Clinical Internship
Clinical Internship is a capstone Work Based Learning experience designed to provide students with real-world application of skills and knowledge. Upon completion of this course, proficient students will be able to earn their Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification which includes mastery of workforce skills including administering injections, performing electrocardiograms, and drawing blood. Our program has a 94% pass rate. Many of our students are working as CCMA's at DMA and Horizon Medical Center.
Prior to beginning work at a clinical site, students must have a physical exam including a negative TB test, documentation of the HBV vaccine, and may be required to take a Covid vaccine if mandated by the placement (or have a documented medical or religious exemption.) Must provide their own clinical uniforms and transportation to clinical site. Proof of childhood immunizations, car insurance, and driver's license are required.
Students must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and deemed competent in basic first aid, body mechanics, Standard Precaution guidelines, and confidentiality.
Admission to this class is subject to junior year interview process, teacher evaluations, GPA and attendance rate. Students must maintain 90% attendance while participating in clinicals.
Course Standards
1. Personalized Learning Plan
1.1 A student will have a personalized learning plan that identifies their long-term goals, demonstrates how the Work-Based Learning (WBL) experience aligns with their elective focus and/or high school plan of study, addresses how the student plans to meet and demonstrate the course standards, and addresses employability skill attainment in the following areas:
a. application of academic and technical knowledge and skills (embedded in course standards),
b. career knowledge and navigation skills,
c. 21st century learning and innovation skills,
d. personal and social skills.
2. Professionalism and Growth
2.1 Career Pathways Plan: Apply learning experiences from clinical placement to review and update an education and career pathways plan based on the knowledge and feedback acquired. Proactively identify areas of strength and opportunities for professional growth, encourage and act on feedback from peers, supervisors, and customers, and seek and use resources and support to improve skills.
2.2 Personal Behavior: Complete tasks as directed with supervision, knowing when to ask questions or request guidance. Exhibit resourcefulness and initiative in taking on new tasks and solving problems independently as appropriate to the workplace setting. Demonstrate how to learn and exhibit personal agency in identifying and achieving instrumental and ultimate learning objectives. Demonstrate curiosity to learn more about the tasks, workplace, and/or industry. Explore deeper content independently and request opportunities for professional development. Demonstrate self-efficacy and confidence in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations.
2.3 Professional Behavior: Exhibit professionalism and respect when interacting with coworkers, supervisors, and customers. Demonstrate reliability and responsibility in attendance and in following through on assigned tasks. Provide timely communication with supervisor(s) when circumstances change. Understand and adhere to appropriate workplace non-discrimination standards on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, veteran status, or any characteristic of a person or group unrelated to the workplace. Respect cultural differences and work effectively with people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.
2.4 Team Membership: Work effectively as a member of a team and address conflict with sensitivity and respect for diverse points of view. Demonstrate understanding of one’s own impact and build on different perspectives to strengthen joint efforts. Demonstrate leadership where appropriate to collaborate on workplace tasks. Effectively employ meeting management strategies, such as agenda setting, time keeping, and meeting facilitation strategies, and list action items to identify and schedule next steps.
3. Workplace Policies and Behavior
3.1 Organizational Culture and Practice: Observe and analyze organizational culture and practices. For example, analyze how to interact with supervisors, clients, and coworkers, and how to recognize and address health, safety, and sustainability issues. Seek information from supervisors and other employees about appropriate methods of pursuing employment in the industry, and determine what knowledge, skills, and educational credentials are required.
3.2 Workplace Ethics and Ethical Issues: Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior when engaging in all worksite activities, including the use of tools and materials, documentation of hours, handling of money, billing of clients, sharing of information, and completion of all personnel-related forms. Identify an actual or potential work site ethical issue and create a plan outlining how the issue should be resolved.
3.3 Employee and Facility Safety: Accurately read, interpret, and demonstrate adherence to safety guidelines appropriate for the roles and responsibilities of an employee of a healthcare facility. Listen to safety instructions and be able to explain why certain rules apply. Demonstrate safety techniques and follow all applicable facility policies and procedures (such as Standard Precautions) related to the clinical placement. Based on placement, document completion of training topics on the appropriate work-based learning (WBL) and work site forms.
3.4 Challenges in the Workplace: Identify and ask significant questions to solve student identified challenges or areas of improvement in the workplace. Brainstorm and select solutions providing rationale for each then discuss the suggested solutions with a workplace mentor.
3.5 Flexibility: Exhibit flexibility by: a. adapting to varied roles, jobs responsibilities, schedules, and contexts;
b. working effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities; and c. dealing positively with praise, setbacks, and constructive criticism.
3.6 Time and Project Management: Manage time and projects effectively by:
a. setting goals;
b. developing and using a system for prioritizing, planning, and managing daily work;
c. persisting in the face of challenges;
d. seeking assistance and adjusting plans to adapt to changing circumstances. Demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy appropriate to the task. Demonstrate accountability to supervisors, coworkers, and customers by delivering work to agreed upon standards; accepting constructive criticism; completing designated projects on time; and exhibiting pride in workmanship.
3.7 Quality Assurance Methods: Analyze patient quality assurance methods used by clinical sites. Solve problems using systems thinking, e.g., by understanding problems in terms of complex processes and environments. Identify key components and relationships that enable, influence, and produce outcomes.
3.8 HIPAA: Review the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) concepts and investigate methods to assure confidentiality within the healthcare setting. Employ techniques to ensure the client/patient’s rights are maintained.
4. Communication
4.1 Communication: Articulate ideas effectively in written personal communications with supervisors, coworkers, and customers. Verbally articulate ideas effectively in interpersonal communications with supervisors, coworkers, and customers. Develop and deliver messages effectively in oral presentations. Demonstrate effective listening skills, attending to the meaning and intention of communication, and accurately paraphrasing what has been heard. Communicate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds who may also speak languages other than English, using foreign language skills and facility resources as appropriate.
4.2 Medical Terminology: Analyze, interpret, and use medical terminology and abbreviations appropriately in all communications. Master the use of medical terminology appropriate for the assigned clinical area(s).
5. Use of Information and Technology
5.1 Information Validity: Access information efficiently, using sources appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Distinguish between credible and non-credible sources, including the difference between advertising and legitimate research. Evaluate information for usefulness, bias, and accuracy, and question information that may not originate from credible sources. Demonstrate the ability to organize and manage information effectively and efficiently. Demonstrate ethical and legal use of information, including adherence to all rules and regulations related to sharing of protected information.
5.2 Effective Use of Technology: Use appropriate technology in the classroom or clinical setting for information search and retrieval, synchronous and asynchronous communications, multimedia presentations, document production, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and information management. Use social networking and online collaboration tools such as shared documents and web conferencing to create, integrate, and manage information in group projects.
5.3 Digital Communication of Patient Information: Access and manage online communication and information, such as electronic medical records, using multiple digital devices such as laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, etc. Demonstrate adherence to all rules and regulations related to the use of electronic tools and the Internet, including appropriate protection of passcodes and adherence to all security protocols.
6. Student Portfolio
6.1 Student Portfolio: Update the Health Science student portfolio that illustrates mastery of skills and knowledge outlined in the Health Science pre-requisite course standards and applied in the Clinical Internship experience. Compile artifacts and similar work products reflecting thoughtful assessment and evaluation of the progression against goals in the personal growth plan. Artifacts may include:
a. career and professional development plan;
b. resume;
c. documentation of clinical hours at each site; d. list of responsibilities undertaken throughout the placement;
e. examples of materials developed and used throughout the placement;
f. periodic journal entries reflecting on tasks and activities;
g. supervisor evaluations and observations;
h. approved WBL forms;
i. WBL coordinator evaluations and observations.