Aside from creating learning lessons and providing knowledge for students, one of the largest roles of being a teacher comes in with classroom management. The classroom must be a heightened learning environment in order to facilitate the best learning possible and ensuring the success of the students. So, how can teachers maintain a good class environment successfully?  

Creating Structure

Structure is essential for an appropriate class environment. Ensuring that the environment is managed and controlled as necessary is imperative. Teachers serve a large role in the discipline of the classroom, as well as the flow within:  

• Policies/Regulations
• Positive Reinforcement
• Personal/Academic Support
• Motivation
• Communication

Although teachers maintain the leading role in the classroom, the students serve a large role as well. The entire structure should take into consideration the needs and abilities of the students. Larger classrooms require structure for appropriate communication throughout the classroom.  

Communication is Essential

Without proper communication, there is NO connection. Teachers must be able to penetrate the minds of the students in order for the information to be retained. Targeting the most influencing techniques tailored to individual students is key. Teachers must ensure that communication is reached on an individual level if classrooms are large.  

Consistent classroom management can mean the success of a teacher to really perform at an optimal level. Understanding the needs of the students and using that understanding to develop and create the appropriate plans and structure as well as establish the best communication, is necessary in order to ensure ideal classroom environments. Without these essential elements, it is difficult to maintain a classroom with a facilitating environment that is sure to provide the results that are most desired.  

We are living in a fast-paced world with all types of emerging technologies, new inventions and products in different industries. Among them, the pharmaceutical industry has been a powerful and dynamic industry and working in such a growing industry would be interesting and challenging at the same time.  

Pharmacy is one of those challenging places to work in. Whether working as a pharmacist or a pharmacy Technician/Assistant, there is going to be lots of important tasks and responsibilities. They have to be done fast and accurate; there is no room for mistake or carelessness.  

Every year about 420 million prescriptions are dispense in Canada, it is estimated that thousands of people die each year due to medical errors. These errors could be caused by different factors such as poor hand writing, lack of training, lack of checking against the original prescription, calculation errors, look alike and sound alike medications, lack of communication skills and failing to comply with code of ethics.  

The consequences of pharmacy errors can range from harmless to fatal. An error can happen not only by the pharmacists but also by doctors, specialists or health care providers. However, the front line is at the pharmacy. Reading a prescription with poor hand writing within minimum of time and tense environment can cause an error. Lack of communication and training could be another problem. As a pharmacy instructor I have heard many stories about training issues and challenges that students face during their internships:

• Short training time for new students at work
• Quantity vs. quality under work pressure
• Saving time vs. Meeting safety and accuracy standards
• Technology and lack of training for the specific one
• Working long hours/double shifts
• Family problems or income level issues like having two jobs  

The question is how we, as a pharmacy staff or a patient, can prevent prescription errors. As a medical service provider, one of the best solutions available and in-use is the barcode scanning system in pharmacies like Shoppers Drug Mart. It helps detecting most errors and saving time for the business and customers. By scanning every single item, it will be double checked to verify prescribed drugs. This system beside all software applications running through health network reduces all types of errors that could have occurred before delivering drugs to patients.  

Entering information into the pharmacy database system needs good skills and effective training. Collecting information including prescription reading and interpreting is the most important part of the daily job at a pharmacy. A Pharmacist relies on her/his team member; they need people with self confidence to be fast, accurate, highly trained and well educated. Each member of the pharmacy team works cooperatively to ensure all patients receive the safest and most effective possible care.

These are some tips to prevent the errors:  

• Checking and double checking
• Matching DIN No. Of drugs with the DIN No. On the label
• Training and hiring more staff  
• Following code of ethics
• Knowledge of Pharmacology and pharmaceutical calculation
• Knowledge of computer and using barcode scanner in all pharmacies
• Knowledge of drugs and abbreviation
• Knowledge of regulation and laws  
• Verifying prescription by the physician
• Communicating with patients  
• Educating  patient  
• Typing prescription ( Fax, email,..)
• Understanding of pharmacist, pharmacy technician, and assistant responsibilities

Please check these links to know more about it.  

• http://www.nccmerp.org/
• http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/MedicationErrors/ucm080629.htm
• FDA proposes bar codes for drugs, blood; new adverse reaction reporting.  
• FDA Public Meeting On Bar Code Labeling For Drugs. Remarks by Lester M. Crawford, Jr., D.V.M., Ph.D.
• http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/CDER/ucm102728.htm

OHIP or Ontario Health Insurance Plan is one of the main specialization areas that separate a Medical Office Assistant from a general office assistant.  OHIP billing is so crucial to the extent that in some facilities there are positions that are solely for Medical Office Billing or OHIP Billing.  The Medical office assistant should have the knowledge to apply billing codes to patients’ visits, communicate verbally and written with the Ministry of Health and manage OHIP correspondence and financial records sent from Ministry of Health.  This management of various documents is what separates a good billing agent from one who just enters data of codes into the system.  

At Medix School we equip our students with the knowledge to handle both the ethical and legal aspect of OHIP billing, organize and file financial records and to understand the billing process.  Here are some points of what students would gain:

• Provincial and federal responsibilities toward health insurance coverage for Ontario residents
• OHIP eligibility and how to handle fraudulent health cards
• Codes entry into the system and submitting to the Ministry of Health
• Tracking of submitted claims, and communicating with Ministry of Health Personnel
• Completing forms such as Manual Review and Remittance Advice Inquiry
• Proper filing and documentation of OHIP correspondence and financial reports
• Handling patients with missing or lost health cards
• Searching and applying for the proper assessment and procedure codes to patients’ visits.

Also on top of OHIP Billing, students will learn:

• Processing of invoices and bills for uninsured and private medical services.
• Understanding Workers Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) billing and legal responsibilities of the physician.
• Third Party billing, i.e.  insurance companies and lawyers.
• Handling, processing and sending Refugee claims.  

Naeranjanie Seedial joined Medix School in January 2010, as a student in the Pharmacy Assistant program. She began her studies with a positive attitude, excited to have an opportunity that would lead to a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. However, shortly after starting her program, she began to have some problems in her daily life - although she liked the school, staff and students, it was becoming difficult for her to manage an effective work-study balance. I then found her at school reception one day, her eyes full of tears.  

“I am dropping out of school,” she told me. This was shocking to hear from such a bright student who got along well with everyone, so she explained why she was making this life-changing decision. After listening to her concerns, I encouraged Naeranjanie to set up an appointment with our Community Service Worker instructor, Winsome Thomas, who is an experienced student counsellor.  

During this meeting, Winsome analyzed Naeranjanie’s situation and gave her some valuable suggestions for resolving the issues. She was impressed with Winsome’s expert approach, and promised to follow her ideas. She also talked to Education Coordinator, Orjana Treska, about her schedule and tuition fees. With this compassionate support and advice from staff, Naeranjanie felt far more optimistic about her ability to succeed in her education.  

Energized with her new action plan, Naeranjanie rejoined her classes while learning to handle her problems. I was pleased to see her back in my class, participating in discussions and enjoying her studies again. After her recent graduation, I had the chance to speak with her and she told me that she had found a job. Her cheerful demeanour was such a contrast to the hopelessness she had felt during the first days of her course. It is always wonderful to hear of students’ employment in their field, but in Naeranjanie’s case, I was overjoyed.  She showed a true strength of character during her time with Medix School, and overcame her challenges with patience, a positive attitude and, above all, the greatest of success.  

        -Suresh Pradhan, Pharmacy Assistant Instructor, Toronto Campus, Medix School.  

Successful dialogue in your job interview is just as important as your skill set, past experience and work history. When faced with an upcoming interview, many candidates are uncertain of how to articulate their skill and experience, to increase their chances of getting the job. Every interview will have two types of questions to answer: ‘behavioural’ and ‘knowledge’ questions. A well-written résumé reveals a lot in terms of knowledge, but only in an interview can a potential employer uncover your characteristics and true nature. How do you therefore overcome nervousness, to handle each interview with confidence and ease? The answer lies in the following tried and true processes, better known as:

• The 50/50 Rule
• The 30-to-2 Rule
• The GOS Method  

Successful application of these rules and methods will not only distract you from feelings of anxiety, but will also guarantee that you communicate effectively to boost your chances of being hired.  

The 50/50 Rule says to balance listening with speaking, but not in the traditional sense. Rather, the emphasis and importance of our answers must be balanced with the implied value of the question. For example, if your potential employer spends 60 seconds articulating a question and puts visible effort into making it clear and concise, the expectation is that your answer will be equally detailed and well-constructed. If the question takes 60 seconds to ask and the answer is 5 seconds long, the 50/50 balance has been lost. Matching the length, tone and value of your answers to their questions will show that you have superb listening skills, and are in tune with what is important to that organization.  There will be times when short questions require an elaborate answer. These types of questions are known as ‘behavioural’, and generally start with a phrase such as, “Tell me about a time…”, “Describe a situation where…”, “How have you responded to…” In these instances, the 50/50 Rule does not apply because the interviewer has requested an answer without first setting an example or signifying the value of the topic. So, the 30-to-2 Rule is your fall-back: your answer should be a minimum of 30 seconds, maximum of 2 minutes. How will you know how long you’ve been speaking for? An excellent suggestion is to practice. Have someone ask you commonly known interview questions and time your answers -you will soon learn how much you can say in 30 seconds!

Now that you understand appropriate timing for your answers, we can tackle their content. The GOS method ensures your answers are valid and tangible, and contain the GOAL, the OBSTACLE and the SOLUTION. This method is best used when answering ‘behavioural’ questions versus ‘knowledge’ questions.  

Sample Question: “Tell me about a time when your job duties changed without any notice.”

Sample Answer: “One afternoon my in-box was full of expense sheets that needed to be filed (Goal – file the expense sheets) and I had never been responsible for this and didn’t even know what the process was for filing them. (Obstacle – not knowing how to complete the task) I asked my supervisor for some direction and clarification and incorporated the expense sheets into my other weekly filing.” (Solution – get guidance from supervisor and combine with ‘like’ tasks)  

Remember, an interview is just a business meeting with a specific purpose. Understanding the intent behind the questions means that both interviewer and candidate can make the most of it.  

So – are you ready to “Talk the Talk”?

Medix School graduated over 350 students from its Toronto and Brampton campuses on November 21^st, 2010 at the beautiful Toronto Center for the Arts. It was an occasion full of happiness and pride for both students and staff. Some excited students and their families actually arrived two hours early.  

Family and friends waited patiently till all proud graduates walked down the red carpet and then onto the stage to receive their diplomas. Applause was generous for each program group, which included Community Service Worker, Dental Assistant, Dental Hygiene, Personal Support Worker, Medical Office Assistant, Massage Therapy, Medical and General Lab Assistant, Pharmacy Assistant and Professional Fitness Consultant graduates.  

Peter Dykstra, Vice President Operations Medix School, started the proceedings with a request for everyone to stand and sing the national anthem, which was quite emotional. Toronto Campus Director Robbie McMullan then welcomed everyone and invited honourable keynote speaker Joe Volpe, the Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence. Mr. Volpe gave a rousing and heartfelt speech about the importance of education and why graduates of Medix School, often beset by difficulties at home, inspired him too, a thought echoed by Brampton Campus Director Nasir Ishmail who closed the ceremony.  

Medix School wishes each of these graduates the best of luck in their budding healthcare careers.

Medical Office Assistants play a significant role in running and maintaining the daily activities in the medical offices. These activities demand not only a quality education but also an awareness of the importance of the Code of Ethics.  Medical Office Assistants may experience tensions among different ethical principles, between ethical principles and legal principles or among regulatory requirements.  Training in ethical analysis and decision-making is therefore, useful in the education process. Students must develop their knowledge, skills, and attitude in order to deal with conflicts mentioned above.  

Medical Office Assistant program is designed to train students in understanding the code of ethics which they can apply at their workplace. During the program students learn  

• The fundamental responsibilities of a physician and their responsibility towards their patients and the society.
• Understanding physician-patient relationship and how to process requests for initiating and dissolving a physician-patient relationship.
• Ethical procedures for releasing medical records as to protect the physician and the patient rights.
• Communication, decision making and consent process when dealing with patients and third parties.
• Privacy and confidentiality of patients, physicians and staff.
• Safe and ethical process of record keeping, storing and destroying of patients charts.
• Understanding the role of public health and their integration with Ministry of health and long term care.
• Applying Ontario Medical Association rules and regulations when charging patients or third parties for uninsured services, releasing of patient information and informing patients of these protocols.

The great learning experience in school is always helpful at work place. Employers understand the importance of formal education and give priority to skilful talents.  

It is difficult to identify a single recipe for what makes a good school however, with over 35 years of experience training students in healthcare, Medix School has found an excellent formula which focuses on providing excellent learning resources, offering high quality instruction and having a high level of expectations from our students.

Learning Resources:  

Medix School is dedicated in providing students with the most up to date content and materials within their field.   The curriculum undergoes a vigorous process of evaluation from students, qualified instructors, as well as employers to ensure that the content is relevant and current.  Medix prides themselves in being able to supplement the curriculum with the most innovative resources and methods in teaching.  Medix labs, clinics and teaching facilities are designed to simulate the work environment, so that students are well prepared when they join the work force.  

Instruction:

As a school focused on providing vocational training, we at Medix understand the importance of having instructors who are highly qualified professionals, as well as educators.  Each one of our instructors are equipped with years of professional experience as well as teaching certifications.  We are confident that we have developed an instructional team that is well versed in the curriculum and is extremely competent in delivering the materials to all students, with various styles of learning.   

Students:

Medix School’s success begins and ends with their students, which is why we place a high level of expectation on our students.  Upon graduation we expect our students to continue representing the school within their work field.  We intend not only to train our students to be knowledgeable within their profession, but also have phenomenal interpersonal and soft skills.  Medix believes that the student’s ability to display their combination of occupational and soft skills will play an important part in their individual contribution to the success of an organization.  After completing a Medix School program, we expect our students to be able to exemplify professionalism, dependability and conscientiousness to their organization thereby representing Medix School with the utmost integrity.  

For over 35 years, thousands of students have chosen Medix School to further their education and therefore we take great pride and dedication in our model.  We intend to continue in our growth and development so that we may further improve our recipe for what makes a GREAT school.