Hi everyone, Andy and I will be getting married and living on post together in January of 2009. By then I will have graduated w/ my next degree as a certified medical assistant and i will be taking the certification exam right before moving down to Fort Polk.
Does anyone know any info.about working at the Bain-Jones hospital on post at Fort Polk, LA? Anyone worked there before and will it be harder for me to get a job there as a spouse and not a soldier? If anyone has any great information about this topic please let me know. Can I appy to work there before we get married so that I can maybe have a job lined up or do I have to wait until we get married to be applicable to apply? We might wait until we get there just so it gives us more time to adjust...expecially me. I'm coming from WI and living that far south is a little different than living up here and getting used to living on an Army post is a quite different too! lol! so any info would be greatly appreciated!! thanks all!
google "spectrum healthcare resources". They hire civilians to work at MTFs (military treatment facilities). They had no MA openings for Ft Polk but they did have one opening there (for a therapist) so it leads me to believe they may contract for other positions at that MTF and its just a matter of keeping an eye on the openings.
As far as I know, anyone (meaning you don't have to have military affiliation at all) can apply for these jobs. From what I can see, its a private company that has a contract to staff MTFs and you would get a job with them the same way you would get a job elsewhere. I would also try to research the community and send out resumes and cover letters to all of the local medical clinics, with follow up calls to the office manager, if you are willing to work off base.
Hey I know this isn't going to help you but I saw you will have your degree as a certified medical assistant, I was thinking about getting into that, what exactly would you do? Also how long did it take to get that degree. Good luck with moving.
A medical assistant can do both clinical and administrative procedures. Billing, coding, insurance claims, injections, blood draws, patient vital signs and health history and assessment. Assist w/ minor office surgeries and procedures, administer some medications. etc.
If you google AAMA (american associatioin of medical assistants) you will find a lot of information. It takes about 1-2 years, depending on what type of school you go to. I am in an accelerated program so it takes us 1 year. But it's pretty accelerated in the one year program. But i luckily took my generals except for 3 classes, that weren't transferrable. And it's pretty intense for the one year program, even w/ all my other generals done. But i also work full time! so if you are working, i'd reccommend taking some of the generals before taking the program courses. and a lot of times there is a waiting list to be get into!! let me know if u hav other questions!
These are the places to look for GS jobs (Federal Civilian jobs that are not contract). The first is just for Army, and the second is for all federal jobs.
Be persistent and patient, it takes an average of 6 to 9 months (and longer in many cases) to get hired in the GS system.
We never know how high we are Until we are called to rise, And then, if we are true to plan, Our statures touch the skies. -Emily Dickinson
