During the last week of January this year, the Ross Medical Education Center Ann Arbor, Michigan Career Services team hosted a week of Professional Development for students of all programs. The goal of the programming was to connect students to employers to discover new career fields, exciting externship opportunities, and develop a better understanding of professionalism in the workplace.
The week kicked off on Monday the 22nd, with a candid discussion for the students in the evening Medical Assistant class, Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration class, and Dental Assistant class. The discussion was hosted by Denise Goodine from University of Michigan Radiation Oncology Department. Denise engaged students through roundtable discussions and watching a video of poor professional behavior. She then challenged them to pick out the bad behaviors and discussed best practices in the allied health field. Students were encouraged to do their best in any profession. Denise explained, “you are not, just anything. Whether a CNA or cashier you should take pride in every job that you do.” Students felt inspired and ready for the new module to begin.
Then on Wednesday the 24th, the campus was visited by Jamileh Atallah from Scribe America. Jamileh spoke with the morning Medical Assistant and Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration students to discuss career opportunities as a medical scribe. Throughout the discussion she expressed the emphasis on completing the certification process once graduated. According to Jamileh, “certification shows employers dedication to the career and can result in a higher starting pay.” Students were excited to hear about the different opportunities that their education from Ross could provide.
Finally, on Monday the 29th, the Dental Assistant students participated in mock interviews with Felicia Romberger from Gentle Dental. Felicia has hosted many Ross students for externship in the past. She took this opportunity to speak with the students regarding professional and excellent customer service during externship. After students completed mock interviews, they were reminded to look for job shadowing opportunities at dental offices in the area.
Overall the week was a success in sparking inspiration and conversation among students. As they completed their modules with anticipation for the next one, excitement is building for students to continue their journey through Ross Medical Education Center in Ann Arbor.