Externship just like internships and apprenticeship are learning opportunities that allow students to get a firsthand experience of the professional word before their graduation. Externship involves job shadowing and is conducted over a short period. As a medical assistant student, externships are a major part of the course as they allow one to gain different skills, which are rarely taught in class. The externship is usually followed by a report explaining the various activities and skills learned in the externship. This report provides a description of my externship at Best Care Ever medical group.
Company Description
Best Care Medical Group is health care organization located in the Bronx. The organization provides medical care to residents of New York including those living in the Bronx. Best Care Medical Group aims at providing quality, compassionate and culture sensitive care by building relationships with the patients. The organization has two physicians who specialize in internal medicine and general practice. Both of the physicians have practiced medicine for over ten years. The physicians have worked in different hospitals in New York; therefore, have a vast experience in different medical issues. The organization provides six main services namely Homeopathy, Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Acupuncture, Psychiatrist, and Podiatric. Provision of these services involves creating a relationship between the patient and the physician. Ensuring that patients are treated with respect as well as ensuring that care is culturally sensitive.Care helps in the creation of positive relationships.
Externship Experience
The externship involved the provision of patient care, assisting the doctors with different procedures as well educating patients on different health issues. During the externship, I worked together with the physicians as well as alone. Working alone made me learn to assess patients as well as explain the various medication to the patients. While working alone, I was also involved in educating patients on different health issues including explanations on the best diet for a diabetic patient. I also worked alone in assessing patients who came to the care center with minor complications involving Asthma.
I also assisted the physicians in different medical procedures. I assisted the doctor in conducting different tests aimed at looking for a complication that may result from diabetics. I assisted the doctor in conducting eye tests including Diabetic Retinopathy as well as Glaucoma tests. I also assisted the doctor in therapeutic treatments including Acupuncture. Since the organization is involved in alternative medicine, I was able to observe the physician practice Homeopathy. I also helped the physician in the treatment of foot and ankle injuries. Podiatry involved diagnostics as well as surgical and medical treatment of the foot injuries. I conducted several examinations but only assisted the doctor in surgical procedures. I was also involved in explaining the various medications that patients were given for the various injuries.
Evaluation
The externship at Best Care Medical Group allowed me to attain personal growth, academic growth as well as practical growth. Personally, I got to learn and train myself on work ethics. Working with the two physicians allowed me to learn the various work ethics required in professional practice. An ethical practice that I developed during the externship was that of keeping time. I was required to arrive at the externship at a specific time. The physicians were also quite strict on issues relating to time as they aimed at ensuring that patients spent the least time possible before receiving attention. Personal growth also involved me getting to learn communication skills that one could use with different patients. Due to working with patients from different cultures, I also learned how to relate to individuals with different cultural practices.
The externship also allowed me to practice some of the skills learned in class. I was able to apply knowledge on how to assess patients. While at the externship, I got the chance to assess different patient conditions and as put such knowledge learned in class into practice. The externship also allowed me to learn different types of alternative medicine including acupuncture. During the internship, I also got the chance to educate patients on the different medications and medical conditions.
The externship also helped me to learn the various issues involving my career as a medical assistant. I worked with two physicians; therefore, gained practical experience in the role of a medical assistant. I helped the physicians in various medical procedures including ankle surgery; therefore, gained an understanding of the role undertaken by a medical assistant. I also gained experience in communication skills, which will go a long way in ensuring that I can create positive relationships with patients.
Recommendation
The externship at Best Care Medical Group allowed a great learning opportunity for me. Best care Medical Group is a great learning environment, and I would recommend externship for future students. The internship allows medical assistant students to see a variety of care styles and as a search a great learning opportunity. As far as any improvements to the externship, I do not see anything that I would recommend being changed.
