This April, Karen, a Registered Nurse, and Tina, a Certified Medical Assistant, from Southwoods Orthopedic Center came to the Ross Medical Education Center campus in Niles, Ohio to speak about the field of orthopedics. Orthopedic doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and other healthcare professionals specialize in the field of medical care for those with musculoskeletal problems. Their patients may be affected by a number of medical conditions which may include arthritis, broken bones, or osteoporosis.
One of the most exciting things about entering the healthcare field as a medical assistant is that there are so many different specialties and focuses to choose from. Medical assistants and other healthcare professionals may have the opportunity to work in a general practice facility, or in a specialty like pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, ophthalmology, or a variety of others. Similarly, dental assistants, medical billers and coders, and pharmacy technicians have options regarding where they work.
The students in the morning Ross Niles Medical Assistant program, Dental Assistant program, Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program, and Pharmacy Technician program were given a presentation on the background of this specialty in the field. The guest speakers also shared about what orthopedics entails and what could be part of their duties as an orthopedic medical assistant. They also integrated what might be a dental assistant’s responsibilities as well as including some of the coding and billing processes.
One of the highlights of the presentation was when Karen gave some professional insight and showed the students x-rays to exhibit different types of fractures, knee and hip replacements, and casting and splints. The students not only watched and listened to a presentation, Karen and Tina also gave them opportunities to engage in the casting and splinting process with one another. The students enjoyed the guest speaker, showing off their casts and splints around the campus to staff and faculty, and most of them wore them home to show their family and friends as well.