Externship
I am the externship coordinator for Medical Assisting. One of the issues coming up frequently is letting the student know that even if our curriculum teaches a competency one way, it doesn't make it the only right way. The students can become confused if the site does something differently, and will report back that "they are doing it wrong".
I usually explain to the student that unless it illegal, unethical or immoral, it's usually a good idea to accept that method as one of many ways a task can be completed.
Deb,
You raise a good point about how student need to understand there are different procedures and different ways to approach situations. The better they understand this and are able to adapt to the circumstances they encounter the more valued they will be in the workplace.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Exactly great concept the way the student learns in turn deveops the type of extern student comes out of the classroom environment.
Luequiten,
Right you are about how these experiences help to shape them as professionals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I see this all the time with our students as well. Over the years I have tried to show students more than one way to complete something or I at least tell them their are other ways and although their is "wrong" ways to do skills their is also several "right" ways.
Erin,
Students need to expand their approaches to problem solving situations as you mention. The more experience they have in doing so the more valuable they will be in the workplace because the majority of work situations depend on problem solvers for success.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree- I try to inform and show students that there are other ways to do a task or reach a goal as long as the objectives are correctly met and the actions are the legal, correct ones. I teach in the medical field and there are often several ways of doing something and students need to learn the concepts of the procedures and the goals and all the ways they can be reached.
Jean,
Good strategy because as you mention there are different ways to go about getting to the correct solution. The more we can help our students to develop their problem solving skills the more value they will attach to their education.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In the medical field depending on the type of patients you will have different standard operating procedures. If the clinic serves pediatrics, geriatrics, OB Gyn or family practice all of these have different standards for treatment. I'll have my microbiology students discuss how each is affected differently by certain organisms. It helps to apply the knowledge they learned.
That is a very good point Deb. Students often are afraid of change and that is carries over when they are going through externship and I think that it is important to convey to the student that there is never just one method of learning and when externship starts it is important that they may be trained unfamiliar to how they were originally trained and it is important to let them know that it is okay as long as what they are being trained on is not illegal, unethical, or immoral.
I am happy I came across your comment. It is very relevant since I teach MA students. Thanks for sharing!
As long as the student remains within their scope of practice, the different way might still be a proper way, and the should be emphasized, i.e. it is neither incorrect nor illegal. Ethics are subject to standards. Morality has nothing to do with medical standards.
