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Externship Not Going Well

I am getting ready to graduate from a 9-month accelerated MA program. I am currently attending a 6-wk. externship. The college was scrambling at the last minute and barely found students places to extern.

I am at a podiatrist's office but am not being trained. The most that I have done is fax some paperwork. called insurance companies to verify coverage/eligibility, ran debit/card payments through the machine, and folded new pt. paperwork to stuff in envelopes.

I have not been allowed to make any appointments, nor have I been allowed to go back w/the pt. & MA to the exam rooms.

I am very disgusted at this point in time. I had found a prospective alternative extern site, but the college dismissed it, saying they only have 'one' for me to go to, which is @ the podiatrist's office.

i have aspirations of getting a BSN in Nursing and am in the process of arranging to take coursework to get to that goal (pre-requisites). However, I, up until this point in time, have enjoyed my classroom experience while in medical assisting school but am extremely frustrated by how things are going at the present time.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I had a conference call w/the director and another staff member via telephone last Thursday and was told that the extern site "will train you [meaning myself] how 'they want to train you' and that 'the [externship site] isn't concerned about a student's "agenda." Please!!!

Thanks in advance.

Hoosier

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Re: Externship Not Going Well

Sorry to hear this. Was this a community college or a private school?

Re: Externship Not Going Well

Thanks for replying!

It's a private school. I have new updates. The college is trying to play hardball w/me by lying to me about calling an urgent care center close to my home. I found this out yesterday. I even called corp. hdq and didn't get anywhere w/them. I am going to contact an attorney and try to get a free consultation about my situation.

I am very disappointed in this college, and, if I had known this would've happened, I would've skipped it altogether and concentrated on pursuing my aspirations for a career in nursing (BSN) which I am in the process of anyway.

This particular college doesn't seem to care about their students, makes false claims, and is essentially trying to bully and harass me, which I decided to take a stand against.

I will provide more details in my next post (headed off to the allnurses.com forums). LOL

Hoosier

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student on externship

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Re: Externship Not Going Well

The school I went to had a skills checklist for possible duties performed at an externship site. I'm sure your situation has other things in play, but honestly until I handed them the checklist they (the externship site) had no idea what we had learned in class and were capable of. They were not new to hosting externships in other areas of the clinic.

A responsible school will only train enough students to supply the need of the area. They limit Radiology techs for this reason where I went; having to place students hundreds of miles away for CWE is not reasonable. It might be fine if you are alright with relocating after school... that aint for everyone.

A responsible school will check on externship sites and ensure that a quality experience is had by folks paying the $ for the program.

If you are perusing a BSN why-the-heck would you waste 9 months, and the $, to detour through an MA program?? It seems to me that would be 9 months closer to the BSN and making $$

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Re: Externship Not Going Well

Jenny,

I'm wondering why you asked if the poster was in a private school or community college? Do you find one is better than the other?

Beth

Re: Externship Not Going Well

jefff
If you are perusing a BSN why-the-heck would you waste 9 months, and the $, to detour through an MA program?? It seems to me that would be 9 months closer to the BSN and making $$


I realize that I made a mistake, but I did gain confidence while going to my classes, so I don't consider it a total waste of time. However, I should've bypassed it altogether.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student in an externship

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Re: Externship Not Going Well

soulwindows
Jenny,



I'm wondering why you asked if the poster was in a private school or community college? Do you find one is better than the other?



Beth


I am in favor of a community college program for many reasons:

1. Cost (my program was only $5000 total, while the local private schools charge anywhere between 15K and 25K
2. Quality of education (state schools have stricter criteria than private schools)
3. Easier to get government assistance to pay for it
4. It is not crammed into 6-9 months like most private schools
5. Since the program issues a vocational certificate of completion as opposed to a degree, courses that have no direct bearing on the profession (like English, Humanities, etc) are not part of the program.
6. My school finds my extern site (which, in my opinion, is the way it should be)

In my area of the world, my community college is well known for having quality graduates. I know of several classmates that got their jobs over students from other schools because of the reputation of my college.

If you haven't signed up anywhere yet, check out the local Community College's program.

Re: Externship Not Going Well/reply 5-5-10

I have some good news! I have successfully switched from the site-from-Hades to the urgent care center close to my home. I start this next Monday. I'll work M-F 9-5 until 150 hours are accumulated.

I'll continue to update as to how things are going. Thanks to everyone who has replied to my post!

Have a great week!

Hoosier

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student still in MA School

Are You Still In School? Yes -switching externship sites

Are You Working? No

Re: Externship Not Going Well

jenny,
hi, Im planning to go to private school because its very convienient for me, but im still skeptical, cc school you have to take Math and english classes which is i dont mind, but i have a baby and for sure most subject sched. is morning, we cant afford baby sitter, i can only go in evening class.. can u give me an advice about it.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CNA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes