7 Reasons Experiential Learning is Important for Students

Ever wonder what Experiential Learning is?

Experiential Learning is a shorter, more focused learning opportunity created for students by educational institutions and employers. It gives students a chance to put their learned skills from a specific program — like a pharmacy technician program — to use in the field.

Before completing an online program, ask if experiential learning are available.

Not only is it a great experience, but it will give you a leg up on other candidates with the same educational background who don’t have that extra on-the-job training.

Here’s a look at why healthcare certifications paired with experiential learning are a valuable resource for students:

Benefits of Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is invaluable when choosing and pursuing your career path. It’s well worth the extra time and effort because of all the benefits they have for you and your budding career.

1. Resume Upgrade

What’s better than having an experience that can buff up your resume? When you participate in experiential learning, you take in specific learning objectives that relate to your field of study.

Two reasons it’s a great resume booster:

Gives you real-world experience
Shows employers work ethic and initiative

Paired alongside your actual training, experiential learning will put your resume to the top of the job application pile quickly.

2. Job Preview

Before you land in a career, it’s best to know what you’re really getting into beforehand. If you can find out more details of the type of environment you’ll be working in, it can solidify your decision to continue moving forward in the profession. Experiential learning is an opportunity to get a bit of a job preview that allows you to experience the job and make sure it’s a good fit.

3. Get Your Foot in the Door With a Company

Experiential learning starts at the end of your training, so you’re best able to understand and apply the skills you’ve learned in your program. Many companies use experiential learning as recruiting tools. When you prove yourself as a hard worker during your hands-on experience, a potential employer may offer a job or a referral.

4. Gain Real-World Job Skills

You can only learn so much from a book or video. It’s the hands-on experiential learning experience that gives you a real feel for the job. Most sites expect students to clock 25-40 hours per week, which gives you a feel for true working hours. Additionally, it helps you gain skills you might not learn in school — like real-time customer interactions in a pharmacy, for example.

5. Valuable Networking Opportunities

Since you’ll be in a real-world setting — like a CVS or Walgreens pharmacy — you’ll learn how valuable your healthcare certification really is in the field. You can connect with other professionals who can share their experiences with you. Make connections and possibly find a mentor during your hands-on experience who can offer insight into additional training, job leads, and other opportunities in your field of choice.

6. Time Management

When you have to fit in experiential learning along with other life tasks, it helps you figure out just how quickly and valuable time is during the day. As you figure out a school and work balance, you’ll realize the hands-on experience gives you the chance to develop time-management skills that will help you throughout your life.

7. Team Work

One of the most rewarding aspects of participating in experiential learning is discovering how teams work together in your chosen field. Most healthcare certifications lead to jobs that are team-oriented as it takes several professionals to provide optimum healthcare to patients or customers. Learning to work as part of a team is an invaluable skill that can be taken into any career.

MedCerts Programs with Experiential Learning

Get ahead with a program that offers hands-on experience in the healthcare field. Here’s a look at a few of our top programs that offer valuable experiential learning:

The MedCerts Difference

We always want to see our students succeed in their new careers. That’s why we’ve developed strategic partnerships, business skills courses, and offer student support to get you to where you want to go.

A few other reasons MedCerts healthcare certifications are different than other institutions:

The convenience of an online degree with real-world experience near you
Exam fees are covered
Expert advisors and support for students
Estimated 60-70% of externs are offered employment opportunities upon completing their rotations

We love helping MedCerts students land on their feet, which is why we offer some of the top job placement and experiential learning partnerships to our students. Ready to move your healthcare training to the next level? Sign up for an experiential learning experience to help you stand out from the rest.

Interested in learning more about our available experiential learning programs? Reach out to an education consultant today!

A better future starts here.