How Simulations Helped Expand a Medical Assisting Program to New States

From 2017 to 2019, Rayan Matthews took on the role of director of the Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) program at West Virginia Junior College (WVJC), she was faced with a unique challenge: the online program was booming, while the traditional in-person campus program was shrinking. To keep up with the growth while maintaining high educational standards, Rayan turned to an innovative solution—an online simulation-based learning tool. In a recent interview, she shared her experience, why she chose simulation-based learning, and how it transformed her program as it grew into new territories.

The Growing Demand for Online Medical Assisting Programs

Back in 2011, WVJC developed an online platform to cater to students juggling school, work, and family responsibilities. The goal was to offer the same level of education online as students would receive on campus.

When Rayan joined WVJC in 2017, she was no stranger to the medical assisting field, but teaching was a new frontier. “I originally applied for a position as a weekend instructor, teaching students on campus, but I was asked to consider the director position which was responsible for the online program. So not only was I new to teaching, but I was also wondering how on earth it was possible to teach medical assisting online!”

As she took the reins of the online CMA program, Rayan was initially tasked with managing students only in West Virginia. The online students would attend regular clinical sessions on campus, where their competencies were assessed by medical assistants working in the field. Then, Rayan faced a new challenge: expanding the program into Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“Due to state guidelines we had to change the ratio of clinical component hours, so I started looking for simulations to enable us to achieve that without affecting the students’ learning opportunities. SimTutor was one of the options we considered and it is the one we selected. Before SimTutor I only ran the Online CMA program in the state of West Virginia—now I’m running the program in three states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. We could not have achieved this without SimTutor.”

Why SimTutor Was the Best Choice for Medical Simulation Training

When it came to choosing the right tool for the job, Rayan had a clear priority: she needed a first-person perspective simulation that closely mirrored real-life clinical scenarios. Other products with animated characters just didn’t cut it.

“None of the other products were as realistic. With SimTutor it’s like you’re right there, doing the procedure on a patient, which is just what I wanted for my students.”

Realism wasn’t her only concern. Rayan also needed a platform that could function in areas with limited and unreliable internet access—a reality for many of her rural students.

“I had to work closely with our IT Director to check out each product. It was important to know whether the students would be capable of running the product at home, particularly in the southern part of West Virginia. When I was looking at other products the lag time was terrible. But when I found SimTutor, I actually ran and got our IT Director since it not only looked so realistic but it worked so much better than other products I’d been evaluating.”

Another crucial factor in Rayan’s decision was customer support. Implementing and managing an online learning solution is no small feat, especially when dealing with distance education. The ability to get quick, reliable support made SimTutor stand out.

“With some other companies, you might have to wait for days for somebody to respond, but with SimTutor, if I have a question, they answer me right back. It really makes a difference when you’ve got a student on the other line and you need an answer as soon as possible.”

The Impact of SimTutor on Medical Assisting Student Success

Integrating SimTutor simulations into the curriculum has had a profound impact on both teaching and learning. Rayan requires her students to complete practice and test simulations, which play a significant role in their grades. The repetitive nature of the simulations helps students internalize every step of a procedure, from gaining patient consent to proper disinfection routines to post-procedure considerations.

The benefits extend to the instructors as well. “Since we’ve been using SimTutor, by the time the students come in to do the hands-on part on campus my instructors can honestly move at a faster pace with them rather than having to start from scratch. The students have already done all the academic bookwork and completed all the simulations, so they have the knowledge they need to recognize the medical terminology and the instruments and equipment they need for each procedure. Now, when the instructor gets to them, they are prepared and ready to jump right in.”

Rayan also notes how the interactive nature of SimTutor aligns perfectly with the learning styles of her allied health students. “Interacting and doing is how my students learn best. SimTutor is amazingly wonderful for this, it helps to lock in their knowledge. Anybody can look at a book, but when they actually do it in a simulation, they remember it… After studying with SimTutor, it’s like the whole procedure is automatically embedded in their brains.”

Student Feedback: Why Medical Assisting Students Love Simulations

When asked about student feedback, Rayan couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh my gosh, they love it.” Thanks to SimTutor, she’s been able to increase the number of weekly assignments without pushback from students. “There has not been one complaint, because it’s fun and it’s interactive. They’re not just reading. It’s like real life for them. They love it and they don’t complain about the workload.”

Rayan shared a heartwarming story about one of her students who proudly demonstrated a simulated procedure to their mother. “One student told me, ‘I made my mom watch me do a procedure in SimTutor because she couldn’t believe I could ever do something like that. She thought it was really cool to see exactly what I will do in real life.’ I was so pleased to hear that. For me, it’s all about the students, seeing them succeed.”

Expert Tips for Implementing Simulations in Medical Programs

Reflecting on her initial skepticism about online simulations, Rayan offered some advice for those considering SimTutor.

“I was very old school, so I was thinking, how can you teach medical assisting online? Will online simulations work? Of course, doing it on a computer is different than, say, performing a blood draw on an actual patient … But we have to face the fact that times have changed. The generation of students we’re working with now are computer gurus compared to some of us. They like using computers and they expect technology to be part of their learning.”

For those on the fence, Rayan’s message is clear: “SimTutor has changed my program for the better. As a long-time MA professional, I never believed that a simulation could be so realistic. So I would say, give SimTutor a chance. You’d be surprised at how effective it is.”