Jennifer Robinson

What do you do on a day-to-day basis?

At the beginning of the day, I log into my electronic medical record (EMR) and select my schedule based on the doctors or nurse practitioners I’m assigned to. I look at all the appointment types for the day to determine whether the patients will need EKG’s, vitals or device (pacemaker) checks. I build a note template for each appointment. Next, I check to see if any tasks or prescriptions need to be completed for my assigned doctors. 

As patients come into the office, I escort them from the waiting room to the exam room. At this time, I take vital signs and use the EMR system to update the patient's chart with information such as any hospitalizations, allergies, medications and vaccines. Next, I will perform an EKG or hook the patient up to the appropriate pacemaker machine. 

In our office, visits are scheduled 30 minutes or an hour apart. In between visits, I complete various clinical and administrative tasks. 

What was your transition like from being a student to your current career position?

The medical assisting program made the transition from being a student to a working medical assistant very easy. Each student completes an externship at the end of the program. Most of the time, these clinics are looking to hire. I was an extern at Western Slope Cardiology for about a month before they offered me a full time, paying position. During the externship, we met in class once a week to discuss anything we thought necessary with classmates and professors. 

What do you think set you apart from the other applicants for your current position? 

I think my previous experience in the medical field and my positive attitude set me apart from other applicants. I showed up to my externship every day with a smiling face and grateful heart. I was able to show them how much of a hard worker I was during these few weeks. Going above and beyond what was asked of me really made a difference. 

What advice would you give to incoming college students?

Network, network, network! Everyone you meet in the medical field is a potential employer or coworker. Make strong connections with people and ask for phone numbers or emails as you will need good references for a job in the medical field.