Selecting the Right Program
Deidra always enjoyed working with clients as a registrar in the emergency department and was looking for a way to elevate her skills. She never saw herself pursuing a career in nursing— a popular path for many people in healthcare and a field in which all positions are projected to grow. So when Deidra was looking at the different reimbursed programs offered through her employer, she considered training options that would lead to careers like Phlebotomy Technician or Medical Coding. Ultimately, it came back to what path would bring more time with patients, the work she really enjoys.
The Medical Assistant program at MedCerts piqued her interest because of its outpatient environment. The online aspect of the program appealed to her as it eliminated any additional commute. With her job being situated in a retail-heavy area with no training schools nearby, she needed flexibility.
Playground Study Sessions
With the flexibility of MedCerts’ programs, Deidra was able to take her studies anywhere, fitting seamlessly with her role as a mother. Study sessions happened on outings at the park, alongside her children doing homeschool coursework and after work shifts at night. For Deidra, MedCerts was by far the most flexible option.
Her favorite part about taking a MedCerts program was that she could take it at her own speed. There were elements of the program that she knew well and felt confident enough in to work quickly through and there were other parts of the program where she needed to spend more time and repeat until she felt comfortable and confident in her knowledge. She even finished our 28-week program early because she had control of the pace.
“The MedCerts program works well for people who can trust themselves and know when they need to go back and look at coursework again. Unlike a traditional class setting where professors drone on about a subject that you know well or speed through a subject you need more time with; the flexible online learning allows you to really own your pace.” -Deidra
As a MedCerts student, you can revisit simulations multiple times with verbal descriptions to your comfort.
In One Ear in the Other
At MedCerts, we specialize in entry-level healthcare and IT training programs. With that in mind, our programs are developed to offer students a full understanding of the role they’re studying for. Deidra was surprised at how unintimidating the coursework was. After being a stay-at-home mom for over 10 years, she hadn’t been in patient care for a while. Out of high school, she served in the military for a short time. Deidra was a flight medic stationed at Fort McChord Air Force Base in Washington state where she first got experience in healthcare. Her role included tasks like drawing blood and performing EKGs. She didn’t get a lot of experience, but enough to get familiar and want to learn more.
When she started the MedCerts program she was in control and felt no external pressure with her studies.
For example, she had very limited experience with irrigating ear canals. The Medical Assistant program offered so many details that directly impacted her skills and improved her in-person patient care. The course provided helpful tips that she implements now in her day-to-day, even things as simple as pulling the ear back before irrigating to open up the canal.
An Unexpected Sequel
Deidra currently works as a Certified Medical Assistant at Mercy Health Urgent Care after applying for the job the day she got the results of her certification exam (She aced it).
Her current Medical Assistant duties include:
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Irrigating wounds before suture
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Administering cortisone shots
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Administering pain relievers and other non-narcotics
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Drawing blood
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Performing EKGs (she’s surprised at how much she does this)
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Pre-Op physicals
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Strep, Flu and COVID tests
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Getting patients ready for and providing air casts, crutches and splints
Deirdra makes up a team of 4:
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Front Desk Assistant
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Medical Provider/Practitioner
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X-Ray Tech
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Medical Assistant
Mercy Health started entering into the urgent care space and opened up new locations just as Deidra was completing her training. She was one of the first employees hired on to the new urgent care location.
She loved being able to set up the urgent care center before it opened to the public. She was the main person stocking and organizing all the tools, supplies and instruments. This was her favorite way to get familiar with what her job would entail.
Before taking the Medical Assistant program she had no intention of going forward into nursing. Deidra used to joke that she would never become a nurse, as “that’s what everyone does.” With MedCerts and her new experience as a Medical Assistant, she quickly realized nursing was the path she wanted to take.
Deidra is now in a nursing program at Galen College and is planning to graduate in June 2025.
Reflections of a Healthcare Worker
A lot has changed for Deidra since she first decided to start her career journey as a Medical Assistant. With her new role, she is able to work closer to her home, spend more time with her family and provide a valuable service to her community. She reflects endearingly that she has patients whose families come in and recognize her, and tell her how glad they are that she is the one helping them. She loves knowing that with her expertise and just by being herself, her patients feel noticeably better just knowing that they are being taken care of by someone who genuinely enjoys what they do.
“Patient education is just as rewarding as working with patients, getting into the nitty gritty stuff with patients.” -Deidra
From One Student to Another
Deidra’s advice? Learn all that you can. She feels that learning to be a Medical Assistant is low risk, high benefits. There are no cons to it. All the info she learned helped her and is valuable to her. After taking the program, she feels it would even be valuable if she had decided to remain as a registrar. The Medical Assistant program offers an Introduction to Human Anatomy and Medical Terminology course and having a better understanding of patient needs and what should take priority makes a better registrar.
“There is no harm in bringing more education and knowing your own job better.” -Deidra
She shared that her co-worker also took the Medical Assistant program which helped her greatly improve her skills and is now a better registrar because of it. The program helped provide essential language and terminology, what care is needed for patients and even helped take the “gross-out” for people who are not used to all the scenarios of an urgent care front desk.
Lifelong Learning
We are so honored to have helped Deidra on her journey to becoming a Nurse. You have the power to make a change in your career and set new goals for yourself. Whether your employer has those tools readily available for you to take advantage of, or it’s a path you forge on your own, reach out to learn the right program for you and get started on your next career move with MedCerts.
