Lisa Fizzell: Medical Assistant Program Coordinator
Date: October 26, 2022
Even as a small child growing up, healthcare was fascinating to Mrs. Fizzell. For this reason, she decided to work at a care home facility. There they taught her as a Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA). However, she did not want to stop at that level.
Because of this, she enrolled in an MA program and became a Medical Assistant in 1998. In 2006, a friend approached her about moving into education to teach in the Medical Assistant Program at a local college in Modesto. After thinking about it for a good year, she finally made the transition. She has been in education ever since.
Her passion for doing what she does is observing students’ faces “light up” with understanding and watching them obtain jobs in their chosen fields once they complete the program. Fizzell originally wanted to be a Registered Nurse. Yet, looking back, she says she absolutely would not change her path as a Registered Medical Assistant for anything. “Medical Assistants make a difference and are a necessity, and there are so many different paths you can take,” she says.
“Mrs. Fizzell came to Gurnick with a good amount of experience from the medical field and higher education,” says Tu Nguyen, Campus Director. “However, this doesn’t stop her from learning new processes to help better serve our students. She is a delight to have on our academic team as well as part of the campus!”
FAQ with Lisa Fizzell
What brought you to Gurnick?
Before I came to Gurnick Academy, I was commuting over 2 hours a day for work. So when the opportunity came to work at Gurnick Academy, it was a no-brainer. It was way closer, and I had heard nothing but great things about Gurnick.
What do you enjoy most about this role?
My favorite part of what I do is watching my students grow in their chosen fields of study. I love being a part of their educational journey and seeing each one walk across the stage at graduation.
What has changed within medical assisting since you began?
There have been many changes since I started in the field. But, I’d say the most significant thing different from when I began as an MA is electronic health records (EHR). When I started many years ago, there was no EHR. We had paper files. EHR has made it so lovely for so many reasons. For instance, items can’t get misfiled. More than one person can be in a patient file simultaneously. There are many more pluses for converting to EHR.
What would you tell future students?
To my future students, I would say to work hard while in this program. The more you put into your program, the more you get out of it. Ultimately, NEVER give up!! It will be challenging at times but push through those tough times because it will be so worth it. In the end, an education is something nobody can ever take away from you!!
Brief History of Medical Assisting
For much of modern medicine, Medical Assisting remained a largely learn-on-the-job vocation. These early professionals often went to work for local doctors and were instructed as they went. At the same time, some medical facilities offered better working instruction than others. Even if somewhat unorganized, the role was already a distinct and recognizable field of study within the medical field.1
Wanting standardization, uniform processes, and certification, the Kansas Medical Assistants Society initiated a meeting in Kansas City, Kan., in 1955 to consider forming a national organization.2 Out of the fledgling group came the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
By 1969, the AAMA began issuing accreditation standards. Over time it evolved. Since 2010 online and college-based Medical Assisting programs have been accredited through the AAMA Program Approval Committee.1 Finally, in 2016, the AAMA celebrated 60 years of advocating and implementing an organizational structure for MAs.
Today the AAMA’s mission remains “To provide the medical assistant professional with education, certification, credential acknowledgment, networking opportunities, scope-of-practice protection, and advocacy for quality patient-centered health care.”2
Citations:
1^a, b Greenwood, Beth. “History of Medical Assisting.” Career Trend, Leaf Group Media. July 5, 2017. (Accessed October 21, 2022.)
2^a, b “AAMA—60 Years of Caring.” Www.aama-Ntl.org, American Association of Medical Assistants. (Accessed October 21, 2022.)
