Medical Assisting Externship

Prior to starting the Medical Assisting Externship, please follow these steps.

Step 1: In the Progress Review 2 and Progress Review 3 courses in the Medical Assisting Program, you will see an Externship Handbook, Externship Application, and Externship Waiver. Read the Externship Handbook to determine whether you would like to be placed in an externship.

Step 2: If you would like to be placed in an externship after successfully completing the Medical Assisting program, complete and sign the Externship Application in the Progress Review 2 or Progress Review 3 course and submit it in the course. Or, if you would prefer to opt out of the externship opportunity, complete and sign the Externship Waiver Form in the Progress Review 2 or Progress Review 3 course and submit it in the course.

Step 3: Submit your resume with the Externship Application in Progress Review 2 or Progress Review 3 or email it to Amy DiMaio at [email protected].

Completing Steps 1-3 above signals the Martinsburg externship team to work to assign you an externship site in or within an hour of your zip code. Externship placement is not guaranteed, but we will do our best to secure an externship site for you and to help schedule externship hours that fit your schedule.

*Please be aware that most Medical Assisting Externships (and Medical Assistant positions) require individuals to take and pass a drug screen and criminal background check.

**Participation in the Medical Assisting Externship may incur added cost to the student. Medical assisting externship sites may have requirements that can incur some costs for students. For example, estimated costs for professional liability insurance ($40-75), background check ($10.00-100), and drug screen ($25-60) typically fall within the ranges listed.

Competency Assessment Checklist Medical Assisting Externship 10-1-2021

Is the externship required for graduation?

No, the externship is not required to graduate from the Medical Assisting program.   The externship is an opportunity that a graduate may choose to pursue after successfully completing the Medical Assisting program coursework.

Is the externship paid?

Whether an externship is paid or unpaid usually depends upon the requirements of the externship site.  Many externships are typically unpaid. According to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) which offers the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) professional certification and the American Medical Technologists which offers the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification, externships may be paid or unpaid to meet the requirements to prepare for these certification exams. 

How many hours are required to complete the externship?

The externship is 160 hours in length.

How do I sign up for the externship? 

In the Progress Review 2 and Progress Review 3 courses in the Medical Assisting program, you will see an externship application and an externship waiver.  If you wish to complete an externship, complete and sign the externship application.  If you do not wish to complete an externship, complete and sign the externship waiver. The application specifies the externship requirements, including required documentation.  Once the application is complete, the Martinsburg externship team will assist in securing and assigning a local externship site and scheduling the required externship hours.  We will make every effort to place students and accommodate schedules in assigning hours available to dedicate to the externship each week.

Is the externship required? 

The externship is not required to earn a Medical Assisting certificate from Martinsburg College.

Why should I complete an externship?

The externship supports the American Association of Medical Assistant (AAMA) Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) professional certification and the American Medical Technologists Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification. If you wish to take a professional certification exam, like CMA or RMA, please carefully read their requirements and guidelines pertaining to eligibility.

What does a medical assisting externship involve?

A medical assisting externship may include shadowing, observing, and assisting experienced professionals who work in the field. Medical assisting externships usually involve working alongside medical assistants and physicians to learn and apply knowledge acquired in your program. Externship placements may include clinics, physician’s offices, healthcare facilities, or hospitals.

Are there any costs associated with the externship? 

Externship requirements depend upon each individual externship site. Medical assisting externship sites may have requirements that can incur some costs for students. For example, estimated costs for professional liability insurance ($40-75), background check ($10.00-100), and drug screen ($25-60) typically fall within the ranges noted. 

What do externship sites typically require? 

Externship requirements depend upon individual externship site requirements. Typically, externship sites require the following:

• Resume
• Record of Immunizations

☐ Hepatitis B – 2 doses (28-day process if you’ve never had the shot) -OR-Titer

☐ Varicella – 2 shots or blood titer w/ positive immunity [If you have documented the 

history of the disease, you will need to also submit a booster shot or a blood titer w/

 positive immunity]

☐ MMR – 2 doses -OR- positive titer

☐ Tetanus – within the last 10 years

☐ Negative Tuberculosis (TB) skin test w/in 12 mo. (Must be current through the end of

 externship)

☐ Flu Vaccine (Seasonal September –March only) 

☐ Covid-19 Vaccine (depending on the externship site requirements) 

• Basic Life Support (BLS) card
• Health insurance card
• Professional liability insurance 
• Criminal background check
• Drug screen
• Copy of Government Issued ID, i.e.: Driver’s License, Military ID, Passport or State ID Card 
• Completed and signed Martinsburg College externship application 
• HIPPA Privacy/OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens/Universal Precautions Attestation (Attestation provided by Martinsburg College upon request, if required by the externship site: contact Amy DiMaio at [email protected])

Who can I ask if I have questions about the externship?  

Please email Amy DiMaio at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Medical Assisting Externship Guidelines and Requirements

Step 1: In the Progress Review 2 and Progress Review 3 courses in the Medical Assisting Program, you will see an Externship Handbook, Externship Application, and Externship Waiver. Read the Externship Handbook to determine whether or not you would like to be placed in an externship.

Step 2: If you would like to be placed in an externship after successfully completing the Medical Assisting program, complete and sign the Externship Application in the Progress Review 2 or Progress Review 3 course and submit it in the course. If you would prefer to opt out of the externship opportunity, complete and sign the Externship Waiver form in the Progress Review 2 or Progress Review 3 course and submit it in the course. 

Step 3: Submit your resume with the externship application in the Progress Review 2 or Progress Review 3 course or email your resume to Amy DiMaio at [email protected]. 

Step 4: Begin to put together your Externship Binder (or Externship Folder if you prefer) by preparing and including the documentation below. 

☐ Copy of Driver’s License or ID

☐ Health Insurance Card (back and front)

☐ Professional Liability Insurance (if required by the externship site)

☐ Basic Life Support Card 

☐ Completed Externship Application

☐ Resume

☐   Background Check (must be current through end of the externship and completed 5-7 days prior

       to externship start)

☐ Drug Screen (must be current through end of the externship and completed 5-7 days prior to

       externship start)

☐ Record of Immunizations

☐ Hepatitis B – 2 doses (28-day process if you’ve never had the shot) -OR-Titer

☐ Varicella – 2 shots or blood titer w/ positive immunity [If you have documented the history of the disease, you will need to also submit a booster shot or a blood titer w/ positive immunity]

☐ MMR – 2 doses -OR- positive titer

☐ Tetanus – within the last 10 years

☐ Negative Tuberculosis (TB) skin test w/in 12 mo. (Must be current through the end of externship)

☐ Flu Vaccine (Seasonal September –March only)

☐ Covid-19 Vaccine (depending on site requirements)

☐ Signed ​Pledge of Professionalism (see Appendix D in the Externship Handbook)

☐ Signed Electronic Technology Agreement (see Appendix E in the Externship Handbook)

☐ Externship Schedule (this will be provided by your preceptor)

☐ Timesheet (signed by preceptor) (See Appendix C in the Externship Handbook)

☐ Copy of updated immunizations (see Appendix A in the Externship Handbook)

☐ Site-specific requirements as directed by the externship coordinator [for example, HIPAA Privacy Certificate/OSHA Blood borne Pathogens/Universal Precautions Certificate and/ or Basic Life Support Card]

Step 5: Complete your Medical Assisting program and be sure to keep in touch with the externship team at Martinsburg College.  If you change your mind about completing the externship or if your program completion data changes, please communicate with them and let them know.  You may contact the externship team by emailing Amy DiMaio at [email protected].

Step 6: Once you successfully complete your program, the externship team will work to assign you an externship site in or within an hour of your zip code.  Externship placement is not guaranteed, but we will do our best to secure an externship site for you and to help schedule externship hours that fit your schedule. The externship team will notify you of your externship placement and work with you to ensure that you have the required documentation to begin the externship.  

Step 7: Upon completing the 160 externship hours, email the following completed and signed documents to Amy DiMaio [email protected]:

• Externship Timesheet (completed and signed by your preceptor)
• Medical Assisting Competency Assessment Checklist (completed and signed by your preceptor)
• Externship Assessment (completed and signed by you)