Enhance Your Career Training with an Externship!
Meditec Career Counselor Patricia Chou joined us this past Wednesday to discuss exactly how an externship can enhance your career training, make you more marketable in your job search, and what we do at Meditec to help you gain on-the-job experience. Listen to the above recording of this fantastic webinar to find out what she suggests!
What Is an Externship?
An externship is much like an internship and often the terms are used interchangeably. Both focus on experience-based or on-the-job learning with the intention of building your resume. Externships though are often shorter term in comparison to internships, ranging from 40 - 260 hours in total. They are also often not for pay or credit and optional rather than a requirement. Externships can include:
- Job Shadowing
- Supervised Work at a Job Site
- Resume Building Experience
Benefits of an Externship
Build Your Resume
Ever felt like you couldn't get a job because you didn't have enough experience, but had no idea where you could get experience without getting a job?! This is the Catch 22 situation that externships aim to fix! The main benefit of an externship is to get you on-the-job training that will help you build your resume and make you more marketable to potential employers. You can gain the experience that tells them you know the daily routine of the job and how to do the specific duties required of you without needing preliminary training at this new position.
Learn More About the Field
Externships also help you find out if you enjoy the career that you are aiming to enter. There is only so much online training and education can teach you, and often that doesn't cover the daily reality of the position. You may really like what you are learning, but implementing it and dealing with clients or patients may not be your cup of tea! Therefore an externship can help you figure it out if you like the field before you actually take a job.
Networking & References
Simply meeting people in the field that can either give you a reference to potential employers or tell you about job openings they are aware of can significantly help you on your job search. You may even be hired by those you meet at your externship!
Meditec Externship Programs
- Medical Transcription
- Healthcare Programs
Eligibility Requirements
Medical Transcription
- 90% or above average on both portions of the Medical Transcription: Theory & Practicum Final Exam
- Commitment of 20 Hours per Week for 2-3 Months
Healthcare Programs
- 85% or above average for entire course (aka your GPA)
- Complete Minimum Course Hours
- Pass Background Check & Drub Screening
Possible Clinical Externship Requirements
Items You May Need to Purchase
- State/Federal Background Check
- Drug Test
- Immunization Records
- 2 Step TB Test
- Flu Shot
- CPR Certification
- Scrubs
*Recommended to check with your externship site first*
How to Apply for an Externship
Contact Career Services to Begin Process
[email protected] 1-866-451-3854, Option 2
Medical Transcription Application Process
- Fill Out Online Application via Student Portal
- Obtain Instructor Approval
- Receive Placement Assistance
- Receive Externship Mentorship via Instructor
Healthcare Programs Application Process
- Submit Resume to Career Services
- Careeer Services Assigns to Externship Coordinator
- Interview with Externship Site Supervisor
But What If I'm Not in These Programs?!
Career Services Can Still Help - Give us a Call!
They'll help you:
- Locate a Site
- Write Your Resume
- Coach You on Approaching Sites
- Write a Letter of Intent
- Set Up Meetings with Sites