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Hello everyone!
My name is Bridget Coyne. I am from New Castle, PA and I’m 35 years old. I am the oldest of three children. Here in portfolio, you will find a picture of myself, my brother and sister on my sister's wedding day. I come from a big Irish family and I’m very proud of my ethnic heritage. My favorite food is pizza and I believe anything tastes a little better with some ketchup on it. I am a huge Pittsburgh sports fan. I am also an avid baseball fan and my favorite team is the Boston Red Sox. I've visited Fenway Park several times. It is one of my favorite places. It's such a beautiful ball park and has a lot of history to it. My grandma has a 12 year old Lhaso Apso, Rylee, who is secretly my best friend. You will also find a picture of her in my portfilio as well. My favorite singer is Celine Dion and my favorite TV show is Greys Anatomy.
I decided to come to LTI to study to become a Clinical Medical Assistant because the medical field is something that has always interested me and I find great satisfaction is helping other people and meeting their needs.

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Intended Career: Clinical Medical Assistant

Work Description

Briefly describe what a worker in this occupation does: A Clinical Medical Assistant assists with administrative and clinical skills under the supervision and direction of a physician.

List 10 tasks/duties/responsibilities for someone in this career.

A. Obtaining medical histories from patients.
B. Scheduling appointments.
C. Maintenance of medical records.
D. Assisting with various examinations of patients.
E. Obtaining and recording vital signs of patients.
F. Administering injections to patients.
G. Assist with collecting and analyzing laboratory specimens.
H. Providing patient education for various conditions.
I. Welcoming and processing patients into the office.
J. Billing and coding for insurance companies.

Working Conditions/Work Environment

Go to the Occupational Outlook Handbook and identify the top three largest employers for this career.

A. Physician offices.
B. Hospitals.
C. Outpatient clinics.

Identify three additional aspects of the Working Conditions/Work Environment for this career.

A. Most Medical Assistants work full time.
B. Some Medical Assistants work evenings, holidays and weekends.
C. Clinical Medical assistants usually work in a busy and fast paced environment.

Are there any physical or health considerations concerning this career? If so, describe. In my opinion, it would be important to have good physical health for this job as it requires a lot of "time on your feet" everyday.

Lifestyle Considerations

Does this occupation often require working hours or locations that might be a problem for me (frequent overtime, evening or weekend work, travel away from home)? Explain.
This occupation may require working longer hours and also evenings, weekends and holidays. This will not be a problem for me because I enjoy this type of work. I don't think that travel would be an issue for this job because Clinical Medical Assistants are so high in demand that you could get a job almost anywhere.

Employment Opportunities
Use the PA CareerLink, PA WorkStats, and PA CareerZone sites to answer these questions.

How many job listings for this occupation are posted within a 25-50 mile radius of my zip code?On PA Career Link there are approximately 900 jobs available within a 50 mile radius of my zip code.

Is this occupation on the high priority occupation list for my Workforce Development Area-WDA (Use PA WorkStats website to answer this question). A Medical Assistant is on the high priority list on the WDA.

What is the employment outlook for this career? Explain

The employment outlook for this career is very good based on the job listings provided.

Future Advancement

What are the opportunities for advancement in this occupation? Some opportunities for advancement of being Clinical Medical Assistant include becoming a Registered Nurse, care coordinator or business office manager.

What would I need to do to prepare for advancement in this career?

Aside from becoming an office manager, I would need to seek additional clinical/medical education to advance in this career.

Earnings

What is the typical starting salary in this occupation? The average starting salary for a Clinical Medical Assistant is $32,000.00-$44,087.00 per year

How much do people who have been in this occupation make after 10 years?

After 10-14 years of experience, a Clinical Medical Assistant can earn $548.00 more dollars a year.

Here are some places to volunteer where I could get experience in this kind of work?

There are several places I could volunteer to get the experience I would need in the Clinical Medical Assistant field. Nursing homes and hospitals would be two examples of places to volunteer.

Rewards

What rewards or satisfactions might I find in this occupation? (Explain in 2-3 sentences) I would find great satisfaction in helping people and meeting their needs. This career itself is very rewarding because I would feel "useful" for someone else, like I was able to help them. Most importantly, receiving a paycheck would be rewarding.

Drawbacks

What things do I find unappealing or unpleasant in this occupation? (Explain in 2-3 sentences) One of the things I find unpleasant about this occupation would be dealing with unpleasant people although, this could happen in any occupation. Another thing that I find slightly unpleasant is working holidays. I wouldn't mind working evenings or weekends, but I always enjoy spending the holidays with my family. Lastly, dealing with vomit is very unappealing to me, but it comes with the territory.

Personal Qualities or Characteristics

What personal qualities or characteristics do I have that would be helpful for being successful in this occupation? (Explain in 4-5 sentences using information from your self assessments to support your answer)

Some personal qualities and characteristics that would be helpful in this career is that I am a very kind, caring person. I am also a very reliable person. I am a very loyal person who would be very loyal to the people I work for. Lastly, I take great pride in the work I do and always want to make sure it's done right.

Education and Training

Type and amount of education/training required for entry level for this career:

_X__ On-the-job training ___ Two-year college degree
___ Apprenticeship ___ Four-year college degree
__X_ One or two years of vocational technical school ___ Graduate school
or community college

Related Occupations

Identify two other occupations are related to my intended career that I could consider if this one does not meet my needs? If becoming a Medical Assistant Does not meet my needs, I would consider either becoming a Registered Nurse or a Surgical Technician.

Write a paragraph to answer the following question:

After your research, are you considering making a change to your major? Provide three reasons why you are or are not.

After my research, I am not considering making a change in my major. I find it very helpful that this job is so high in demand that you could almost work from anywhere. There are so many different things you can with this occupation. I would have a great variety of places to choose from to work. I also love to help people. I think I will enjoy the variety of different tasks that this occupation involves. It gives a great variety.

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Past Work Experience And Special Skills.

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Past Work Experience And Special Skills.

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Almost all of my past work experience involves the medical field. My mother has worked in a nursing home for the past 40 years and I have had the advantage of "growing up" there. This is where my love for helping people started.

My past work experience started at the young age of 15. I began working in the nursing home in the Activities Department. Some of my duties included transporting residents to and from activities and supervising the activity. I was also responsible for "room visits." Room visits include going to residents' rooms who don't engage in activities in the facility on a daily basis. Each room visit would have instructions with it. Sometimes, I would talk to the resident about the career they had in the past, or the weather, or even engage in a therapeutic activity one on one with the resident.

I also worked in the Dietary Department in the nursing home. In this department, some of my duties included preparing drinks for the next morning's breakfast, working the evening tray line for dinner and delivering dinner trays to the residents' rooms.

I also have a past work history of being a Home Health Aide. At this job, some of my duties included helping the client with activities of daily living. Each client had their own set of needs. These needs were placed on a "care plan" that I would have to follow each time I went to work with the client.

My most recent work experience was not one of my favorites, I was working at Dunhams Sporting Goods as a cashier. Needless to say, I did not like this job because I enjoy a job where I can engage with people and help them.

Some special skills that I have are being a very good listener, I'm also very good with "empathy skills." I try my very best to understand people and the specific situation they might be in, and where they're coming from with their thoughts.

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My personality type is Consul. Three general characteristics of this personality type are people who find great joy in  opening their homes to neighbors, friends, and loved ones. Consuls believe in good manners and are conscious of those who are around them. They are very reliable and generous people and often hold their communities and families together. Opening your home to friends, neighbors and loved ones is always a good thing to do. Good manners go a long way in dealing with others in daily situations and in the workplace. Being reliable and generous are good characteristics to have in everyday dealings with others.

Three of the strengths Consuls display are they are very loyal people. They value security and stability at a very high level. Consuls are very trustworthy and loyal and desire to maintain the status quo. They are sensitive and warm people who genuinely care about other people’s feelings. They are cautious not to hurt anyone or offend them. One weakness of a Consul is that they tend to be inflexible. They place a lot of value on doing what is socially appropriate and can be critical of something that is done that is not within the “norm” of their thinking. They will often stress their own beliefs to encourage others to believe their way is the right way. Consuls are reluctant to improvise or innovate. They usually fear stepping out of their comfort zone for fear of appearing different to others. Consuls do not like conflict. They tend to become hurt if others close to them criticize what they believe in, their habits or traditions.

Five things I learned about the career path for Consuls is that routine work and monotony work are not a challenge for the Consul personality type because they are happy to do what needs to be done. People with this personality type are great providers of social work and medical care. Another good career choice for Consuls is administration which allows them to organize the environment as well as the people in it. I also learned that consuls need emotional feedback and human interaction to feel satisfied in their line of work. Lastly, teaching is another good career choice for Consuls because they are comfortable with authority but also are friendly and supportive enough to keep the authority from feeling overwhelming.

Five things I learned about workplace habits for the Consul personality type are that when they have well defined responsibilities and a sense of purpose, they are efficient, patient and hardworking people that respect the authority of their managers. They thrive on social order and use their social intelligence to be sure that everyone knows their responsibilities and are able to complete the tasks that need completed. Consuls have no trouble participating in teamwork and are always willing to help out when needed. They make efficient and pleasant managers. Consuls appreciate when their co-workers express gratitude towards them. Consuls also like to seek friends at work.

I strongly agree with the results of this personality assessment. One of the main reasons why I agree with this is because I am the person who “holds my family together.” I am a strong believer in carrying on family traditions and believe that life is the most precious when shared with the people who we love the most. I find great satisfaction in making my loved ones feel cared for, valued, taken care of and safe. One of my greatest attributes is that I feel a great sense of fulfillment in serving and helping others. In a group where I am a member, I will often help my friends when needed whether it is providing transportation, an ear to listen, or emotional support when needed.
I believe having good manners and being conscious of those around me would be of great value in my chosen profession. It is good to treat people with respect and courtesy. Being reliable is very important in the workplace. Your employer needs to know you're going to be there and that they can rely on you. Being loyal to the people you work for is also a good quality to possess.

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My career choice of becoming a Medical Assistant was not listed on the occupations list of the Career Interest Profile. Upon reviewing the results of the Career Interest Profile, I was rather surprised at several of the occupations listed as I have no interest in them. In my results, it listed that I could become a teacher at the postsecondary level of several subjects. Teaching is something that I have never been interested in doing.On the other hand, the survey also listed a few occupations I would be interested in. Some of these include becoming a doctor or nurse. These are two occupations that are of interest to me because I love to help people and I am also completely fascinated with the science of medicine and how it works in the human body.
Being an investigative person is a good quality to have in the workplace. This means that I will always seek to find the solutions to any problems that may exist. Being a social person is a very good quality to have especially in the medical setting. This is important because if you work in a doctor's office or a hospital, the patients that you encounter may not always be having the best day. Being a little more social could potentially make a difference in someone's day.

Investigative-14

Social-13

Enterprising-6

Realistic-5

Conventional-2

Artistic-1

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I was not surprised that achievement was my top work value. I find great satisfaction in using my own abilities and actually feeling a great sense of accomplishment. All of my life, I have been a “go getter” and am always looking for the next thing I can achieve or accomplish. I was also not surprised by my second top work value which is relationships. Having friendly co- workers makes for a better day in the workplace. I have always valued feeling a connection with people in general. I find great satisfaction in helping others and my moral values allow me to always want to and try to do the right thing in any situation. My career choice of becoming a Medical Assistant is on the occupation list. I was not surprised at several of the occupations on the list as some of them are in the healthcare field and this is the field I love. Becoming a Psychiatric Technician would be of great interest to me as I am intrigued by the mind and how it works. Mental and emotional stability are very important in life. Another career that came up on the occupation list is Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technician. This surprised me because I have no interest in modifying, developing, testing, or adjusting machinery and equipment. Being an achiever is a great quality to have in the workplace. Being an achiever means that I will be completely certain that whatever I'm trying to accomplish gets done to the very best of my ability. Relationships in the workplace are important. Having a healthy relationship with co-workers makes for less conflicts and a much healthier work environment.

Work values

1. Achievement

2.Relationships

3.Support

4.Recognition

5.Working conditions

6. Independence

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I was not surprised that my first skill listed was complex problem solving skills. I have always possessed the ability to identify a problem and find a reasonable solution to fix the problem. I am surprised that my second skill listed is technical skills. I find this hard to believe because I am not interested in mechanical equipment or tools. My career choice of becoming a Medical Assistant is not listed on the occupation list. I was only interested in one of the careers listed. This career is being an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician. I would be interested in this occupation because I have had eye problems since birth. I was born with a congenital cataract and have had numerous eye surgeries. It would be fulfilling to me to help others achieve visual acuity. Another suggested career was upholstering furniture. I would not be good at repairing or replacing upholstery because of the cutting and measuring skills that would be required. Complex problem solving skills are a great quality to have in the workplace. Being able to identify a problem and find a reasonable solution could apply to many workplace situations. Having good technical skills would be a good quality to have in the medical field. It is important to understand how various medical equipment functions.

Complex problem solving skills 6.00

Technical skills 3.73

System skills 3.67

Resource management skills 3.25

Basic skills 3.00

Social skills 2.33

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I am a high school graduate. After high school, I attended some college. I am currently studying at Laurel Technical Institute to become a Clinical Medical Assistant. This is a 12 month program that includes three semesters. The first two semesters are spent in the classroom with academic work and working on skills for the workplace. The third semester is spent at an internship with some academic work in the classroom.

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Some of my past volunteer includes volunteering in a nursing home. In high school, I would always volunteer to help with various school activities. I volunteered for Relay For Life. Some training I have that would be valuable in my intended career is that I am CPR and First Aide certified. Experiences that I have that would be valuable in my intended career would be most of my past work history and the different volunteer work I did.

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My SMART education and career goal is to finish the Clinical Medical Assistant Program at Laurel Technical Institute and graduate in September 2023. This goal started on September 14, 2022 and will end in September 2023.
Specific-What exactly will I accomplish?
I want to achieve becoming a Clinical Medical Assistant. I will achieve this goal by attending classes, studying hard and always doing the best I can do. It is important to me because I will feel a sense of accomplishment and be able to get a fulfilling job in a field I care about.
Measurable-How will I know when I reached this goal?
I will know I have reached my goal when I graduate and receive my diploma in September 2023.
Achievable-Is achieving this goal realistic with effort and commitment? Do I have the resources to achieve this goal? If not, how will I get them?
Achieving this goal is realistic with effort and commitment. I have the resources to achieve this goal. I have a great support system.
Relevant-Why is this goal significant to my life?
This goal is significant to me because it will have a positive impact on my life. I know that it is only me who can control the outcome of this goal. I do have the ability to achieve this goal by working hard and staying committed.
Timely-When will I achieve this goal?
I will achieve this goal in September of 2023. I clearly want to achieve this goal as indicated.
This goal is important because?
This goal is important to me because I have always dreampt of working in healthcare, a field that I love.
The benefits of achieving this will be will.
The benefits of achieving this goal will be feeling a great sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Two potential obstacles in reaching this goal and potential solutions to overcome them are as follows:
One potential obstacle is not having enough time to do what I want to do for pleasure and do school work. A potential solution is better time management skills. Another potential obstacle is becoming overwhelmed at times with the workload. A potential solution is keeping myself organized and work on one thing at a time.
Who are the people I will ask to help and support me?
I will ask my family, classmates, staff and faculty at Laurel Technical Institute.
The specific steps that need to be taken to get myself to my goal are as follows:
I will complete the first semester of school in December of 2022. I will complete the second semester of school in May of 2023. I will complete the third semester and graduate in September of 2023.