Prompt 3: Interviewing a Professional in the Medical Field

By: Mackenzie L.

Today, I interviewed Heather, a Medical Assistant. She has worked in the medical field since she was 19 years old and has been working for about 29 years. Heather has worked in many different medical areas with in the medical field, such as, Orthopedics (works with muscular-skeletal), Ophthalmology (study of eyes), Nursing Home and in the Hospital. 

She started in a Nursing Home, this is where she was trained to be a medical assistant. She never thought she would go into the medical field until she was offered this job by a friends dad. When she first started she was scared that she was not going to be able to stomach others bodily fluids and not pass out because of it. But, as she learned, she found it to get easier and was able to catch on quick. Heather, is able to learn things quick and you have to if you choose to work in the medical field because you could work in many different areas.

Heather said that if she could give advice to someone going into the medical field it would be to take your time and start at the bottom work your way up. She found, when working in the hospital, that a lot of Medical students that finally reach their clinical rotation (usually abut 3 or so weeks before they graduate) they realize that the are unable to do this job. These students were almost done with medical school and when they get their first real life experience of their job they find it isn't what they want to do. Heather told me that if your looking to go into the medical field start at the bottom, get a job were you see what it is like to be a doctor or physician assistant before you pay all the money for school.

When asked, what medical professional do you find the most interesting to work with, Heather answered physician assistants. Her reason was that PAs have time to teach you knew things. Where as a doctor is always busy with patients. A PA can take their time an tell you why they are doing the treatment and Heather said, she always likes to learn new things. When asked what she disliked about the medical field it was about cost and wanting to help people that do not want to be helped. She also finds it hard not to get attached to a patient and when they pass away, not being upset about it. It would be hard to lose a patient that you helped for months or even years.

Heather has worked hard for years in the medical field. She knows what she is talking about and is always using her knowledge of it in her day to day life.