When you graduate from a qualified medical assisting program, you may be asked to become certified before you can start looking for work in your area. Although it isn’t a national requirement to be a certified medical assistant, individual employers and each state has their own unique regulations. That’s why most schools suggest you take the necessary exams and get certified before you start looking for work.
The first step in getting the right education is to choose a medical assisting school that is accredited by either the ABHES or the CAAHEP. From there, you will need to decide if you want to become an RMA (Registered Medical Assistant) or CMA (Certified Medical Assistant)…or possibly both.
What is the CMA?
The CMA designation is awarded by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). After passing the initial test, CMAs must renew their certification every five years through a combination of experience and continuing education credits.
The CMA is traditionally recognized as the more prestigious of the two designations, and in some areas, it is the only one that counts in a professional sense. In order to apply for the exam, graduating students will be asked to pay $125 (for members) or $250 (for non-members). Test questions cover:
- Administrative and Clinical Procedures
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Terminology
- Medicolegal Guidelines and Regulations
- Laboratory Procedures
What is the RMA?
The RMA credential is awarded by the American Medical Technologists (AMT), a nonprofit certification agency that extends its reach over 60,000 allied health care professionals in the United States. In addition to medical assistants, the AMT offers certifications for Medical Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technicians, Medical Lab Assistants, Medical Administrative Specialists, Phlebotomy Technicians, Dental Assistants, Allied Health Instructors, and Clinical Laboratory Consultants.
You can only take the RMA certification exam if you have been employed as a medical assistant for at least five years. The test application fee is $95 and requires a $50 annual membership charge. The test covers the areas of:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Terminology
- Medical Law/Ethics
- Insurance and Finance
- Clinical Medical Assisting
Which One is Right for Me?
Before you sign up for either test program, be sure and check with your state guidelines regarding eligibility to work as a medical assistant. You can also talk with area employers to find out what they look for in candidates.
Related Topics:
Medical Assisting Certifications
For a health care job that has more to do with administration and less to do with hands-on patient care, you may want to consider a medical secretary career. These professionals typically spend their day behind a desk, working with insurance claims, paperwork issues, and checking patients in and out of the office. In many cases, a medical secretary doubles as a traditional secretary, office manager, and receptionist all in one.
Because the job of a medical secretary is so varied and comprehensive, the skills needed to succeed in the job are many. A day in the life of a medical secretary might include:
- Answering phone calls
- Greeting patients
- Preparing, sending, and receiving patient correspondence
- Maintaining accurate records
- Setting and canceling appointments
- Transcribing dictation
- Completing and filing insurance forms
- Manage the electronic database
As these tasks indicate, a good sense of organization and strong communication skills are key in being successful on the job. The right training—primarily in medical terminology, insurance forms processing, and electronic record-keeping—is needed to land many of the top medical secretary jobs. This can either be learned on the job or in a medical secretary program, which can last anywhere from a few months to two years (and culminate in an Associate’s degree).
There is no national overseeing body for medical secretaries, so the degree or a license isn’t a requirement, but certification through an accredited program can make you more appealing to employers. In many cases, a similar degree program (such as billing/coding or transcription) can lead to medical secretary work.
Medical Secretary Outlook
Medical secretaries most often work in a private physician’s office, where patients come and go all day long. However, jobs are available in hospitals, nursing homes, home health care facilities, pharmacies, and even insurance companies. Anywhere there needs to be a high level of organization in a health care setting, there is almost always a medical secretary present to oversee it all.
As is the case with most health care careers, the outlook for medical secretaries over the next decade is good, with new opportunities opening all the time. The average salary is around $30,000 per year, though professionals who take on more responsibilities (such as billing and coding or office management) may see a rise in that figure.
Related Topics:
Most people associate working in a blood bank with being a phlebotomist. While it’s true that blood banks do employ a large number of these professionals, there are actually several different types of jobs and careers that take place in this setting. If you’ve always wanted to work in a health care setting and aren’t squeamish around blood, here are a few opportunities to consider:
Laboratory Supervisor—As is the case in any business setting, there is usually a person in charge of overseeing the staff and making managerial decisions. At a blood bank, this is the laboratory supervisor or blood bank coordinator. In many cases, this individual moves up from a technician or technologist position.
Laboratory Technician—These are the individuals who analyze, evaluate, and store the blood once it has been drawn, often under the direction of a technologist. They may also process patients or donors as they enter the facility. These positions typically require a two-year degree, and often overlap with other lab work preparation and cleaning work.
Laboratory Technologist—Technologists typically have a four-year degree and are certified lab specialists. They process specimens and oversee quality assurance measures, and they may or may not assist in the actual drawing of the blood. Most technologists are higher-ranking than their technician counterparts.
Phlebotomist—In as little as just a few months of training, you can become qualified to draw blood from clients and patients. In a blood bank setting, this is more than just lab samples, and you’ll draw entire bags of blood for donation.
Blood bank jobs are a great way to participate in the medical setting without some of the stresses of long workdays or low staffing. Depending on where you work, you may have to be on-call or work evening and weekend hours (especially if you’re affiliated with a hospital), or you may simply work in a nine-to-five setting.
In all cases, blood bank workers tend to make competitive salaries that range from $25,000 (for phlebotomists) to up to $50,000 or $60,000 (for technologists and supervisors). And because the work you do every day helps prepare for transfusions and other blood donation needs, you are an integral part of the health care community, helping to save lives every day.
Related Topics:
How to Become an Anesthesia Technician
0 Comments Published September 21st, 2011 in Health Care Career
When it comes to health care jobs, one of the newer areas of interest is anesthesia technician work, which places professionals on the team responsible for administering sedatives and other medications for surgery and related procedures. As the name suggests, anesthesia technicians work in a supportive role for the anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist, often preparing the tools of the trade, monitoring patients, and setting up (or tearing down) the anesthesia workspace.
Anesthesia Technician Training
Traditionally, anesthesia technicians are either nurse anesthetists or individuals trained on the job, so educational programs in the field are rare. However, it is a growing field, and more and more health care schools are offering programs that meet or exceed the requirements of the profession.
In most cases, you’ll need a two-year Associate degree in order to work as a technician. When you take a course from an accredited school, you’ll learn everything you need related to medical terminology, life support, medical calculations, and operating room equipment and supplies. Upon finishing the course, you are eligible to sit for the certification exam offered through the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT), the only accrediting body in the Anesthesia technology field to date.
Depending on your level of education and experience, you can gain one of three levels within the profession: anesthesia technician, certified anesthesia technician, or certified anesthesia technologist. These are ranked in order of education, pay, and responsibilities, with the top technologists earning up to $50,000 per year.
Why Become an Anesthesia Technician?
If you want a medical career with a shorter training period, anesthesia technician work is a good choice. Because you only have to be in school for a few years, you can get started working in your field right away. At the same time, this can be a great stepping stone for other health care careers, and you can move on to work as an anesthesia technologist, nurse anesthetist, or even an anesthesiologist with a full medical degree.
Because the degree programs are still fairly new, make sure you choose programs that are recognized by the ASATT or are otherwise endorsed by employers in your area. Whether you want to work in a hospital or a private surgical office, there are opportunities, and they could be yours in as little as one to two years!
Related Topics:
Do I Need a Degree to Work in Medical Coding and Billing?
0 Comments Published September 14th, 2011 in Education
One of the more popular health care degrees these days is medical billing and coding. Typically accomplished in as little as 6 months (and up to 2 years), this degree prepares graduates to work in a physician’s office, insurance agency, or hospital, primarily with charting and insurance processing. The position is also commonly known as medical records specialist.
In the United States, a medical biller/coder does not have to have a degree. There are no federal or state regulations requiring a degree or certification in order to work in the field, and many of the top professionals working today learned everything they know on the job.
Why Go to Medical Billing and Coding School?
While you don’t have to have a degree in order to work in medical billing and coding, there are some pretty large advantages to having the right eduction. Degree programs in the field range from certificates to 4 or even 6-year degrees, and the general rule is: the higher your education, the more money you’ll make.
This isn’t a guarantee, but those with advanced degrees are more likely to rise to positions of management than those without. If you intend to work in the field for some time, and would like to advance within the profession, education is your friend. And in many cases, the shorter vocational programs are on equal footing with the lengthier degree programs, at least in terms of what employers are looking for.
Of course, there are other professional goals to aspire for, as well. Once you have your education, you can become certified and/or registered through various accrediting bodies, which include:
- Professional Association of Health Care Coding Specialists (PAHCS)
- American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Board of Medical Specialty Coding (BMSC)
- National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA)
How to Become a Medical Biller and Coder
If you’re interested in exploring this field, your best first step is to contact employers in your area. Talk to them about what they look for in candidates and tailor your education accordingly. If they have an apprenticeship program (or if they’ll pay for your school while you work for them), you may not need to start with a traditional education. If they indicate they always hire from a particular billing and coding school, you may want to look into that educational institution.
If, like most people, your end goal is gainful employment, research is the best way to get started on the right foot. By knowing what employers expect, you can move in that direction to save both time and money—and all with a great future in sight!
Related Topics:
Work-From-Home Health Care Jobs
One of the reasons to choose a health care career is that such a high demand for trained professionals means you have options when it comes to when, where, and how long you work. While many people seek full-time employment or traditional work hours, others take a less common route: temping. Offering flexibility in scheduling, great rates of pay, and quite a bit of variety to the everyday tasks you face, temporary health care staffing agencies are a growing trend in the medical field.
In most cases, staffing agencies have a list of jobs and job types they can offer. From medical assisting and in-home care to physical therapy and nursing, many health care professionals can turn to this type of work. As long as you are licensed and have the degrees and experience they need, you could begin working in a new job right away.
Benefits to Temporary Work
People who love temp work tend to love temp work, and those who don’t like it rarely change their minds. That’s because there is a different environment in this type of work, and it tends to work well only for certain personalities. Those who enjoy temping prefer:
- The ability to turn down jobs when it doesn’t suit them
- Flexibility in daily hours and the amount of work done each week
- High rates of pay
- New challenges on every job
- Entry into workplaces that might otherwise be inaccessible
- Travel opportunities
- Avoiding burnout at any one location
- Exposure to fewer workplace politics
- Building a good and varied resume
Drawbacks to Temporary Work
Of course, this type of scenario isn’t for everyone. Some people will work in a temporary health care setting while looking for a more permanent position, simply because they don’t enjoy such drawbacks as:
- Little to no job security
- Poorer health insurance benefits
- Lack of retirement plan
- Required periods of travel
- No long-term coworkers
- Less desirable tasks
Finding Success as a Temporary Health Care Worker
In most cases, those who do best in a temporary workplace setting are those who are self-starters and can adapt easily to new environments—including meeting and getting along with new people. It’s also best to work with a reputable and worthwhile temporary staffing agency, one with the necessary connections and a good rate of placement.
In the right setting, temp work could lead to a great career, especially for health care workers just graduating from school. Oftentimes, getting some experience and testing the waters to discover what kind of facility you’d like to work for long-term is a great way to “try out” your career without committing yourself before you’re ready.
Related Topics:
A Day in the Life of a Medical Assistant
0 Comments Published August 31st, 2011 in Health Care Career
Medical assisting is a great career choice for those who want to work in the health care field, but don’t want the responsibility (or extensive training period) of a nurse or doctor. Most often found in a doctor’s private office, these are the professionals who do everything from patient relations and taking vitals to helping process insurance and perform some types of procedures.
Depending on your exact job description and the duties you’ve been hired to perform, a day on the job of a medical assistant could look something like the following.
The Administrative Side of Medical Assisting
There are offices of all different shapes and sizes. Some doctors hire a complete staff to handle all the administrative tasks, while others look to medical assistants to perform some of the necessary charting and appointment setting. (Note: These are good questions to ask when you’re interviewing for a medical assisting job. If you don’t want to spend your day behind a desk, it’s better to know what will be expected of you before you take the job.)
Some of the tasks under this category include:
- Scheduling appointments/following up on appointment times
- Answering phones/messages
- Pulling patient charts
- Providing forms to patients as they arrive
- Submitting insurance information
- Sending out bills and invoices
- Entering data into an electronic system
The Hands-On Side of Medical Assisting
Most medical assistants enter the field because they want more one-on-one interaction with patients. After all, much of the administrative work can be done by a medical office specialist or medical biller and coder—both of which are their own degree and certification programs.
Under the category of patient care, a medical assistant might spend his or her day:
- Showing patients to their rooms
- Recording/updating medical histories
- Taking vitals (temperature, blood pressure, etc.)
- Asking about symptoms, concerns to be brought to the doctor
- Answering questions related to care instructions
- Administering shots (in some states)
- Cleaning/sterilizing exam rooms and equipment
Why Become a Medical Assistant?
Medical assisting offers good hours, reasonable pay, and, if you work in a traditional office, weekends and evenings off. With a lower level of stress and a great team setting, this can be a great way to enjoy the healthcare field without being married to your job.
Related Topics:
The Medical Assistant’s Career Outlook
With so many different crime dramas on television and in the movies, one of the hottest new careers in the health care field is forensic science. Bridging the gap between the legal system and the medical system, the field of forensics offers professionals a chance to enjoy a stable career helping people prosecute murders and other crimes.
Getting an Education in Forensics
Because it is still a fairly new career path (up until about ten years ago, most forensic specialists were general scientists or doctors), it’s important to ensure that any forensic program you enter is accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Science. Degrees and program types vary from two to six years, and culminate in Associate, Bachelor, Master’s, and even Doctorate degrees.
As is the case with most health care fields, you can expect a strong emphasis on chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and psychology—all of which are complimented by specialized forensic training in the field of your choice. In most cases, individuals with forensic health care degrees go on to work in:
- Forensic Biology: In forensic biology, professionals examine the human, plant, and animal remains at a crime scene to help identify victims and further an investigation. This includes collecting the data at the scene and analyzing it in a laboratory setting.
- Forensic Chemistry: Forensic chemists look at the non-biological traces at a crime scene to help determine evidence, including running samples related to gunshots or toxic materials. This is done primarily in a lab setting.
- Forensic Odontology: This is one of the least common job roles; however, odontology is important in many types of investigations. These professionals look at teeth impressions (such as bite marks) as well as skeletal remains of the teeth and jaws to help identify bodies.
- Forensic Pathology: Forensic pathologists (medical examiners) are almost always doctors or other high-ranking medical professionals. They are the ones responsible for determining the cause of death.
- Forensic Toxicology: Like forensic chemists, these professionals are the ones called upon to test for chemicals or drugs in the body, both for living and deceased patients.
While many of these career fields do require a medical degree or its equivalent, those interested in pursuing a shorter-term health care education may be able to find programs that focus on the forensic technician level (i.e., the assistants and support staff working in the lab setting).
Be wary, though, before you begin a program just because it sounds cool. This is a very popular field right now, and job opportunities at the lower level tend to be more competitive than they were just a few years ago.
Related Topics:
Which Radiology Technician Specialty is Right for You?
0 Comments Published August 8th, 2011 in Health Care Career
One of the first things new health care students discover when starting training as a radiology technician is that there are a number of different specialties to choose from. Like becoming a doctor or nurse, you can get basic training and move on from there to learn advanced skills, get advanced certifications, and create a niche for yourself in the medical setting.
Radiology Options
Before you choose any radiology technician specialty, you must first get your degree and certification in one of four areas, including:
- Radiography
- Nuclear medicine technology
- Radiation therapy
- Sonography
These degrees typically take two to six years of training, and require certification through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists in order to find employment in most states.
From there, you can opt for twelve different advanced certificates. These include:
- Bone densitometry
- Breast sonography
- Cardiac-interventional radiography
- Cardiovascular-interventional radiography
- Computed tomography (CT)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Mammography
- Quality management
- Radiologist assistant
- Sonography
- Vascular-interventional radiography
- Vascular sonography
Each one of these types of radiology work comes with its own benefits and setbacks, including the amount of time you’ll need to spend getting hands-on training as well as the required exam scores for certification. More than that, however, are the personal skills and accomplishments you should look out for.
For example, mammography and breast sonography deal very heavily with women who are getting screened for breast cancer. While there is a high level of technical expertise that goes into this kind of work, you also have to be prepared to interact with a population facing what might be the worst day of their entire lives. There is a strong emotional component here, and it’s not a job for everyone. At the same time, a specialization like computed tomography is very computers-based and technical, and you may spend very little time interacting face-to-face with patients.
Other considerations, like job environment, also matter. MRI technicians typically spend more time off their feet, but they may be asked to work evening or weekend hours to help cover patients coming in from the emergency room. A bone densitometrist might be drawn to the academic nature of the job, especially if he or she wants to work for a university or other teaching facility.
Of course, the job market should also play a big role in the decisions you make as a health care student. If you intend to stay in your town, but there isn’t a hospital or facility with an MRI machine, it might not be smart to specialize there. You can also keep an eye on the biggest job openings and what employers are looking for in their candidates. Sometimes, a dual certification as a radiology technician can really push you to the top of the interview lists.
Related Topics:
What are the Different Medical Imaging Careers?
In the medical community, there are a lot more job opportunities than those you find at the level of direct care. Most of us are aware of the responsibilities and perks of jobs like nursing, medical assisting, coding & billing, and working in a pharmacy because these are the providers we interact with in an everyday, real-world health care setting.
However, as is the case with any multi-billion dollar industry serving millions of people each year, there’s even more work going on behind the scenes. From administrative work to research and development, there is plenty of work here for those willing to get the right education.
Investigational Research Pharmacy
One of the areas that is constantly growing is the field of research pharmacy, or the distribution of medication in accordance with drug trials and research studies. Pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and university research departments are constantly developing new treatments, and there is a very strict protocol they have to go through in order to see those treatments become mainstream.
One small part of that process is the research pharmacy department. Professionals working here dispense the drugs to patients and inform them of possible side effects of the medication. They may also be on hand to monitor results and drug interactions.
Usually, this type of work is open to pharmacists, doctors, and other health care providers educated at the Master’s level or above. However, this isn’t always true. As is the case with retail or hospital pharmacies, these pharmacists often oversee a team of pharmacy technicians who help them to organize and run the facility.
How to Enter the Field
If you’re interested in working in research pharmacy, it’s best to contact your ideal employer and discuss what they look for in their candidates. Ask about research assistant opportunities and if a pharmacy tech degree and certification will help boost your chances.
Having a few years of hospital pharmacy experience or specialty work with cancer treatments can also be a great way to set yourself apart from other candidates—not to mention helping you determine if this type of work is right for you.
Related Topics:
