything we have learned is going to be helpful in the office.” When asked what the most important skill they learned was, Merced replied, “documentation. If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.”
As things came to a close for the interview portion, I asked the girls what made them choose East Ohio. Mercedes and Kami agreed that it was the first step in becoming a nurse. Courtney said “I wanted to help people. Cosmetology just wasn’t for me.” Starr stated, “The 18 months’ worth of enjoyable classes and having a degree in something.”
When I asked the girls if they were glad they chose East Ohio, they said “Yes!”. Courtney said “I love this place.” Mercedes said, “I even drive 45 minutes to get here!” Finally, I asked the girls what advice they would have for anyone who wants to come to East Ohio and join the MA program. Courtney said, “It is a great choice with plenty of opportunities.” Starr said, “Come prepared to learn. There are lots of hands-on experiences and all the help you can want.” Kami said, “I highly recommend it. It’s a great program.” Mercedes said, “One of the best schools I’ve been to (and I’ve been to many colleges). The teachers are so helpful and I’ve learned so much. It’s a lot of work, but well worth it.”
So, if you’re still stumped about where to go to college and need a little help getting in the right direction, come on down to East Ohio. We’ll help you get started and on your journey to a great career!
For important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of students who attended this program CLICK HERE