I start my externship on Monday August 3rd. I will be at a pediatrics clinic. Its a clinic that is open from 4pm till midnight Mon thru Fri and 12noon till midnight on the weekends. 365 days a year. Its an alternative to going to the ER. The services that they offer are unbelievable. Just about what the ER would offer. They have roughly 6 clinics within the Central Florida area and are adding more clinics.
I had never thought of working in pediatrics until this site was offered to me. I have worked with kids from age 7 up to 14. Mainly coaching football and baseball the last 8 years.
Anyone who can offer any tips or medical advice, I would be in debt to you.
P.S. I can't believe that my externship is already here. I started MA school last October. I thought I would never see the end of school. WOW!!!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: student

Are You Still In School? yes

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Forum Admin

Thank you Danni for the encouraging words. I never thought this day would be here. I'm excited on one hand and fearful on the other. I guess reading from past posts on this forum, its a normal feeling.
Working in Pediatrics is something I would never of thought of. Like you said, its a brand new door that I will be opening.
I do plan on taking my MA, Phlebotomy and EKG certs.
Through my school, its available.
I will keep you posted.

Are You Still In School? yes

Hi Russ! How's your first week going?

Jenny

My first week has been absolutely awesome!! What a great staff that I have the previlige to learn from. From the doctors, nurses and MA's, they have been so helpful. I started last night doing triage and assesement. Also, discharging patients with instructions from the doctor. Tonight I start to take swab samples for flu A and B, Streph, RSV and Mono if its requested. They do all of the testing for all of those plus they do their own CBC testing on site.
So far its been exactly what I had hoped for. Everything that I learned in class, I have applied at some point here at my externship site.
I will keep you posted along the way.

Fantastic, Russ! :)

Jenny

Thanks for posting your fear and achievement of the externship. I am six weeks away from externship and I am worried I won't find a job and fearful the practice/facility won't like me. I am thankful you have shown me that all my work WILL pay off.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? no

I am glad to see there are forums like this to help guide us through good and bad times. I am also a student and fearful of my externship, it will not be the same as when we are in school. Being there with your peers and doing things together, once we are out in the field it really gets tough.

Thanks again for this forum.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student MA

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Believe me. I know how you are feeling. As my externship drew closer, I was really starting to feel very nervous and fearful. I think it was the fear of the unknown. The unknown being that reality was about to step up, start to engage with real patients.
Thankfully, I have had the best opportunity of a lifetime to learn from a great staff. Every single member of this healthcare team have been so receptive to me and willing to help me. It has helped to make my fears disappear really fast. I'am now on my own traiging and discharging patients. I have been doing swabs all this week. I will be on my own by next week performing these. My next stop will be injections, then front desk checking in patients as they come in to the clinic. Billing and insurance stuff.
I'm having a really great time applying everything I learnt in class in the field now.
The only new advice I can add about externship is that, make sure you are up on the abbreviations that are used on scripts. I had to refresh myself on them. You need to be able to know them in order to write them down on the patients discharge paperwork. Plus need to explain to the patient what the doctor is prescribing and how to take it. Pretty much everything else has been said here already about externships.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: student

Hi! I read your blog and was wondering how things were going. I am considering getting into this profession. How hard was the classes? What do you think was the hardest part. How much out of class studying would you say you spent each day? If I decide to do this I will go to class 5 days a week for 7 hours a day which will limit me much time for my family and chores around the house. I just want to hear from a student or recent former student before I take this on. I want to badly but am afraid of failing! Please ease my mind but tell me the truth.
Thanks:-) and goodluck

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

No one here can really take or ease your fears. It's more or less "either you want this, or you don't". There are challenges, but once you are committed and determined to do everything it takes to achieve your goal, including working hard, and making adjustments in your life, half the battle is won. But if you go into this with doubts, and scared, don't be surprised if you find yourself quickly overwhelmed. The mind is a powerful thing.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Forum Admin

I am a hard worker that's not the problem. I just have been out of school a long time and was needing some answers to what the classes were like. I already have my BS degree in elementery education. Now that my kids are almost gone I thought I would so something that I always wanted to do. That is work in the medical field.

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

is there ways to not do an extern and still graduate

Your Professional Title/Credentials: ma

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

Not at my school.....but I wouldn't want to miss that experience anyway!

Are You Still In School? Yes