Can You Pursue A Medical Assistant And X-ray Technician Externship

Most students strive for an externship near the end of their studies. Searching for one that offers a similar experience to your career objectives could further your determination to pursue your goal following graduation. Many times, successful externships can lead to a role with the facility.

The externship can range between roughly “6 to 12 weeks” and is often unpaid. With a medical assistant externship, schools offering these programs will usually find opportunities. Students can also search with associated organizations and job fairs or by reaching out directly to local facilities with openings.

Often, medical assistants and x-ray techs are torn between the two roles. It is possible, particularly for a medical assistant, to pursue a medical assisting program with limited X-ray tech skills. You could then extern in either. Let’s look at how you can adequately prepare for an externship.

How To Adequately Prepare For An Externship In Your Chosen Specialty  

It can be challenging to narrow down precisely what you want as your career choice with so many opportunities available to you as a young adult, especially in the healthcare field.  

That’s true with medical assistants in particular. Many are torn about whether they want to push forward and go deeper into the radiology specialty by pursuing a career as an X-ray technician.  

Programs are available for a medical assistant with limited x-ray tech skills, and then you could take an externship in either. Learn the role of externships in healthcare at https://americancareercollege.edu/pulse/health-e-news/role-of-externships-in-healthcare-programs#:~:.

Let’s review how to prepare adequately for an externship to help with a more educated decision.

· When choosing an externship, it should be treated in the same vein as a job search

When narrowing the externship list, you’ll consider that this could lead to a job opportunity. If you have the chance, look at the varied facilities, reach out and ask questions, pose concerns, and inquire about the future of valued individuals who show great potential.

You will have an opportunity to interview for the externship, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have the chance to go in-depth with this level of questioning. If you do, take the opportunity since it will definitely help with a more informed decision.

· Compare facilities

If you’re fortunate enough to live in a location surrounded by medical facilities, do your due diligence in shopping among those offering externships. It’s wise to weigh the pros and cons of each, particularly considering there could possibly be a job opportunity at the end.

Research to see which offers top-notch employee benefit programs. Sometimes these are more advantageous to a staff member than a higher salary.  

Check the work schedules to see if these are a stringent 9-5, if there’s the potential for remote work, or how the company handles employee scheduling – decide what works for your lifestyle. Sometimes people stay with their first career, so you want to make it all that you need it to be.

· Stay open-minded

When deciding on an externship for medical assisting, keep an open mind, especially if you have that edge of x-ray tech plaguing you. As mentioned, there are programs to combine the two careers; you can search for an externship involving medical assisting with limited x-ray tech skills.  

These positions do exist, and you could very easily obtain one with suitable training and skill set. Go here to learn the differences between an internship and an externship.

Final Thought

Once you’ve settled on the right externship, you’ll be able to show your talent to the prospective employer. Remember, though, you also have the opportunity to learn so much from this experience, don’t feel you only need to prove yourself capable.

Even if you’re offered employment, you’ll always be learning. We should strive to learn something new every day. If at any time you feel you know everything with nothing left to explore or be taught, that would be the day to hang it up.

Prospective employers in the medical field are looking for more than professional skills. These leaders want individuals who will be a part of the team, a positive person who will share in the efforts to care for the patients above everything else.

Being a medical assistant and one who will supply x-ray tech skills, you will have considerable patient interaction. The training and education you receive in school and the externship will take you so far, but a healthcare attitude is usually innate.

Updated: August 16, 2023 — 6:23 pm

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