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Medical Assistant Program Externship in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Medical assistant taking blood from patient

Prism Career Institute was founded with the mission of providing students with the career-focused training and education required for rewarding medical careers. Our medical assistant program is designed to open doors to an array of opportunities, and it accomplishes this through both in-depth classroom work and authentic experience provided via externship. At Prism Career Institute in Philadelphia, PA, and Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, NJ, we offer medical assistant training that includes externships to help you hone your skills.

What Is a Medical Assistant Externship?

While classroom lectures offer an in-depth understanding of the concepts and theories medical professionals will need to know, life in the healthcare industry is more than stockpiling knowledge. That’s why the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute also includes hands-on training in our student lab and the opportunity for externships.

Externships work much like internships. Students will be able to shadow a professional medical assistant to help see how they go about their days. They’ll get to experience life in a real work environment, helping students better understand what will be asked of them when they enter the workforce. Given that medical assistants can be found in a wide selection of different healthcare settings, you may be able to find an externship in a work environment that aligns with your preferences. This may include doctor’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and more.

What Will You Get to Experience with a Medical Assistant Externship?

Medical assistants have such an exciting career because they take on many different responsibilities on a given day. This is why shadowing a professional can be so helpful. You’ll get to experience both the clinical and administrative tasks that you will be expected to perform in the position. Some medical assistant duties an externship may help you better understand are:

  • Recording patient histories
  • Assisting doctors during exams
  • Communicating with patients about prescriptions and other important health-related details
  • Dispensing medications
  • Drawing blood for and performing lab tests
  • Submitting refill requests for prescriptions
  • Changing wound dressings
  • Answering phone calls
  • Scheduling appointments
  • Completing insurance forms

What Are the Benefits of a Medical Assistant Externship?

Taking on a medical assistant externship is an invaluable experience for several reasons, including:

Giving You Insight into the Role

You can only learn so much from textbooks. Hands-on training gives you a deeper understanding of the job and what you can expect from your day-to-day life as a medical assistant. You’ll also benefit from watching and listening to current medical professionals who can help provide tips and tricks that they rely on. You’ll also gain experience working with actual patients, which will make the transition to the working world that much easier.

Helping You Find the Right Environment

Because medical assistants can work in different work settings, you should take time to consider which you prefer. An externship at a hospital, for instance, might make it easier to decide if that environment is right for you. You can also get an idea of different specialties for the position, which may impact the direction you decide to go.

Making You More Appealing to Employers

Once you complete your training program, you’ll want to enter the workforce with confidence. Having externship experience lets potential employers know that you’ve put in the time to explore the profession more thoroughly than other candidates. This will help you stand out and let hiring managers know you’re prepared.

Our Medical Assistant Programs and Externships

At Prism Career Institute, our medical assistant school provides a combination of intensive coursework and practical training in our labs. Our expert instructors have industry experience, which helps them teach you the most important aspects of the profession so that you’ll be ready once you’ve received your diploma.

Our externships require 150 program hours and are dedicated to helping students get a real feel for a career as a medical assistant. This means you’ll have many of the same responsibilities as a working medical assistant but have the benefit of a professional right there with you. We provide externships in a variety of different settings. Once you’ve completed your courses and externship, you’ll even be eligible to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam.

Make Us Your First Choice

Between our in-depth curriculum, our exciting medical assistant externship opportunities, and our passionate instructors, it’s easy to see why students love the programs at Prism Career Institute. We offer medical assistant programs at our Philadelphia, PA, and Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, NJ, campuses, allowing students to choose the location nearest to them. You can even select between day and evening schedules to work around your busy life.

We offer financial aid to qualifying students to help make education more affordable, and our career services department will help you with resume writing, practice interviews, and finding employment opportunities. Contact us today if you have any questions.