Beth Buchholz, 316.677.1377

Medical Assistant
Professional Issues, Diagnostic Procedures, Administrative Aspects II, Externship and AHA-BLS Instructor

Medical assistants are multi-skilled professionals dedicated to assisting in patient-care management. These health-care professionals perform administrative and clinical duties and may manage emergency situations, facilities and/or personnel. Medical assistants work in physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals and other medical facilities under the supervision of a physician.

CMA, Kansas City College of Medical and Dental Assisting; BS, Human Resource Development.

Work experience: Certified medical assistant, 15 years; 1983–1995 certified cardiovascular technician ACLS-BLS certification; 17 years, Wesley Medical Center, director, Cardiovascular Services, Department of Education; 14+ years, instructor and program director, WATC.

Medical assisting has been very good to me, both personally and in the workplace. While medical assisting can be a career, it can also lead to other educational and workplace opportunities. The diversity of the occupation allows students to focus their employment in areas in which they excel. The administrative component of the program provides students the foundation to work as a medical receptionist, scheduler or filing insurance claim forms. The clinical aspect addresses direct patient contact with injections, procedures, electrocardiograms and low-complexity laboratory procedures. The multi-skilled health-care professional is in great demand by physicians, clinics and in specific areas of the hospital setting. Where else can you spend one year and increase your employment options ten-fold?

Medical assisting was, and is, a wonderful introduction to health care. In 1974, medical assisting schools were difficult to find. It was truly a new occupation and just beginning to be recognized as a career path. As it does today, the diversity of the technical education offered opened many doors and provided many opportunities. I have held positions in independent laboratories and physicians’ offices. In the time spent at Wesley Medical Center, I held the positions of phlebotomist, EKG technician, heart cath technician, heart cath lab relief supervisor and finally as director of cardiovascular services — all stemming from my education as a medical assistant. The responsibilities of training new employees and providing inservice teaching for new equipment and advances in technology led me to education. The adrenalin rush I used to get from emergency procedures now comes from helping students achieve success in the Medical Assistant program.

WATC is, in the postsecondary educational system, unique. The combination of traditional classroom instruction and actual hands-on learning provides students from every age group the opportunity to excel. We all know people who can memorize facts and data, but who have not had the opportunity to put these learned facts into action. Because WATC’s primary mission is education that leads to employment, we not only address the theory and clinical skills, we utilize the life experiences that each student brings to the Medical Assistant program and gain additional knowledge from them. The ability to practice skills while a student is instrumental to student success.