To Be or Not to Be a Health Care Professional That is the Question

Education and Training Programs for Older Adults

2012-01-29T12:57:00.001-08:00

There are many older workers who are preparing for work in this increasingly competitive job market. Even though many citizens ages 50 and older acquired limited skills doing their work history, they are now being hired in skilled jobs that provide good benefits and in some cases may supplement their SSI and Medicare. Many jobs are open to them in teaching, nursing, and medical office environments.

Free Education and Training Programs for Senior Adults

What you might find is surprising is that there are many education and training programs available to the older population. Nearly 60 percent of accredited colleges or universities are granting tuition waivers for older adults. For example; there’s a Senior Adults Scholarship Program in Alabama that provides free tuition for mature citizens ages 60 and over, who are admitted into a public two-year college or university. The state of Tennessee offers tuition waivers and discounts for senior citizens. Many schools in Michigan offer tuition waivers for seniors. Bottom line is you have to check or research your particular state.

If you are a military veteran with a service connected disability, you may qualify for the Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Program. This program allows veterans with a service connected disability of 10% of more to attend college. Tuition, fees and books are fully covered by the US Government. There’s also a monthly subsistence allowance paid; amount varies on number of dependents; however some veteran programs have limitations on taking online courses. See your Vet representative or visit www.va.gov for more information.

There are many public employment and training service programs available like the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP), website: http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/.

This program enables individuals to participate in temporary training assignments where they gain valuable on-the-job work experience and training needed to gain employment in the private sector. Again this program may vary from state to state.

If you are really looking to get back to work or retrain. Whether you want to work full-time, or part-time, one the best careers fields to enter into is the healthcare industry. Many citizens 50 and older find working as a medical office receptionist, administrative medical assistant, medical billing clerk and/or in the medical coding department of a smaller medical practice, or hospital very a rewarding job that they can keep pace with.

For those who are looking to supplement their social security income, you must check with your SSI office to find out what or if there are any limitations on income you can receive. You might be limited to working 20 hours or less a week.

Medical Billing and Coding - Medical Billing Part 1

2012-01-27T07:07:00.001-08:00

Medical billing is gaining ever increasing interest among new job seekers either shortly after graduating from high school to begin their career path or people who desire a meaningful career change or job rehab to reenter the workforce. The medical billing career has a pull on those who desire to work in the healthcare industry without providing direct patient care, such as nursing staff or medical assistants.

From: http://ping.fm/wEVlU

2012-01-27T07:04:00.001-08:00

Medical Billing and Coding - Medical Billing Part 1 http://ping.fm/Akyow

Malpractice Insurance for Medical Assistants

2012-01-24T07:47:00.001-08:00

The healthcare industry, especially doctor’s offices and medical care centers, employs an ever increasing number of medical assistants and many medical group and ambulatory care offices have become much more customer-driven when they provide services than ever in the past.

Doctors and their medical assistants must be sensitive and highly entuned to their customers and responsive and dedicated to their patients needs; however, while providing excellent services andcare medical assistants must keep abreast with various rules and regulations and be aware of any local and state laws that may pertain to them at the work plase, as to not unintentionally overstep their boundaries and scope of practice.

Just like any other service-providing individual, medical assistants can also be held liable for any mistakes or accidents that cause loss or injury in a court of law. To further protect themselves, carrying their own professional liability insurance policy can make a big difference and provide peace of mind. Professional liability insurance take on different forms and names depending on the profession. For example, in reference to medical professions it is often called malpractice insurance coverage. It is well worth the effort. Medical assistants should never assume that they cannot be sued and that the insurance rider on the docotr's malpractice insurance fully or adequately covers them, especially if they are hired on a temporary basis, or to complete their educational externship.

Medical Assistant Education, Jobs, and News

2012-01-22T12:12:00.001-08:00

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via l.wbx.me

Medical Coding's Code-Pendency With Medical Billing

2012-01-17T16:58:00.001-08:00

What is a Medical Coder?

A medical coder is not a medical biller, but medical coders need basic medical billing knowledge to competently and efficiently do their job, since both disciplines are so closely related and code-pendent (pun!)

There are over 819,000 physicians and surgeons; 2.4 million registered nurses, 77,000 occupational therapists, 182,000 physical therapists, 94,000 respiratory therapists and a plethora of other allied health professionals in the USA alone. Naturally they ALL want to get paid for their medical services and supplies provided to the public. This is where the medical coder comes into play! The medical coder gets the ball rolling by initiating the reimbursement process. The process begins by abstracting coded information from the patient's medical record into the financial system for billing.

Correct medical coding is just as crucial as correct medical billing in getting paid for services provided, otherwise, when ever a claim is not properly coded, filed, submitted, and processed it leads to denials, and this means losses for the provider. Naturally a professional business cannot prosper on losses. When medical coding firms or doctors outsource their medical coding and billing it is critical to assure the chosen individual or company is well versed in the latest coding standards and follows AHA, UHDDS, HCFA and HCHS coding guidelines, latest medical billing criteria, and uses clearinghouses to get the job done in an efficient manner.

Medical coders and well as medical billers must have the ability to read and understand handwritten physician notes and documentation and a working knowledge of at least one patient management system, along with familiarity with electronic medical records and ability to discuss and resolve claims issues with clinic staff and patients.

The close relationship between medical coding and billing is undeniable and inescapable! While they are well respected and highly regarded they often face adversities from insurance companies, such as inappropriate denials, poor payments and other obstacles and disservices to the doctors and patients that the must resolve working hand in hand with each other to coordinate their efforts. Their mutual goal is to meet patient and health insurance billing needs of doctors, clinics, hospitals, home health care service agencies, and similar businesses in the health care network. Although regarded as two different disciplines, medical coding and billing professionals work hand-in-hand to assure health care providers get paid for all procedures and materials rendered.

Online Skills Review for Medical Assistant Students

2012-01-17T10:24:00.001-08:00

Our New Medical Assistant skills review is 100 % free online and open to everybody either already working or interested in a new medical assisting career - accessible instantly, no signup required.

If you are planning a career as a new medical assistant we provide a creative look at what a medical assistant does and a glance behind the scenes of a busy medical office to help you evaluate your knowledge. While this is not intended to be a complete medical assistant course each chapter covers many important areas of medical assistant knowledge.

Our goal is to introduce you to basic concepts of the medical assistant discipline and briefly touch on fundamental skills typically encountered in a medical office, from organizational, administrative and clinical duties, infection control methods, medical record management, policies, confidentiality, consent for medical treatment, to incident reports and release of medical information. All chapters are printable as PDF with ads removed.

Creative medical assistant course review and online self study resources for new and seasoned medical assistants - Review essential skills and do simple learning exercises for self-study instantly online.

This website is not new, in fact it has been online since 2002. Initially these lessons were offered through UniversalClass.com but we have decided to make them available to everybody on the Internet. Each and every medical assistant skills review chapter highlights important responsibilities and case scenarios a new medical assistant must know and know how to handle. These lessons were initially provided at UniversalClass.com with special focus on real situations and daily medical office routines. Similar modules might be taught in formal medical assistant vocational training programs.

The goal of this series of online medical assistant skills review chapters is to provide basic concepts and theories concerning health and illness, patient care, and medical office technology and procedures. It is a basic introduction to daily medical office routines and the art of medical assisting.

Opportunities In the Medical Office Are for Everybody

2012-01-08T09:03:00.001-08:00

Opportunities for Everybody and All Ages

Opportunities in the medical office exist for everybody, including late bloomers. It is not limited by age, gender, race, religion, or even certain disabilities. There is plenty of room for men and women of all ages. From the employer's point of view, the young energetic medical assistant right after high school is just as valuable as the mature and experienced professional, as long as they have the right attitude and the drive to succeed. Each one brings special talents and skills to the office, and if they qualify medical office managers are ready to hire them. Medical assistants can work in almost any medical facility where they are supervised by the physician who hired them. Doctors and senior medical staff train, supervise and monitor their medical assistant's activities right on the job.

Where can I work as a Medical Assistant?

The neat thing about being a medical assistant is that the opportunities in healthcare disciplines and medical services are so wide open and varied. There are countless general and special focus areas, such as family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, internal, gynecology, urology, dermatology, cardiology... you name it, and you can work in so many places, from small single-provider to large group practices, to ambulatory health clinics and large regional medical centers—it's all out there and available to you in your role as a medical assistant.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants (PA) also like to have at least one or two medical assistant on their staff to keep the office running smoothly and efficiently. It is their responsibility to keep the office's work flow going and contribute to the doctor's ability to provide efficient patient care.

Role of Medical Assistant As Diverse As Scrub Top Patterns

2012-01-03T09:23:00.001-08:00

No two work places in health care and medicine are the same. Medical assistants are found in small to large doctor's offices and clinics with an incredible amount of diff rent medical specialties and focal points. Some specialize in family medicine, others in pediatrics, others in geriatrics, ambulatory medicine and services, dermatology, cardiology, urology, gynecology, and many more.

The roles of these medical assistants are as diverse, colorful and versatile as the places you find them and the scrubs and uniform patterns they wear:

floral patterns and garden print
dragon flies and ladybugs
puppies and kitten paws
sun, moon, and stars
Easter bunny and Santa Claus
smiley faces and clowns

you name it!

Likewise, no two medical assistants are the same, the palette of faces, ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds match the diversity of their uniforms and tops: young, old, male, female, blond, brunette, brown and gray, curly and straight, thin, skinny, tall, big, short, certified and non-certified; the list is long. Every medical assistant has unique talents and many stories to tell. Each and every one is unique and an important member of the medical office team and their community.

The medical assistant's duties on the job encompass tasks that are equally versatile and varied. They range from registering new patients from young to old, different ethnicity and gender, verifying health insurance coverage of everybody who is registered, setting up and organizing examination rooms, scheduling appointments, collecting and processing co-payments, keeping logs and medical records organized, to directly assisting providers during a requested procedure and following up on patient calls, questions and laboratory results. The medical assistant's day are busy and never boring. The colorful scrub tops represent their the plethora of responsibilities and skills.

For those who want to communicate with other medical assistants and network with their peers can do so through the very active, open Medical Assistant Web Forum, however, the forum does not encourage, nor solicit, or request posting of job requests and recruitment advertisement. Presently available medical assistant jobs are updated daily and listed on the medical assistant jobs page.

Medical Assistant Role Is As Diverse As Scrub Top Patterns

2012-01-03T09:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.medicalassistant.net/medical_assistants_are_not.htm

Medical Assistant

2012-01-02T15:26:00.001-08:00

http://www.medicalassistant.net

2011-12-30T17:24:00.001-08:00

Do you Know What do Doctors Wants in a Medical Biller? http://ping.fm/GMOhg

2011-12-30T16:50:00.001-08:00

Medical Billing and Coding - Medical Billing Introduction Part 1 http://ping.fm/y6xnu

2011-12-30T16:34:00.001-08:00

Help with CO Medicaid Timely Filing http://ping.fm/x8boc

Certified Medical Assistant Professional Medical Office Team Member

2011-12-29T17:10:00.001-08:00

Working in the health care field offers a wide range of opportunities and many of these careers do not require years of formal education and training. One of these opportunities is becoming a certified medical assistant. In general, a certified medical assistant requires a high school diploma and then undergoes training to earn a medical assistant diploma. Upon graduation they chose to voluntarily take one of the different offered certification exams to earn credentials that are recognized in the medical assisting discipline, this also includes Registered Medical Assistants (RMA), who are also certifed.

Becoming a Certified Medical Assistant

Medical assisting is an excellent career choice for those who truly enjoy helping people with unique concerns. The work is gratifying as well as rewarding that goes beyond words: that's thousands of young and old people from all walks of life that you will be making a difference to, directly and indirectly, including your own. Before getting started as a certified medical assistant, there are some things that need to be considered such as your education, financial responsibilities and most importantly, your ability to work with people of all ages.

The certified medical assistant career encompasses clinical responsibilities and administrative duties in a medical office. On the clinical side you will perform duties such as taking and recording vital signs, new patient interviews and registration, providing patient education, preparing patients for their exams, assisting physician, EKG's, assisting with X-rays, using CPR when needed and ordering and maintaining supplies.

The administrative skills include front desk duties, answering phones, greeting patients, verifying medical and health insurance coverage, organizing medical and financial records, corresponding with patients and vendors, processing and coding insurance forms, accounting, billing and banking procedures, calling in prescriptions to the pharmacy, communicating with other allied health professionals and providers and being an all around professional medical office team member.

1.) Education:

Becoming a certified medical assistant will require formal training from a school for medical assistant, either ending with a medical assistant diploma or a 2 year degree in medical assisting (Associates of Science, A.S. in Medical Assisting). Once you have graduated you will then be required to pass one of the national medical assistant certification exams of your choice to earn the certified medical assistant status.

2.) Financial:

Education costs money and this can be accomplished through your own finances, or obtaining government funded education loans when enrolling in a formal medical assisting program. Normally if you cannot afford to pay tuition costs, most of the time you will qualify. These loans will cover college tuition costs, but will not cover your transportation, food, or simple school supplies. These low interest student loans typically become due 6 months after graduation and you will have to start making monthly payments until they are completely paid off.

With determination and commitment, becoming a certified medical assistant is an excellent and fulfilling career decision many have already chosen and never regretted it.

Online Resume Submission Is A Match and Hit Process

2011-12-27T17:46:00.001-08:00

Times have changed and so has the way resumes are submitted to potential employers. Where some decades ago application letters and resumes were handwritten on fine paper with a small wallet size photograph similar to a passport photo attached, the typewriter eventually replaced the ink pen. Then, resumes were typed on resume paper, often containing linen or cotton fibers with matching envelopes, sent by mail. Today, where many jobs are advertised on the Internet resumes sent by mail are replaced and outdone by resumes submitted electronically via email. Online application forms have replaced the written resume and often go to the front of the line. Those who are still combing the Sunday Classifieds and faxing, or mailing their resumes to HR departments are no longer reaching recruiters and hiring managers in a timely manner. There are now thousands of job boards and other places where jobs are advertised.

With the Internet and easy access to computers and mobile devices everything has changed. Online job boards (Monster, DICE, Job.com, Indeed, CareerBuilder, etc.) have replaced the classifieds as the "matchmaker" for candidates and available jobs. Companies that use the job boards have built entire infrastructures around posting jobs and receiving, sorting and sifting resumes. If you use one of these online job boards to submit your resume it may also be cross-posted on their major partner sites to help you get better exposure and a greater response. Also, it allows employers and recruiters to match you to jobs you didn't even know were available. By creating your account through major online job boards you will be able to access and modify your personal information as needed.

Vacant positions advertised will feature information about the position, including employer's expectations, job summary, salary, geographic location, essential qualifications, merit criteria and other important messages. This is your cue. When filling out your application use the wording used in the ad to match your qualifications, skills, expectations and anything else you are bringing to the table as close as possible to the ad; don't hesitate to copy and paste. Many utilize automated word recognition and screening software and if your application doesn't match the job to a "Tee" it will get dropped right into an automated resume database without a recruiter ever looking at it.

Staffing and recruitment specialists work away from the public's eye; you don't know them and they don't know you. To put the odds in your favor state three or more reasons why you should be chosen for an interview. If you are multilingual and have multicultural experience through a job, sports or leisure activity, mention it! Show that you can get along in a community, even under stressful conditions. Show that you are adaptable and can deal with unplanned events in specific, or unexpected situations. Should you have a personal contact name and email address and you decide to email your resume to a hiring manager then remember:

carefully choose the subject line for your email
send directly to hiring managers and recruiters
use your main email address (and don't use a silly name)
attach a personal cover letter (MS Word document or PDF)

Unless you have carefully read the job description for the position and match your application and resume accordingly efforts are pretty much a numbers game. No matter how qualified you may be, no matter how many hours you spend combing the job boards it won't work unless you know how to make the online job application process work, and work it to your advantage.

Don't be tempted or persuaded to use a so-called resume blaster service; it isn't personal and job specific enough and it gets recognized by receiving email systems as a "blasted" resume and filed in the bin for later use (if that much). You can pay $69, $99, $129, or more for these services but do not provide the edge you sought. Your resume is just lost in the pack of hundreds of indistinguishable other candidates.

2011-12-19T17:35:00.001-08:00

http://ping.fm/6OTad

Subject: Medical Assistant Training Through ROP

2011-12-18T19:58:00.001-08:00

Someone has just posted a new coment in our Medical Assistant NET forum about joining Regional Occupation Program (ROP) for vocational training in California, where high school students are eligible to take appropriate ROP classes, including medical assisting. The discussion thread in our forum is rather extensive with lots of feedback, discussion and advice. The latest message was posted by Kat (from the ip address 66.27.143.33).

Message: Health Care Student

Hi everyone, I appreciate reading the post by "Teach" and providing her insight since I am looking into an ROP MA program (CA) to start medical assistant training in the next six weeks and will help me and my family tremendously. I need to work, have children and I know how to make sure I get the medication labels straight. I understand Lori's concerns in that discussion thread and they are valid yet, RNs are sued, doctors are sued, and MAs need to be competent too. This comes with common sense, an ablility prior to walking into the classroom. I had to pass an exam prior to my registration date. EMT's have less training than MAs. I have an MBA, and taken my RN prerequisites yet, moving to California where the clinicals are at 6:00 AM, I can not do that with children who start school at 8:00 AM. MA is my plan B to actually work in my field, and thanks again Lori for your post, and helping me understand the benefits about the MA ROP program. Affordable, fast, and efficient (for those who work hard and want to pass the exams) :). ~ Kat, SMA

ROP typically offers classes on a trimester basis, with many new courses starting throughout the year for California high school graduates and eligible adults. Job training opportunities offered are phlebotomy courses, clinical and administrative medical assisting, dental assisting, various other medical career programs, citizenship courses, High School diploma and GED courses, and more, depending on available resources and faculty at various institutions across California.

Applying for Advertised Medical Assistant Jobs

2011-12-15T16:36:00.001-08:00

http://medicalassistantprofession.com

Career Planning: What Is It To You? A Career or a Job?

2011-12-14T20:13:00.001-08:00

Every day thousands are faced with making career decisions and looking for a better job. As you are planning your future and exploring careers that match your interests and talents you should take into consideration your local job market (what is available? Who is hiring? How many are applying for the same jobs?) and understand the standards and expectations of employers in your area. In other words, your decision will very likely not only depend on your interests and what you want alone, but also what is available and what employers expect.

An employer wants someone who is dependable, a team player and problem solver and has achieved good grades, or recognized designations and credentials that match the position, such as certified medical assistant, or certified medical coder and biller. Although every occupation has different values, prerequisites, expectations, skills and requirements there are also many factors and qualities that are the same, no matter what you chose or where you go.

The difference is that one is a job, and the other is a career in which one can grow as a person and professional; for instance, while a Burger King team member receives orders, processes payment and responds to customer issues they are not expected to have the same level of education as, let's say, a medical assistant who in essence, similarly deals with patient concerns, processes payments, and maintains a clean and safe environment. This is not to say that a Burger King, or similar restaurant team member's job is worth or counts less. They too, are expected to be professional, courteous, dependable and able to maintain a clean and safe work environment, yet, their turnover rate is high, whereas a medical assistant usually stays in the profession for many, many years.

The bottom line for those considering a career in the health care industry is a positive outlook, problem solver, team player with and caring attitude and very likely some form of formal training, especially for positions in nursing, patient diagnostics and other highly technical areas, such as phlebotomy and laboratory technician. Medical office positions on an administrative level, or medical assistant positions that involve basic patient care procedures can be trained directly on the job.

Career Planning: What Is It To You? A Career or a Job?

2011-12-14T19:52:00.001-08:00

Phlebotomist

2011-12-12T16:44:00.001-08:00

Phlebotomists are worthy of our continual never ending thanks, respect and admiration. Not only do they perform dozens of venipunctures per day with great exactness, they are also required to juggle many other jobs.

The Phlebotomist work under the direct supervision of a physician, a medical laboratory scientist, or a lead phlebotomy technician in the clinical areas of a small annexed medical office laboratory, or in a hospital, hospital laboratory, freestanding diagnostic lab, or in a blood bank and donation center.

In our lab they perform so many jobs in fact that their official title in our organization is "Patient Service Rep". I wonder how many phlebotomists among us think that this is an appropriate title?

Some phlebotomists travel to given locations to collect blood samples; for example, they may travel from house to house to collect specimens from homebound persons. After the specimen has been collected the phlebotomist labels the collection tubes and gets them ready for transport to the lab. The samples will be analyzed to help diagnose, or monitor illness and deficiencies.

Most blood tests are performed on anticoagulants whole blood, plasma, or serum. Blood specimens must be collected in the proper collection tubes and containers and in the right order of draw. The collection tubes must also be correctly labeled and promptly transported to the laboratory. Needless to say, blood specimens should be refrigerated until placed in the courier box for transport to the laboratory.

Phlebotomists in California are heavily monitored by the state and must be licensed with the California State Medical Board in order to work as part of the allied healthcare professional team.

Phlebotomists in California have several levels of licensing. Those wishing to work in phlebotomy in California must first complete an unpaid 40-hour internship where 50 successful blood draws on patients via venipuncture and 10 finger/heelsticks must be properly performed and logged. All this must be done before entering the phlebotomy career, because California regulation mandates that you cannot work as a phlebotomist without a license. This rule also applies to medical assistants and other allied health professionals with blood drawing responsibilities in the state of California.

Tough Decisions: Online Medical Assistant Program or Campus Based?

2011-12-11T20:39:00.001-08:00

http://medcareeredu.com/tough-decisions-online-medical-assistant-prog

Don't Rely On Medical Billing Forums—Documentation Is The Key

2011-12-09T16:32:00.001-08:00

All too often we receive questions regarding specific medical billing issues and matching medical codes in our forum; but that's not just our Medical Billing Forum alone, that's ANY medical coding and billing forum on the Internet is packed with questions regarding specific (CPT) codes and urgent requests for help. That way, if something goes wrong they have someone else to blame.

Medical Coding Questions Posted in a Forum

Unfortunately, this tells us that there are medical coders (and medical billers) who, quite frankly, have no clue; they are inadeqately trained, or self-trained, and when they hit a wall, they post their question in a forum in hopes to get answers or find someone (anyone!!!) to give them approval of codes they have somehow come up with themselves. This could be a student with a test question, or homework assignment, or a medical coder, or biller already working but that is in over his or her head. One example of such requests posted to our medical billing forum is asking for help with a specific CPT code. It reads:

"I bill for a rheumatologist. I am familiar with most codes that he uses but last week he gave XYZ-medication (*brand name removed - not relevant for this example) to one of his patients who had a severe drug reaction. There was considerable disruption in the office and the direct observation lasted 2 hours. The doctor wants me to bill for his observation services but I am not sure which code to use. I was thinking may be 99058 will fit the bill, but the doctor insists that the code should be time specific since he spent two hours on the patient's care. Can someone please help?"

Medical coding must never be performed without first looking at the original documentation and the final decisions regarding coding issues rest with the provider. It must be clearly understood that a forum is not an official organization, agency, or anything else that provides a final decision regarding coding or billing issues. A forum is not here to code visits, to train a visitor how to code, or to recommend which codes to select. All a forum, its members and/or guests do is provide limited guidance. Guidance is limited to what is presented by a poster, however, what is presented may, or may not be true, accurate or correct.

The CMS website, specifically at https://www.cms.gov/MLNEdWebGuide/25_EMDOC.asp states:

"Providers are responsible for the correct submission of claims and response to any remittance advice in accordance with current laws, regulations and standards."

The patient's medical record must show detailed entries as to time, who did what, when, for how long, was it the doctor who monitored the patient directly, or was it delegated to a nurse or a medical assistant, what directives were given, was emergency intervention provided, and if so, how much total direct hands on and face-to-face time from the doctor was involved? When it comes to accurate medical coding, any code selected must be:

medically necessary
documented as being rendered
the proper code for the documented services rendered.

Telling a patient to sit in the waiting room for 30 minutes before they can leave after an injection and direct face-to-face attention after an acute reaction can both be described as monitoring, but it doesn't always mean it can be billed it at a higher level.

The Doctor Makes the Final Decision

The provider knows what was done and everything must be coded as it was documented in the patient's records. A medical coder can research a subject, provide suggestions and present supporting documentation from the proper sources to to make a point, however, the final decision rests with the doctor.

Documentation is the key.

Worthless Medical Assistant Certificates and Diplomas

2011-12-08T07:24:00.001-08:00

"Is there Really Such a Thing as a Worthless Medical Assistant Certificate, or Diploma?"

Many might not know that marketing fake and worthless diplomas, certificates and degrees is a billion dollar industry - at least 800 million a year in the U.S. alone. So big is this market that various state offices, consumer protection agencies and educational websites warn people to use caution when it comes to new schools and distance education programs.

Understand the definition of certified medical assistant and the medical assistant certification process and advantages, know how to locate qualified training to earn medical assistant credentials, and the difference and benefits of various programs offered, otherwise you might wind up with a piece of paper that is not worth your money and time. Realize that fake schools and diploma mills do exist and therefore, do your research.

TSS, a medical assistant school graduate, shared with us:

I'm a real go getter and everyone in my class was really hurt when we found out we were not getting certified... I feel like our school might be "black balled" and it's hurting the good students. We did hear some companies say they would not use our school's grads any longer because of the way they performed, appearance, lack of knowledge and that was with all the programs, not just the medical ones. ~ by TSS, MA Student

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) each year hundreds become victims of unrecognized programs and online scams offering certificates and diplomas that are not fulfilling their promise. Any aspiring medical assistant must be well informed and research different forms of formal and non-formal on-the-job medical assistant training programs and then decide for themselves which one will lead to the desired work experience, credentials and degrees they seek.

Distance Education Online vs. Traditional Classroom Instruction

2011-12-06T17:52:00.001-08:00

Many community colleges now offer medical assistant classes that are strictly web based and hybrid courses where all, or most of the required course work and instruction is done online. Our local community college, for example, offers 3-4 credit online courses in accounting, biology, algebra, medical computer applications, word processing, computer sciences, economics, English composition, pharmacology, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, certification exam prep for Health Information Technology and many more online.

The only time you see enrolled distance education students show up on campus is when they take their mid-term and final exams on paper (if required, because even that can be done online). Some schools make provisions for their students to come in once a week for an hour, or two, to review certain skills, especially if they require hands on supervision under the guidance of an instructor, such as, for example a credit hour course in phlebotomy technology, or biology lab.

Do Online Studends Fare As Well As Students Who Received Traditional Classroom Instruction?

Whether students in online or hybrid courses fare better than those in a traditional classroom is debatable. Surely, there can be certain challenges and pitfalls in both; for example, self-discipline, commitment and extra motivation to make sure you learn and understand the material is important in either setting, however, a hidden pitfall could be that you might forget to turn in all of your assignments on time without the face-to-face reminder from the instructor and without their classroom peers and face-to-face interaction with faculty some students might not have the extra motivation needed to do the independently study as necessary to excel.

Since online programs utilize the Internet and email students must have access to the Internet (which includes a computer, keyboard, browser, mouse, Internet service and electricity), and have a solid understanding of the computer to access the courses.

Possible Pitfalls When Utilizing Online Program Technologies

One form of technology distance education schools use to facilitate their programs online is the Blackboard e-education platform, to name just one of many, a technology where registered students log in with their assigned user name and password.

When taking a quiz or exam online there are a number of factors to consider, such as using a reliable computer and compatible browser, a reliable connection and having plug in programs installed such as Java(tm) software, Adobe Reader(tm), and often, running some sort of word processing program, such as Microsoft Office Word(tm). If the computer is not operating properly, or the connection is suddenly interrupted, all work could be instantly lost without being submitted and the student is locked out of the test. Often, there are time limits imposed and if a student stays on a page too long the session will time out and renders the student unable to submit the exam.

In addition, there could be an issue with accidentally hitting the Enter button, instead of the space bar or tab. This could lead to having an answer being locked in and submitted with no way to go back. Often, the Back button is disabled or causes work to be lost when utilized. When completing the test be sure to click the SUBMIT button to ensure the test is sent to your instructor. Yes, online students often even forget this.

How to Choose the Right Vocational Training Program for You

Being a smart consumer pays off when choosing vocational training programs especially online. Warning signs and program quality check points do exist... and there are many excellent educational and vocational training programs offered on the Internet. It is the dubious providers of distance and online education that crank out certificates and degrees that are considered worthless on the job market. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a shady non-accredited cyber-school you may find that the paper you receive stamped "Certificate" is not recognized by potential employers, and that the course credits may not transfer to other schools. This is where the term "diploma mill' comes to mind.

Diploma Mills Can Make The Unthinkable Real

It simply blows the mind: doctors, clergymen, police officers, teachers, federal employees, such as White House staffers, National Security Agency employees, FBI agents and a senior State Department officials purchased bogus degrees to seek employment, promotions, higher positions and better pay. Nowadays, almost anybody can become a doctor, or receive college level and advanced degrees, with almost zero effort. Even medical assistants can find gray area online medical assistant programs without any special pre-enrollment conditions, qualification screenings, or passing grade standards... for just a few hundred dollars. Cool??? Not so!

Make The Doctor See that YOU are the Best Candidate for The Job

2011-12-02T16:36:00.001-08:00

Medical assistant, phlebotomy and laboratory technician, medical billing and coding certifications are reaching a new level of recognition with employers. While taking an allied health professional certification exam remains largely voluntary here in the USA, there is definitely a big trend among employers who specifically stipulate in their job ads that a medical office position which needs to be filled requires certified credentials.

Rarely do you see medical assistants being hired without experience and trained directly on the job anymore. Doctors expect more these days. These doctors and medical facilities clearly see the benefits of hiring someone with certified credentials; they want someone who has the knowledge necessary to work side by side with health and medical staff to run their medical office or health care facility efficiently and safely. Hiring competent and well trained medical assisting staff gives them a certain amount of confidence and assurance.

An example of such a job advertisement is this one randomly picked from the Indeed.com jobs bank today:

XYZ Physician Associates, LLC currently has a full time medical assistant position available working in a very fast paced environment. Requirements: Candidates must have six months to one year related experience in a medical office or similar clinical setting. Candidates must also be highly organized, pay attention to detail and be able to multi-task. Computer skills required. Phlebotomy experience preferred. Graduate of a Medical Assisting Program. Certification preferred.

Medical assistant training institutions and community colleges know this and are heeding the call by offering medical assistant training programs that lead to desired diplomas and qualifies their graduates to sit for recognized medical assistant certification exams. Funding and financial assistance for such training programs is readily available for those who qualify, much of it completely free and must never be paid back if you are, for example, presently unemployed and qualify for educational grants and employment rehab programs.

There are a number of different medical assistant and other allied health occupations certification sponsors, each having their own unique certification requirements. Their certification exams serve as a valid means of assessing an individual’s specific knowledge and competence in the medical assistant occupation. Passing any one of the various offered certification exams adds credibility and credentials to your name by having earned recognized designations in a specific discipline. Once you have earned your credentials they are portable to all places you may work now and in the future. This is important because in today’s economy people may have to move to a different location or across boarders to a different state to go where the jobs, or better jobs are.

Job Search: Be Creative, Systematic and Persistent

2011-11-30T20:04:00.001-08:00

Career path development and job search requires a number of professional skills and personal traits. Not only do you need an education, training and experience, but when searching for a job it pays to be creative, go about it methodically and proceed with a plan:

1. Set goals for yourself

2. make plans

3. have a system

5. monitor your progress

6. be competent and competitive

It might sound a little odd, but pretend to be your own boss. Set expectations for what you need to accomplish, provide direction and monitor your work.

"Meet" with yourself once each week to evaluate your performance. I recommend doing this in writing, such as in a simple journal. Make a candid evaluation of what you have accomplished during the previous week, write an evaluation of what you have done so far, describe the results this effort has produced and compare these results with what you wanted to accomplish.

Next, refine your plans for the coming week. Your plans should include your goals, actions, and priorities. Next, map out a realistic plan for the next week based on achievable goals. For example, you could set goals for the number of people you will call, the number of networking meetings you will attend, and the research you will conduct.

In the coming weeks, compare the results from the previous week with the goals that you have set. For example, if you planned to send out twenty resumes and you mailed only two, you should:

a) explain why this happened

b) plan actions to correct the short-fall

You should also analyze why you missed your goal because this provides insights on what you need to do differently, for example, your goal may have been set too high, or maybe there are things you can do that will make it easier to achieve your job search goals, such as car pooling with a friend who is also looking for a job.

Medical Coder's Wages and Pay

2011-11-30T12:40:00.001-08:00

If you are an entry level medical coder in the United States your pay usually starts at $11 to $13 per hour, an individual with experience of 2-5 years can earn $15-$18 per hour, highly experienced medical coders with specialty certifications can earn as much as $23 per hour, or more. Here is a breakdown of typical factors that can strongly affect the medical coder's take home pay:

Training – Industry specific training and credentials are probably the biggest factors influencing take home pay right along with years of experience.

Experience – Your work experience plays another important role. High recommendations from a former employer who attests to your experience and value to the company speaks louder than anything else in the healthcare industry. This could be your strongest negotiation point when discussing pay.

Company Size & Setting – Large companies may be able to offer higher wages than small businesses. The local job market situation also influences pay rates and the value you bring to the businesses.

Geographic Location – The location of the job can have a big influence on salary. Jobs in a metropolitan area is usually higher compared to small cities and urban areas.

Specialization – A specialty also affects wages. Some medical coders are highly specializes, or consultants in specific areas of the medical and healthcare coding and billing industry. Others are mentors at workshops, professional speakers at seminars, or authors of textbooks and teaching materials.

Self-Employed – Your employment type also affects how much money you can make. While as an employee you are likely on a per hour compensation with incremental wage increases over time, you will set your own rates as a self-employed individual.

A few years ago AAPC published a detailed article and charts on their website that shows how much medical coders typically earn along with a separate list of salaries by specialty and salaries by title. You can probably still find the article if you use a search engine and query: "AAPC wage study and comparison for medical coders".

Get Epocrates Online On Your Hand-Held PC Tablet iPhone Thing

2011-11-29T17:33:00.001-08:00

http://onlywire.com/r/59657137

Allied Health Career - Workplace Challenges and Hazards in Healthcare

2011-11-28T15:49:00.001-08:00

http://www.alliedhealthcareer.com/workplace-challenges-hazards.html

Little Known Medical Assistant Training Programs Part 1 - Medical Assistant Site

2011-11-28T15:30:00.001-08:00

http://www.medicalassistantsite.com/

Free Medical Assistant Job Training

2011-11-24T10:35:00.001-08:00

Where so many are looking for a better job to build a better life, money for education and training can quickly become part of the concerns. While everybody would like to pave the way for a better future, not everybody can afford to go back to school unless they have the necessary funding for vocational training institutions or community college; however money for vocational education IS readily available for those who qualify. US Department of Labor and Workforce Development Career Centers offer services free of charge to help people develop the skills needed to succeed in a meaningful work environment, either at an approved job training site, or in a qualified medical assistant job training program.

Completely FREE Job Training Opportunities

Even better, many can get their medical assistant training COMPLETELY free by getting trained right on the job under the direction of a doctor, or almost free by enrolling into completely free state and government sponsored vocational training programs such as Job Corps, regional programs such as ROP, or vocational rehab programs for the unemployed.

Medical Assistant Work Environment

Most medical assistants work as part of a patient-service team in close contact with doctors, dentists, nurses, and physical therapists, others specialize in providing emergency medical treatment, operating diagnostic tools such as x-ray and ultrasound equipment, laboratory testing of tissue and blood samples, maintaining pharmacy supplies or patients' records, constructing and repairing medical or office equipment and many other clinical and administrative healthcare tasks.

The Amazing Phlebotomist - Trained on the Job

2011-11-19T17:26:00.001-08:00

Whenever you are sitting in that blood drawing chair, waiting for the phlebotomist to come in, tighten the tourniquet and draw a vial of blood, have you EVER wondered what it actually takes to become a phlebotomist? Probably not!

All you want to know at that moment is how much is this going to hurt. Amazingly, a trained phlebotomist can make this process pain free and quick. Therefore, it is quite astonishing that there are no specific laws that govern the practice of phlebotomy in most US states. The only requirement to become a phlebotomist is a high school diploma, or GED (except in California) and that you are at least 18 years old. That's it!!!!

Honestly! Doctors and nurses can train someone they trust to draw blood right on the job and that is perfectly legit. Of course, there are exceptions, and formal training programs exist. Whew, you didn't know that, did you? You can find out more at Phlebotomy Pages, the most extensive phlebotomy website that provides a detailed description and handy phlebotomy tips and tutorials for aspiring phlebotomists in the USA.

Smart Job Seeking Strategies for Recent Medical Coding School Graduates

2011-11-17T18:09:00.001-08:00

Smart Job Seeking Strategies for Recent Medical Coding School Graduates Without Experience

You are a new medical coding training school graduate and find yourself in a catch 22 situation: you want a job and doctors want experience; you don’t have experience and no one wants to hire you, let alone, give you a chance without it… so, you are pondering how you can convince potential employers to hire you without medical coding experience, since experience is what you need. You feel like a hamster going round and round in a wheel, no experience, no job, no job, no experience.

Your success starts in school, so some of the best advice we can give is for you to excel in class! By doing so, ask your instructor for a letter of reference. If you are a graduate that had 100% attendance, 100% with homework turned in and going into the final test with a score of 80% or better, a personal letter of reference from your instructor and other faculty can go a long way and be more effective than just submitting your school transcripts. Employers don’t usually read and understand them, but they read and value letters of recommendations from places and people they recognize.

Upon successful completion of the medical coding vocational training program it is recommended to sit for a recognized certification exam, which serves as another boost to help you get hired faster. Most doctors, when they hire often want a medical coder who is certified as well. So, consider taking one of the medical coding and billing certification exams offered by recognized professional certification sponsors.

Example Medical Assistant Resumes - Resume Writing Tips

2011-11-17T12:16:00.001-08:00

http://www.medicalassistant.net/sample_resume.htm

Example Medical Assistant Thank You Follow-Up Letter

2011-11-17T12:08:00.001-08:00

http://onlywire.com/r/57761242

Unearth The Gold Nugget Within Yourself And A Job You Love

2011-11-16T12:26:00.001-08:00

I just read an amazing article about someone finding a humongous 10 pound gold nugget with a simple metal detector while hiking in the Sierra Nevada. When I read how this person stumbled upon a hunk of gold in the desert, I immediately thought, oh, wow! What are the chances of that? To find around $130,000.00 in gold under some rocks. While I realize that this is a once in a lifetime discovery, I am keenly aware that golden opportunities exist for each and every one of us if we put our mind to it.

The Gold Nugget is Within You!

While you may not own a metal detector, nor hike in the Sierra Nevada, you too can find a hunk of gold, right where you are—within yourself. Just like a piece of gold, which is beautiful, has value and never wears out, so are your talents and skills. Your gold nugget is you, your family, your talents, compassion and skills. Your metal detector is a golden opportunity that comes along, especially for those with a solid education and the strong desire to build a career path where one can grow as a person and professional. Do this, and you will have golden days ahead.

Jobs in the Healthcare Industry

Healthcare workers are well educated, highly trained and well compentsated for normal work hours and hours outside their normal schedule, which includes for pre- and post shift duties, travel time during scheduled work hours from site to site and work related travel to meetings and training. They are also well protected by labor laws.

Healthcare Worker's Wages, Pay, Bonuses and Exemptions

Anyone wishing to find out details about healthcare personnel employment rules, regulations and pay, such as, for example whether salaried managerial and professional employees in healthcare facilities are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime regulations in their state, should contact their state's Labor Department. Often it depends on whether they have met specific salary, duty, or educational requirements.

Examples of a healthcare facility constantly in need of healthcare staff and personnel include hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics and group medical practices, comprehensive rehabilitation hospitals, residential health care facilities, residential drug and alcohol treatment facilities, adult day health care facilities, assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, home health care agencies, hospice care agencies, maternal and child health consortia and health care service firms. They also often seek

volunteers to work overtime
on-call employees
per diem staff to compensate for short-falls
personnel from a contracted temporary agency

I if you want to get some more golden Career Path Development tips, click the link. This website has some really down to earth, common sense tips and extper insights for people who have to make career choices and the tough decisions that go hand in hand with the process. If you just want to read more about the story about the person who found a gold nugget, go here.

Today I Learned that EVERYBODY Can Have a Massive Gold Nugget Of Their Own

2011-11-16T12:05:00.001-08:00

I just read an amazing article about someone finding a humungous 10 pound gold nugget with a simple metal detector while hiking in the Sierra Nevada. When I read how this person stumbled upon a hunk of gold in the desert, I immediately thought, oh, wow! What are the chances of that? To find $100,000.00 in gold under some rocks. While I realize that this is a once in a lifetime discovery, I am keenly aware that golden opportunities exist for each and every one of us if we put our mind to it.

The Gold Nugget is Within You!
While you may not own a metal detector, nor hike in the Sierra Nevada, you too can find a hunk of gold, right where you are—within yourself. Just like a piece of gold, which is beautiful, has value and never wears out, so are your talents and skills. Your gold nugget is you, your family, your talents, compassion and skills. Your metal detector is a golden opportunity that comes along, especially for those with a solid education and the strong desire to build a career path where one can grow as a person and professional. Do this, and you will have golden days ahead.

Jobs in the Healthcare Industry

In today's tough economy, many are gravitating toward a career in the medical and healthcare field to find their own gold nuggets. The healthcare and medical industry is booming and holds countless job opportunities, of which many require as "little as" a high school diploma and the will to succeed. Kindness, caring and being well organized with a keen eye for details are your best traits to do well in an allied health career.

Healthcare workers are well educated, highly trained and well compentsated for normal work hours and hours outside their normal schedule, which includes for pre- and post shift duties, travel time during scheduled work hours from site to site and work related travel to meetings and training. They are also well protected by labor laws.

Healthcare Worker's Wages, Pay, Bonuses and Exemptions

Non-exempt employees receive time and one-half the regular rate of pay after 40 hours of work in a 7-day workweek. Regular rate includes all compensation, such as non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials. In nursing homes and residential living facilities, employers may pay overtime after 8 hours in any one day and 80 hours in a 14-day pay period.

Anyone wishing to find out details about healthcare personnel employment rules, regulations and pay, such as, for example whether salaried managerial and professional employees in healthcare facilities are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime regulations in their state, should contact their state's Labor Department. Often it depends on whether they have met specific salary, duty, or educational requirements.
Examples of a healthcare facility constantly in need of healthcare staff and personnel include hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics and group medical practices, comprehensive rehabilitation hospitals, residential health care facilities, residential drug and alcohol treatment facilities, adult day health care facilities, assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, home health care agencies, hospice care agencies, maternal and child health consortia and health care service firms. They also often seek

volunteers to work overtime
on-call employees
per diem staff to compensate for short-falls
personnel from a contracted temporary agency

My golden rule is to make the best out of the day, every day. Do something every day that you like. It is your choice! Every morning you are handed 24 golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world that you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure?

I if you want to get some more golden Career Path Development tips, click the link. This website has some really down to earth, common sense tips and extper insights for people who have to make career choices and the tough decisions that go hand in hand with the process. If you just want to read more about the story about the person who found a gold nugget, go here.

"I Just Graduated from a Medical Assistant Program—Am I Certified Now?"

2011-11-14T19:02:00.001-08:00

"I Just Graduated from a Medical Assistant Program—Am I Certified Now?"

No, just graduating from a medical assistant school, or medical assistant distance education program doesn't make you a certified professional! Certification is NOT automatic just because you graduated. You may have your medical assisting diploma, but to get certified you must apply to sit for a medical assistant certification exam and pass it. Only then will you receive your designation and can call yourself a certified professional.

Some well respected professional certification sponsors also make their exams available to those who did NOT receive formal vocational training from a medical assistant school, but instead have several years of continuous experience working in the discipline, or have received their medical and healthcare training in the Military.

Tough Decisions: Online Medical Assistant Program or Campus Based?

2011-11-14T17:15:00.001-08:00

No one can tell you which type of medical assistant program is right for you. Ultimately, you are the one who must choose which path to take to learn your medical assistant skills. Part of your decision will be based on how FAST you want to be done and finished with your training, the cost and how quickly you hope to land your first real medical assistant job.

Rule of thumb is that self-paced online medical assistant courses can be finished the fastest if you apply yourself, however, on the flip side, doctors may not be easily persuaded or convinced to hire you without having direct experience and hands on practice which you would have gotten in a campus based training program. All too many former medical assistant online students have learned a painful lesson.

Things You MUST Ask Before Signing Up for Anything...

As with any kind of education, there are things to be aware of and different programs have their pros and cons. Making a wise choice and informed decisions puts you into a position where you won't have to regret it later. Should you decide that going with a web based program better fits your schedule, budget and personality than bear in mind that no matter which online school you choose you have to ask certain questions BEFORE signing up for anything. We have put a very detailed list of questions to ask before enrolling in any medical assistant program.

First and foremost check out the fees that the online nursing charges for their courses and find out their refund policy. It is common practice of all reputable online vocational training schools to be up-front with their fees, since they realize it is important to new students to know how much they will be paying for the course. Putting forth a sincere effort to discuss all fees person-to-person over the phone helps to build trust in the school.

You will need to check out the course requirements before signing up for anything. Each school has different requirements that must be met before entering their program. Almost all online medical assistant programs require a high school diploma while a few want you to have specific course studies from other schools. Some online medical assistant programs, especially those approved by the Department of Education, require competency in complex clinical and technical skills to earn their degree, which can only taught under the direct supervision of a qualified instructor or professional in the field who is familiar with a wide range of medical assistant duties.

There are countless medical assistant students who have told us that finding their own clinical internship site was EXTREMELY challenging and frustrating and some of them gave up, never earning their medical assistant diploma or degree. Therefore this is probably the most important part of evaluating a prospective online medical assistant school.

Certain online programs operate on the same premise of standard schools and might require that theri students complete a minimum number of hours in class room study to be eligible to graduate; so, make sure to ask whether a program is entirely web based, or partially web based. All that is required should be listed in the course description and should be discussed in person during the review process.

Academic degrees is another area where one should put fourth some effort in research before signing up for anything. If the online program does not offer the degree that you need to get the job you want, then it is useless to you as a school. Don't be discouraged, most of the online medical assistant schools, and nursing schools for that matter, allow you to achieve the type of degree that you want.

Worth Your Consideration When Making Career Choices: Phlebotomist

2011-11-14T16:44:00.001-08:00

The phlebotomist, the person who draws blood samples from patients arms or finger tips, is a highly specialized, valuable member of the medical and healthcare team as a whole. Without the phlebotomist's skills and services many diagnoses and health assessments could not be as reliably performed.

Most phlebotomists have a high school education, others have an academic degree in medical technology, some received their training directly on the job under the supervision of a doctor, nurse or experienced phlebotomist, others took a phlebotomy course offered through the American Red Cross, or a community college, others while serving in the military as a combat medic or hospital corpsman role.

A skilled phlebotomist deserves high praise, yet, they are usually paid the least amount of wages on the allied health professional's pay scale, probably because their training is not as extensive as, let's say, an EKG and x-ray technician, or medical assistant. In a way, that is unfair, because there is tremendous value in their services that can never be repaid in money. Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, donations, or research and explain the procedure to patients who ask.

They must know the circulatory system anatomy and composition of blood along with the medical terminology that goes with it, be able to access a vein, or artery, or capillary blood bed of all kinds of people from young, to old, to obese, to emaciated, to those with veins that roll, to those who easily faint, or are deadly afraid of needles.

They need to understand different venipuncture techniques and the equipment to be used to draw and preserve the blood sample. Additionally, they must know how to read laboratory requisition slips, follow doctor's orders, work safely with patients, handle blood and other potentially hazardous body fluids and know how to clean up blood spills safely and dispose them in accordance with OSHA regulations. If any of this is not approached with great care and handled properly, it can result in severe injury, if not death.

BLS 2010 Job Market Diagnosis: Jobs in Healthcare Remain Healthy

2011-11-13T15:09:00.001-08:00

While the job market outlook remains grim for so many, the healthcare industry continues to grow and provide some of the most in-demand job opportunities for male and female allied health professionals of all ages, such as medical assistants and medical coding and billing professionals.

Combining medical technology and the human touch, the healthcare industry diagnoses, treats, and administers care around the clock, responding to the needs of millions of people—from newborns to the terminally ill. In fact, along with computer and information technology (IT) professionals, healthcare positions are among the top 10 most sought after jobs by both, employers and applicants alike.

The United States' healthcare industry consists of about 595,800 health and medical facilities and establishments ranging from small-town private practices of physicians who employ only one medical assistant to busy inner-city hospitals that provide thousands of diverse jobs in:

Ambulatory healthcare services
Offices of physicians
Home healthcare services
Offices of dentists
Offices of other health practitioners
Outpatient care centers
Medical and diagnostic laboratories
General medical and surgical hospitals
Other specialty hospitals
Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals
Nursing care facilities
Community care facilities for the elderly
Residential mental health facilities
Other residential care facilities

Along with this immense growth come attractive salaries and wages. Healthcare jobs are among the best paying jobs where high academic degrees are not always required, except for doctors, surgeons, highly specialized nursing staff, technologists and pathologists. Many of the occupations in the healthcare industry require less than four years of college, which opens the doors for many who have earned a diploma from a vocational training program, such as medical and dental assistants, which only takes 9-11 months from start to finish.

Medical assistants are among the top positions in demand in the healthcare industry, of which many are certified medical assistants. Surveys show that over the 2008-18 period, total employment of medical assistants is projected to increase by 34 percent, physical therapist assistants by 33 percent, and physician assistants by 39 percent. The average annual pay for medical assistants is estimated to be $27,500 to $41,780 depending on the type of position, responsibilities and their location.

Those employed in one of the many medical and diagnostic laboratories earn on average $44,560 to $63,420 per year, and medical coding and billing professonals can earn even more, but you don't have to take our word for it! You can alwas talk to other medical assistants already working in the field in our very active Medical Assistant Forum, or Medical Biller Fourm, to find out what their current earnings are.

SOURCE: BLS Career Guide to Industries, 2010-11 Edition

Down to Earth Job Search Tips That Increase Your Success

2011-11-13T11:57:00.001-08:00

Finding a job can be a painful experience. Here are a number of things that you can do to increase your chances of success. In our very active forum for medical assistants on the Web we often hear from new medical assistant school graduates not being able to find a job right away. Many of them are getting frustrated quickly.

A forum is an excellent platform to discuss issues and concerns and network with others already working in the field, however, just sounding-off and doing nothing, or little else will not solve the task on hand, which is finding a job to pay off student loans and pay the bills.

Finding a job should be approached like a full-time job, because in so many ways, it is. If you had a job, you would report to work at the same time each day early in the morning, take an hour for lunch, and quit at the same time in the afternoon. You would work five days every week and you would work hard to accomplish as much as you could because your career depended upon it. When you are searching for a job, you should follow the same schedule; your future depends upon it.

So, begin tomorrow by reporting to work and spending the day on tasks that lead to landing a job. You should apply all of the tools and skills available, since landing your first medical assistant job is an important project. The sooner you complete it, the sooner you will hold your first medical assistant pay check.

Be Creative, Systematic, Methodical and Persistent

Be creative, go about it methodically and stick to a system.

Set goals for yourself
make plans
monitor your progress

It might sound a little odd, but pretend to be your own boss. Set expectations for what you need to accomplish, provide direction, and monitor your work.

In the coming weeks, compare the results from the previous week with the goals that you have set. For example, if you planned to send out twenty resumes and you mailed only two, you should:

a) explain why this happened
b) plan actions to correct the short-fall

Update your CareerBuilder, Monster, LinkedIn and other job bank and message board profiles weekly to keep them fresh, current and at the top of the search results. This makes it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to find you. Use your facebook, Tweets and Google+ Plus account.

Also, do not overlook the importance and value of a well written application form (if you apply online), and a well written cover letter and resume. Work through it with a plan and the support of a good boss = yourself.

Worth Your Consideration When Making Career Choices: Medical Coding and Billing

2011-11-11T10:10:00.001-08:00

Physicians, Medical Office Managers and Hospital Administration Relies on Medical Coders and Billers

Successful medical coders and coding consultants pride themselves on being personally involved and connected with each and every client and exceeding clients expectations. Wherever there are doctors you find medical coders, some work in house as employees of the facility, others are independent consultants, some specialize in areas such as billing and collection, others become medical coding instructors, or speakers at conferences and seminars; some work long hours, others work part-time telecommuting from home, others start their own business. There are so many variations, opportunities and specialty fields.

CODING SPECIALTIES:

Medical coding professionals can specialize in focus areas such as:

• Family Practice & Internal Medicine

• Ambulatory & General Surgery

• Anesthesia & Pain Management

• Emergency Medicine

• Dermatology

• Gastroenterology

• Neurology & Neurosurgery

• Oncology & Hematology

• Mental Health

• Podiatry

• Ophthalmology

• Dentistry

• Physical rehab

… to name just a few. There are many more.

Healthcare Industry Job Market Outlook

2011-11-08T06:29:00.001-08:00

The allied healthcare industry employs expertly educated professionals that often require many years of training beyond high and graduate school. One estimate by the U.S. Labor Department reported allied health professionals make up 60 percent of the total health workforce and healthcare experts anticipate that health services employment will continue to grow. Jobs in the healthcare industry virtually open and close daily...

Are you ready to enter into one of the largest industries where new
job offers virtually open and close daily?

In addition various healthcare reforms are presently under consideration which may also affect the number of people being treated by healthcare providers. If you ever considered, or were ever interested in starting an allied health career, then now is the time.

Are Medical Coders In Demand? Or Is It Just Hype?

2011-11-07T20:18:00.001-08:00

http://medical-coding-training.us/2011/medical-coders-in-demand/

Looking for Medical Assistant Training?

2011-11-07T12:44:00.003-08:00

Are you looking for vocational training providers or on the job training to become a medical assistant, or get a job, a better job, or improve your position in your current workplace?

Finding the right medical assistant program remains difficult if you do not have a clear goal and don't know where to look. The vocational and post-secondary education system for high school graduates and working adults consists of countless campuses across the United States and Canada. Additionally there is a plethora of vocational self-study online programs to choose from online. Without a certain amount of help, finding the right school, or program can quickly become a daunting task.

The quickest and easiest way to find medical assistant schools and explore medical assistant programs near you is via our medical assistant schools by ZIP code search on Medical Assistant Net... our recommended vocational education and training programs provide qualified training and teach you the skills you need to land medical office and healthcare jobs. The Medical Assistant NET website is ready for all mobile devices. Visit us on your iPhone, BlackBerry, Android tablet, or PDA.

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How Tech-Savvy Doctors and Medical Assistants Access the Web

2011-11-06T11:36:00.001-08:00

http://medicalassistant.name/2011/11/06/mobile-devices-doctors-medical-assist...

Taking the Medical Assistant Certification Exam?

2011-11-05T17:57:00.001-07:00

If you are a medical assistant preparing for the "Big Day" of taking the medical assistant certification exam here are some insights and tips:

Why not? You probably should! Most medical assistants with formal training and recognized medical assistant credentials behind their name wind up doing quite well upon graduation. Many land jobs that they would probably not have gotten otherwise. The competition on today's job market is high... everybody wants to land a better job.

There are many affordable certification exams offered, which cover a broad range of medical assisting areas of knowledge to assure proficiency and competency in different areas of medical assisting. These medical assistant certification exams usually test knowledge on many areas of clinical and administrative skills, which also includes medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, clinical lab procedures, pharmacology, document processing and management, healthcare law and ethics, and medical coding and billing questions, to name just a few.

Preparing for Your Medical Assistant Certification Exam

While we cannot provide you the exact questions and answers that will be in a medical assistant certification exam, we can give you an idea what preparing for and passing medical assistant certification exams will be like. There typically will be multiple choice questions, where you must choose the correct answer from a, b, c, d, or e. Most questions have straight forward answers, others can be a little tricky when they are formulated as "what is false" questions, and the answer is all of the above, except (choose one!). Some questions are incomplete statements and you have to choose correctly what completes the sentence. An example of the tricky "except" question would be:

Each of the following is a function of the skeletal system except

a. framework for support
b. blood cell production
c. protection of internal organs
d. sensation
e. site of attachment of muscles

In this example, d. is the correct answer.

The More "Tricky" Questions of the Exam

The K-type questions, or multiple true-false questions are equally tricky. Here you are given a choice of four numbered words, or statements with numbers. Whichever combination holds true is the correct answer. For example:

Which of the following represent functions of the skeletal system?

1. sensation
2. framework for support
3. absorption
4. blood cell production

a. 1, 2, and 3 are correct
b. 1 and 3 are correct
c. 2 and 4 are correct
d. only 4 is correct
e. all are correct

In this example, c. is the correct response.

From our own experience we know that the best test taking strategies to pass a medical assistant certification are focus and concentration. Staying focused on carefully reading (and re-reading) the question and concentrating on what is being said, before answering and then choosing the answer you either know is correct, or when unsure, narrowing it down to the most likely choice by eliminating the answers you know are wrong, discarding the least likely, and then picking the most logical response when you have narrowed it down to just two possibilities. Also, bear in mind that if any part of a true-false statement is false, the entire statement must be considered false. Also, if it contains the words always, never, all and none the statement generally is false. So jot down these tips and words, commit them to memory and stay positive. You can do it.

For more specific answers regarding the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) you can contact these certification sponsors directly.

Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Physician Assistant (PA) Programs and Jobs for Military Veterans

2011-11-04T18:24:00.001-07:00

http://onlywire.com/r/55690109

Don't Hesitate--Roll Up Your Sleeves and Draw Blood (No, Not just because It's Halloween!)

2011-11-04T07:17:00.001-07:00

Although the current unemployment rate in the United States remains high, the demand for phlebotomists continues to rise.

The job market in medicine and healthcare seems to be relatively immune to economic downturns primarily due to significant changes of rules and regulations, new discoveries and advances and the demographics of a growing and aging population.

Best Time to Become a Phlebotomist

A strong desire on the part of health insurers to focus more on preventive care and regular early medical screening has also significantly contributed to the increased need for drawing blood, which places phlebotomists in very high demand. Phlebotomists collect most of the ordered blood samples and also often perform simple blood screening tests as requested by physicians or other healthcare practitioners.

What is a Phlebotomist?

The phlebotomist is a specialized healthcare professional in the area of handling certain laboratory specimens, specifically blood and urine samples for diagnostic purposes.

Assembles equipment, such as tourniquet, needles, blood collection devices, gauze, cotton, and alcohol on work tray, according to requirements for specified tests or procedures.
Verifies or records identity of patient or donor and converses with patient or donor to allay fear of procedure.
Applies tourniquet to arm, locates accessible vein, swabs puncture area with disinfectant, and inserts needle into vein to draw blood into collection tube or bag.
Withdraws needle, applies treatment to puncture site, and labels and stores blood container for subsequent processing.
May prick finger to draw blood. May conduct interview, take vital signs, and draw and test blood samples to screen donors at blood bank.

Ahhh, the Medical Biller! How Medical Billers Affordably Eliminate Losses and Free Up Time

2011-11-02T20:30:00.001-07:00

http://medicalcodingandbilling.blogspot.com/2011/11/ahhh-medical-biller.html

Get Your Medical Biller On!

2011-11-02T17:57:00.001-07:00

Medical Billing—Find Your Calling!

This is a good time to become a medicalbiller, a career in which you can be trained quickly and where you can grow professionally and as a person. This site is designed to help you find information you need to become a medical biller, find local schools for medical billing training and quickly locate job opportunities in your state for medical billing and coding employment.

What Medical Billers Do:

Medical billing is versatile and rewarding. To understand medical billing you must know what medical billers are and aren't, e.g. medical billers are not coders.

Medical Billers have one goal: billing for medical and healthcare services, medications, equipment, supplies and consultations. It is a systematic procedure of billing and collecting professional fees for medical and healthcare services provided to patients. That means we send a claim to an insurance company, we post payments, we respond to outside information requests that relate to the claim, we follow up on a claim with no response, we communicate with the patient or their insurance company about a claim that is denied, in review or pended. We send statements to the patient and we turn over delinquent accounts to the providers debt collection agency. Doing it right requires a broad range of knowledge and understanding of the medical billing process and health insurance company rules.

Temp Work to Bridge Time in School or Times of Unemployment

2011-11-02T09:51:00.001-07:00

During tough economic times the job market is down and many are out of work. Not only that, for most who enroll in a vocational training or vocational rehab program to learn a skill that will get them back into the workforce it often means making a choice between work, or school. It is hard to do both. Although most vocational training institutions offer their programs in morning, afternoon and evening sessions, they demand time and focus to achieve good grades.

It is almost impossible to maintain a full time job and earn excellent grades, especially in an accelerated program, such as the typical 9 -11 month long medical assistant training courses. These medical assistant vocational training programs often require an externship to earn the desired diploma or degree, so where full time work is nearly impossible there is an answer to this dilemma: temp or part time work.

Temp positions are available in many fields, including healthcare, especially in medical offices for medical assistants, business and computers. Taking into consideration the pros and cons, temping can be the difference between getting by and not.

Typical Requirements for a Medical Assistant Part Time Job:

Strong aptitude for detail, and ability to work independently
Strong organizational and problem solving skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Computer skills (Word Perfect, Microsoft Windows, etc.)
Graduation from an accredited Medical Assistant training program
Knowledge of third party payer requirements
Certification through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), or American Medical Technologists (AMT) is preferred

Pros & Cons of Temp Work Assignments

PROS

Making a major difference to needy offices

Learning and seeing new things

Gaining varied experiences from different places

Earning more, getting better hourly pay

Meeting new people and making connections

Flexibility and freedom to say no

Work as much or as little as needed to get by

A foot in the door for a future position

CONS

Working in an unfamiliar work environment

Not knowing what is expected

Not being part of the established group

Adjusting to a new setting and people

Stressing out to do things right

Having to perform tasks right off the bat

Not receiving additional training

Possibility to be taken off of the assignment any moment

According to the American Staffing Association, temp workers can earn at least $12 or more per hour, in most instances even considerably more than their permanent counterparts; however, they do not always qualify for benefit packages full time employees might enjoy.

Exclusion Due to Disability in the Medical Office

2011-10-31T16:04:00.001-07:00

Most positions in the allied health and healthcare industry are conditioned on the applicant passing a medical examination (the so called pre-employment physical). If a job requirement excludes a healthcare worker, including a medical assistant working under the direct supervision of a doctor, from a position due to a disability, the requirement must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. Some requirements will obviously meet this standard, such as licenses required by state and/or local governments for doctors and other healthcare professionals. In other instances, however, an employer may need to consider whether the standard that is excluding an individual with a disability from employment accurately predicts the individual’s ability to perform the job’s essential functions. For example, a medical assistant in a wheel chair could work in the front desk recepition area.

Many states and localities have disability and anti-discrimination laws and agencies responsible for enforcing those laws. A leading national health care staffing firm in Pittsburgh, PA violated federal law by withdrawing an offer of employment to a certified nursing assistant because she was HIV-positive. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged the firm with discrimination in a lawsuit.

In EEOC v. LA Weight Loss (D. Md. Dec. 1, 2008) , EEOC alleged that a chain of weight loss counseling centers with facilities in 21 states had a companywide policy of refusing to hire men into the positions of medical assistant, trainer, sales counselor and various management positions.

Both applicant flow and census data showed that men were not hired consistent with their availability and employees were told by managers that defendant was not interested in hiring men because management believed that female clients responded better to female counselors.

Healthcare job applicants, or hired employees, who believe that their employment rights have been violated on the basis of disability by a private sector, state government, or local government can file a Charge of Discrimination proceeding with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The charge must be filed by mail or in person with a local EEOC office within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation.

EEOC

EEOC refers to these agencies as “Fair Employment Practices Agencies" (FEPAs). Individuals may file a charge with either the EEOC or a FEPA. If an Americans with Disability (ADA) charge filed with the EEOC is also covered by a state or local disability discrimination law, the EEOC will “dual file” the charge with the FEPA but usually will retain the charge for investigation.

Source:
Questions and Answers about Health Care Workers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/health_care_workers.html

Healthcare Occupations and their Unique Challenges and Hazards

2011-10-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

Many different male and female healthcare workers in scrubs.

Source: Advanced Medical Assistant Custom Web Design

Working in the Healthcare Industy

Healthcare is the largest industry in the American economy and includes public and private hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, offices of physicians, dentists, various licensed practitioners, home healthcare services, outpatient care centers, ambulatory healthcare services and medical and diagnostic laboratories. Occupations within a medical office and healthcare facilities are plenty and varied and the list of jobs that are essential to the medical field is long:

physicians
surgeons
dentists
dental hygienists
nurses (RN, LPN, LVN)
physician’s assistants
social workers
physical therapists
psychiatrists
psychologists
radiologists
audiologists
chiropractors
dieticians
nutritionists
pharmacists
optometrists
podiatrists
medical records
health information technicians
clinical laboratory technologists
diagnostic-related technicians
emergency medical technicians
paramedics
ambulance drivers
nursing aides
home health aides
orderlies and attendants
occupational therapists
speech-language pathologists
medical assistants
personal and home care aides
medical transcriptionists
custodial and food service workers
management or administrative support
clinicians who provide direct services

Many of these occupations, including nursing and medical assisting, typically involve potential exposure to airborne and bloodborne infectious disease, needle stick and sharps injuries, back injuries, latex allergy, stress and other dangers. Some are at risk for occupational exposure to a variety of hazardous chemicals and they must handle situations that can be physically demanding and stressful at the drop of a hat. Many healthcare establishments operate around the clock and need staff at all hours. Shift work is common in almost all of the above mentioned occupations.

Workplace Hazards

Past reports issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that musculoskeletal injuries were the most common type of non-fatal injury or illness for nursing, psychiatric and home health aides who represent nearly two-thirds of all healthcare support occupations. Being aware of these potential health hazards in their work environment makes them less vulnerable to injury.

Qualification Standards

To safely and efficiently perform work related duties the healthcare worker must be able to physically and mentally satisfy the requisite skills and be able to perform required job related duties with or without reasonable accommodations. Essential functions which the healthcare worker must be able to perform are based on factors such as education and job-related work experience, the reason for the position, the number of other employees available to perform the same duties, or among whom the function can be shared, and the degree of expertise or skill required to perform the duties.

It is not uncommon for healthcare workers hold more than one part-time job, of which each one comes with unique challenges and health hazards. Healthcare workers, especially nurses, clinical laboratory workers and medical assistants, face unique situations at work of which some may pose safety concerns. Medical office and healthcare facility workplace settings typically involve direct patient care with invasive procedures, exposure to body fluids, handling bio-hazardous materials in a fast-paced setting. Errors and oversights due to the demanding nature of duties may result in health or safety consequences.

Exclusion Due to Disability

If a job requirement excludes a healthcare worker, including a medical assistant working under the direct supervision of a doctor, from a position due to a disability, the requirement must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. Some requirements will obviously meet this standard, such as licenses required by state and/or local governments for doctors and other healthcare professionals. In other instances, however, an employer may need to consider whether the standard that is excluding an individual with a disability from employment accurately predicts the individual’s ability to perform the job’s essential functions.

Many states and localities have disability anti-discrimination laws and agencies responsible for enforcing those laws. Healthcare job applicants or hired employees who believe that their employment rights have been violated on the basis of disability by a private sector, state government, or local government can file a Charge of Discrimination proceeding with the EEOC. The charge must be filed by mail or in person with a local EEOC office within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation.

EEOC
EEOC refers to these agencies as “Fair Employment Practices Agencies" (FEPAs). Individuals may file a charge with either the EEOC or a FEPA. If an ADA charge filed with the EEOC is also covered by a state or local disability discrimination law, the EEOC will “dual file” the charge with the FEPA but usually will retain the charge for investigation.

Where Medical Assistants Work

2011-10-31T08:28:00.001-07:00

Doctors and nurses appreciate their medical assistants so much so that many have openly stated that they cannot imagine their medical office functioning without them:

Over 819,000 practicing physicians, hospitals and clinics heavily depend on their medical assistants. Neither doctors, nor nurses are taught the business side of things in medical school and rarely do they want to be involved with that aspect of running the practice, this is where the medical office manager and administrative medical assistant comes into play.

About 62 percent of medical assistants work in offices of physicians. Some medical assistants are trained on the job, but many complete 1-year or 2-year programs, however, it must be said, medical assistants are NOT nurses, physician assistants, nor doctors and never pose or practice as such.

Understanding the medical assistant's training requirements and employer expectations gives you an edge when seeking jobs:

A medical assistant can be trained on the job, however, most acquire their skills by enrolling into a formal medical assistant training program. Once you got your "medical assistant on" you will be supervised by doctors, or another licensed healthcare professional, under which you work in a medical office and pr

actice setting.

Is the Medical Assistant Degree Better than the Diploma?

2011-10-30T15:59:00.001-07:00

Should I go for the medical assistant diploma or is it better to aim for the medical assistant associate degree?

Prospective medical assistant students often ask: "Is it better to have a medical assistant degree or is a medical assistant diploma good enough to find a good job?" From my experience, and many seasoned medical assistants agree, a medical assistant diploma is not necessarily the key to better pay or faster promotions. Reality is, most doctors and practicing health care providers don't care whether their medical assistant has a degree or diploma. Their main concern is to have a medical assistant that can do the job well and pay only as much as they have to in wages.

If a medical assistant with a diploma can do the same job as their counterpart with a degree that's good enough for the doctor, however, a medical assistant with a degree has the advantage when it comes to additional education. Some of the earned college credits for courses can be transferred and applied toward a higher or different degree, such as, for example nursing (RN). And THAT is where the time and money spent on the medical assistant degree will be well worth it.

So, now that you know the most important difference between going for a medical assistant diploma vs. a medical assistant degree continue your research about qualified medical assistant certifications.

Bilingual Phlebotomists Are Wanted Most

2011-10-27T10:14:00.001-07:00

Ummm, Mrs. Hernandez, we need your blood! Does anyone in here speak Spanish? Bilingual phlebotomists are an invaluable asset to any medical office, blood donation center, or blood bank. Put "proficient in English and Spanish" on your resume and it will likely immediately land on top of the rest of submitted applications. These phlebotomy jobs MUST be filled

A Two-For-One Approach - Cardio-Phlebotomy Technician Training

2011-10-26T19:31:00.001-07:00

http://www.phlebotomytech.com/phlebotomy_training.htm

Phlebotomist Training

2011-10-26T15:48:00.001-07:00

http://www.phlebotomypages.com/phleb_training.htm

Allstate TV Ad: Blind Spot Mayhem

2011-10-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

This commercial is hilarious. Each time I see it it makes me crack up laughing when I see the woman's face. As a matter of fact, this looks like so much fun I tried it at home...

Discover Medical Assisting

2011-10-22T17:30:00.001-07:00

Get Your Medical Assistant On

Medical assistants are in high demand.

Over 819,000 practicing physicians heavily depend on their medical assistants in the USA alone. Let us introduce you to various medical assistant vocational training programs that lead to medical assistant diplomas and degrees. We explain various medical assistant certification avenues and discuss the benefits and cost to you. For those who are already enrolled in a medical assistant school we explain the medical assistant externship and what to expect when you graduate, how to write an effective medical assistant resume and coverletter and what your duties and scope of practice will be. Last but not least we invite you to join our very active medical assistant web forum/message board to sound off and reach out to your peers. Join us at www.medicalassistant.net today and get your "medical assistant on."

What is a

2011-10-21T21:12:00.001-07:00

Succeeding In An Externship

Some people aren't familiar with the term externship. Your externship is the final step of your medical assisting training while still enrolled in the program.

The medical assistant externship is designed for several purposes. You are expected to perform duties that were learned in class, as well as to learn, solidify and refine new skills that are taught by the medical office staff. The ability to perform is important, but equally of value is your ability to be a good team member. You must use appropriate interpersonal skills, have a professional appearance and display a good attitude. The externship gives you the opportunity to prove your dependability; attendance and punctuality are indicators of reliability and dependability.

You must be willing to help with the smaller duties, like pulling and filing patient's charts, answer the phones and organizing supplies, as well as the more critical ones, like assisting with patient intake and doing basic clinical procedures.

An externship has to do with YOU! It means you finally get a chance to put everything you have learned in the classroom to use, dealing with actual patients and medical professionals in a real medical office environment. Although many medical assistant students have some apprehension about beginning their externship, once there, they find it to be a very rewarding experience which often can lead to a first permanent job.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Medical Assistant?

2011-10-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

When becoming a medical assistant

you are embarking in a career into which you can be trained quickly, either in an accelerated medical assistant training program near you (9 -11 months), or completely free directly on the job while earning money and where you can grow as a person and professional under the guidance of the doctor who hired you. Jobs for medical assistants are on the rise and will never cease to exist, because as long as there are doctors there will be medical assistants. Once you "get your medical assistant on" you will never be bored or sitting behind an office cubicle doing a meaningless job, rather, you will be busy helping people and making a difference in your community doing a job you love.

Should I Become a Medical Assistant or Nurse?

2011-09-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Should I Become a Medical Assistant or Nurse?

By CertMedAssistant

What Is a Medical Assistant?

The medical assistant is a non-licensed member of the modern interdisciplinary medical office team. Doctors hire them because they are trained specifically to be flexible and efficient in the administrative and clinical areas of a typical medical office. They work under the direct supervision of a doctor in different areas of their practice, such as the reception desk, the medical records area, treatment floors, examination rooms, phlebotomy and in-house quick screening lab usually Monday to Friday from 8-5 PM depending on the office's specific needs.

The medical assistant curriculum typically covers general clinical and administrative medical office skills and knowledge such as medical office administration, patient appointment scheduling and medical transcription. Some medical assistants are trained directly on the job without any formal training in a medical office and may include health insurance billing procedures, appointment referrals and medical records management, which is not typically taught in a nursing program.

The main difference between medical assisting and nursing is that the medical assistant's focus lies on providing patient care in an ambulatory setting (walk-in or by appointment) in a doctor's office and medical office management, while nursing focuses on providing skilled medical, health and hospice care for the sick, chronically ill and dying.

Male or female? Medical assistants work under the direct supervision of the doctor who hired them. There is no limit on age, gender, or religious beliefs. Anyone with the drive to succeed in this highly respected field can do it.

Medical assistants, whether they are certified or not, cannot work independently without the doctor physically present on the floor and cannot give any medical advice or triage patients. Whenever they perform any kind of direct patient care, such as ear lavage, splinter removal, inhalation treatment, or wound care it must be done under the direct supervision as defined and instructed by the employer.

What Is A Nurse?

Nurses, on the other hand, work independently and as part of a team to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care in different specialties working different shifts in long and short term facilities, hospitals and medical centers. They are registered and licensed within their state and are allowed to perform more complex patient care procedures than a medical assistant is allowed, such as drawing arterial blood samples, administering chemotherapy, or starting and flushing IV tubing. Some pull doubles and many work on weekends, holidays, on-call and per diem.

The nurse's training is geared toward hospital or institutionalized patient care and mainly focuses on traditional nursing and in-patient care, which is taking care of people that are sick, injured, infirm, or elderly in a hospital, rehabilitation institution, or nursing home. Their focus area lies on the anatomy and inner workings of the body, disease processes, medical management of diseases, conditions and nursing interventions associated with each disease, physiology, chemistry and pharmacology. Other significant differences between the medical assisting discipline and nursing are:

education

licensing

work place

wages and benefits

schedule/extended work hours

skills and duties

continuing education

scope of practice

supervision

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can spend from 12 to 18 months in an accredited nursing school and then must take the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nursing (NCLEX PN). The Registered Nurse (RN) associate degree takes at least 2 years of full time college attendance, followed by the entry-level Nursing Competence Exam for Licensure as Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). There also are 4 year programs in nursing which end in a nursing degree that leads to highly respected RN credentials.

The 4-year BSN is preferred entry-level for professional nursing practice

The 2-year associate's degree focuses more on technical skills and is often a stepping stone to the BSN

Nurses who passed the NCLEX-RN® examination find that it qualifies them for a range of different types of jobs.

Is Nursing better than Medical Assisting?

Anybody would be hard pressed to state with occupation is better, nursing or medical assisting, since both occupations play an important role in today's healthcare system as a whole and each has their place in patient care, medicine and wellness. Each discipline has its purpose and every person their own unique reasons and ambitions. For some it is a question of getting into the profession and back into the workforce fast. Many vocational training institutions offer accelerated training programs that gets them their medical assistant diploma and ready to work in only 9 -11 months. Nursing schools take a lot longer and can cost a lot more from start to finish.

Medical Assistant vs. Nurse Poll

Which is better? Medical assistant, RN, or LPN?

Medical assistant

LPN

Often, however, we hear of medical assistants who have been in the field for a long time and have hit the proverbial glass ceiling where they just cannot get any higher, as in promotions and pay, who use their extensive background and experience as a springboard for nursing. We know many medical assistants who have taken the route of going back to school to earn their nursing degree.

We invite you to do your own research to find out what is the best fit for you. Check your local newspaper and wanted ads in your area to see who and where medical assistants are hired and who is hiring RNs and LPNs. Check their duties and how much they earn. In reading the job offers you can also learn much about the kind of duties and responsibilities each one has, their work hours and what employers are willing to pay. Remember, that if you are a parent, especially a single mom, or dad, that you will have to take such things as your child's school hours and daycare into consideration, for example medical assistants rarely work on weekends and holidays, or extended hours and night shift, which some feel are better hours for parents than those in nursing.

2011-08-30T11:04:00.001-07:00

Medical Assistant or Nursing? Which Career is Best for Me? http://ping.fm/JlMxF

Exemplary Professionals - Take Judith Marie Krey, Adjunct Faculty Instructor

2011-08-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

SUGAR GROVE, IL, March 26, 2010 /Cambridge Who's Who/ --Judith Marie Krey, Adjunct Faculty Instructor in the Biology and Microbiology Department of Waubonsee Community College, has been recognized for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in higher education. This honor is reserved for exemplary professionals who are committed to advancing in their career and commemorate industry accomplishments.

For the past 12 years, Judith Marie Krey has served as an Adjunct Faculty Instructor at Waubonsee Community College, a two-year institution of higher learning. At its inception, the school offered few basic courses as a nursing program. Presently, on the cusp of its 40th anniversary, expansion efforts have come to include an excess of 35 academic disciplines with the option to obtain two-year degrees or certificates.

Inspired by a lifelong desire to become a teacher, joining the faculty at Waubonsee Community College seemed like a natural fit for Ms. Krey. Much like the high school and college instructors that inspired her to become an educator, she possesses a keen ability to relay information to her students in a clear and concise manner. With such dense subject matter as biology and microbiology, she delights in the satisfaction of helping students to process volumes of new material. Her innovative instruction methods focus on developing a sound understanding of concepts and teaching students how to learn and retain information.

Teaching microbiology and the fundamentals of biology and medical assistant training courses requires that Ms. Krey remain updated on the latest trends in the science field. She does so by reading Science News, Science, Microbiology and CMA Today, the publication for certified medical assistants. Ms. Krey holds a master's degree in biology from Eastern Michigan University and a bachelor's degree in chemistry and biology from Madonna University. She is a former member of Michigan Community College Biologists, and intends to continue offering her services to the McGraw-Hill companies as a textbook reviewer.

Certified medical assistant - National Certification Exams

2011-08-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

When is the medical assistant certification exam taken? What does medical assistant certification mean? Is certification required to work as a medical assistant? The truth about becoming a certified medical assistant.

What Is Your True Calling?

2011-07-28T09:00:00.001-07:00

Year after year working and aspiring health care professionals, including thousands of medical assistants are asking themselves the important question:"What is my true calling; where do I see myself in the future; to what level will I take my career next?"

Instantly Explore Health Care and Medical Assisting Schools Near You! Within seconds... you will see the possibilities and propel your future into a new direction.

Chiropractic Assistant in Florida

2011-07-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

Many seasoned medical assistants seeking jobs and new opportunities in their field are looking at chiropractor's offices for work. To work as a Chiropractic Assistant in Florida you need to apply and register with the State, or more precisely the Board of Chiropractic Medicine which runs under the Florida Department of Health. The application process is rather simple. The registration fee is $25, plus a $5 unilicensed activity fee, which is non-refundable. It is wise to read Section 460 of the Florida Statutes and Rule Chapter 64B2, Florida Administrative Code www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/chiro/index.html before you send in your application form and money.

The registered chiropractic application form can be obtained directly from the Department of Health, Post Office Box 6330 Tallahassee, Florida 32314-6330 or downloaded online http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/chiro/ap_rca.pdf.

On the form you will provide your full name, address, phone number, email and social security number and answer a few yes and no questions, such as whether you have been enrolled, or participated in any drug or alcohol recovery program, been treated for a diagnosed mental or physical disorder within the last five years.

You and your supervisor will sign that you have carefully read the questions in the foregoing application and have answered them completely, without reservations of any kind and declare, that your answers and all statements made by me herein are true and correct, and that's pretty much it.

Medical Assistant to RN

2011-07-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

Are you planning a new medical assistant career? Are you wishing to cross-train into related medical assistant jobs? If you are contemplating a new career and direction there are many fitting career paths and opportunities in the medical office and allied health career field.

The first step when deciding on a fitting career is to take time to assess what you do well. It's also important to explore the educational, training and career opportunities available in your particular area first. And there is no question: another very important consideration is what a medical assistant gets paid in your area.

Medical Assistants

Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical duties under the direction of physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing and coding for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood and administering medications as directed by physician. Experienced medical assistants often elect to crosstrain or transition into these related fields to move on and up in their career. Learn more: Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant to RN

Can it be done? Many experienced allied health/healthcare professionals, especially highly skilled and motivated medical assistants, eventually cross-train into other health service occupations such as an X-ray or EKG technician, dental assistant, ophthalmic medical assistant, surgical technologist, phlebotomist, or massage therapist. Yet, others go back to school and become radiation or nuclear technologists, or licensed practical and registered nurses (LPN or RN). What ever your goal might be: with additional education and training anything is possible! Learn more: Medical Assistant to RN or Medical Office Nurse! Can it be done?

Perfect Time to Become a Fully Qualified Medical Assistant

2011-07-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

Tired of being stuck behind a desk doing meaningless work? Your career going nowhere?

Good news! Word has come back that overall health care employment rates are up! The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that as of June of 2011 some of the largest gains in employment were made in ambulatory health services, which includes medical offices. What this means for you is that this is the perfect time for you to joining the community of caring and become a fully qualified Medical Assistant. Medical assisting is one of those fields in which you can grow professionally and become a proud contributor to your community's wellbeing. You will never ever be bored again doing a thankless job in a cubicle behind a desk; rather, you are making a difference to the people you know and love.

Build a Rewarding Future! Learn How to Become a Fully Qualified Medical Assistant to Land Better Jobs

As long as there are doctors there will be a need for medical assistants. Jobs for medical assistants are on the rise and will never cease to exist—your opportunities are endless. While employment rates did not change much in the first half of this calendar year 2011, employment increased dramatically in the ambulatory health and medical services sector in June, with an additional 14,000 jobs filled. That is impressive and means that the Department of Labor Statistic predictions were right. The health care industry is growing and occupational outlook remains excellent. Read more about what to you can expect in your role as a medical assistant and how you can join the booming health care industry near you.

Medical Assistants Who Want to Specialize in Chiropractic

2011-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

Medical assistants can also branch out into the chiropractic field.

The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics states that employment of chiropractors is expected to increase 20 per cent by the year 2018.

Training for Chiropractic Technologist

One school that is heeding the call is Allied Health Institute (AHI) at www.ahilearn.com, an accredited post secondary school, launched a 16-month Chiropractic Technologist Associate of Science Degree program for exactly that purpose. Their program is designed to meet a growing need for Chiropractic Technologists nationwide. A GREAT opportunity for medical assistants, health care workers, or any other person with a high school diploma interested in moving into this currently wide open and newly emerging field.

A chiropractic technologist is a paraprofessional serving the chiropractic profession in the capacity of an assistant in the chiropractic office. The chiropractic technologist can assist the chiropractor under whom they work in case histories, preliminary portions of the examination, the application of modalities and therapies and the taking and developing of x-rays all under the direct supervision of the attending chiropractic physician.

AHI's Chiropractic Technologist program provides students with professional training in the field of alternative medicine, focusing on chiropractic. Students are introduced to chiropractic philosophy and principles, anatomy and physiology, nutrition and are provided with an in-depth study of radiologic science.

2011-05-15T19:40:00.001-07:00

Medical Assistant Cover Letters | Cover Letter Examples and Tips http://bit.ly/mmYBWQ

Police Officers, State Troopers and Highway Patrol Trained to Draw Blood

2011-05-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Police Drawing Blood

An increasing number of police departments allow their officers to draw blood, including State troopers and Highway Patrol officers in certain states. This new policy first was enacted in Utah and Texas and was then also adopted in Idaho and Arizona, to name a couple. There, police officers are authorized to draw evidentiary blood samples for the purpose of determining alcohol or drug content when they observe erratic behavior or driving. Police Chief Bill Waybourn in Northern Texas launched a program and trained public safety officers to draw blood to keep intoxicated suspects off the road and from slipping through the system. Sgt. Lee Perry, with the Weber County office of the Highway Patrol said that blood tests are necessary because portable breath tests only detect alcohol, not drugs or other possible intoxicants. Implied consent laws usually allow the officer to pick the test to be administered, whether it is a breath, blood or urine sample, after the person has been arrested for DUI.

State Troopers Trained to Draw Blood
A Federal Highway Safety Administration grant provided the funds to hire the Utah School of Phlebotomy to teach troopers how to do it. If it proves to be practical and cost efficient then there is a chance that just about every Highway Patrol and State trooper will be trained in phlebotomy, to obtain a sample of blood via venipuncture procedure. Proper universal precautions handling, storage and transportation of the blood sample is necessary.

Art of Phlebotomy

The art of phlebotomy is a rather underrated and unrecognized skill most medical and health care professionals handle as part of their daily office routine, often away from the public's eye. We often imagine doctors, nurses and medical assistants with stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs but hardly with syringes and needles to draw blood. The blood drawing process can be tricky and must be performed properly and safely to prevent tissue injury and accidental needle sticks, and to obtain a viable blood sample that will hold up in court.

Drawing blood is considered an invasive procedure and there are certain steps and rules. The collector must not deviate from the standard of care for the procedure. The standard of care is loosely defined as the sequence of events that, when followed according to established and accepted standards for the procedure, will prevent injury or complications under normal circumstances. When attempting the blood drawing procedures out in the open, such as a road side traffic stop and the suspect is intoxicated and unruly this can quickly become difficult.

a. proper phlebotomy procedure
b. handling of the blood specimen
c. standard of care and universal precautions
d. adequate observation and after care
e. appropriate documentation
f. proper follow up of the event

Risks Law Enforcement Faces When Drawing Blood

Another risk police and law enforcement officers face when attempting the venipuncture procedure are inherent medical risks of medications a person might be taking, such as aspirin or anticoagulants, which can lead to excessive bleeding and extensive bruising around the puncture site; others have a history of passing out during blood draws and where intoxicated people are often combative and a struggle might ensue there is the potential risk of a blood spill, or accidental needle stick which can lead to infections and disease. Some blood draws turn out to be difficult by nature where a vein can collapse, or roll and the needle might not have entered the blood vessel sufficiently. In this case needle adjustment and relocation may be necessary in a forward or backward direction and all this under all kinds of weather conditions on top of a patrol car hood, sidewalk, or field environment.

State Requirements When Drawing Blood

Phlebotomy is never as simple as aim, stick and draw. Certain US states require a person to be certified in phlebotomy before they are allowed to draw blood to assure proper training, standard of care and knowledge of associated risks. It is one thing to train staff to draw blood and another to assume that their skills will not erode over time and as circumstances change; this is especially critical for police officers out in the field. Making sure they maintain their blood drawing skills to the latest standards of care takes diligence and a well-designed evaluation protocol. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) sets phlebotomy standards in the U.S.

Police officers, Highway Patrol and State troopers who obtain blood samples for blood alcohol (DUI) analysis typically need to draw one 10-mL blood tube containing sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate and two 7-mL blood tubes containing EDTA (lavender stopper) for a general drug screening. Both types of blood tubes must be filled to the proper level and inverted several times to obtain valid results via standard blood analysis procedure in a laboratory.

Inadequate Training and Education

There is a difference between venipuncture and phlebotomy. Venipuncture is simply the act of drawing blood from a vein; whereas phlebotomy is the comprehensive discipline of everything that deals with the collection of blood from a patient. Police officers who draw blood attend a venipuncture course, not phlebotomy training. It is very basic and an extremely truncated version of the standard phlebotomy curriculum, which is typically one to two full semesters of study.

Officers Trained to Draw Blood in North Texas

2011-04-25T15:19:00.001-07:00

Breaking news! MA nightmare over. Former medicalassistant 10 felonies on allegations of “unlawful practice of medicine http://is.gd/rpD3Pa

Medical Assistant Schools

2011-04-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Vocational Training Programs for Medical Assistants

Planning the Best Medical Assistant Training Strategies
The present job market is already flooded with skilled medical assistants, either working or applying for available jobs. This makes it extremely difficult for the next generation of medical assistant school graduates competing on the job market. One effective strategy is to make sure you get the superior education and credentials by enrolling into programs from a well recognized school within your community. Training programs that are well established and recognized strike a positive chord with employers when they recruit new staff. They go by what and who they know and reputation.

Some doctors have been badly burned by unqualified, or poorly matched, employees. They put their best foot forward during the interview and then they either had a hard time fitting into their medical practice routine or did not conform to the doctor's expectations and standards. Some, sadly, turned out to be completely incompetent in their role as a medical assistant and caused the business damages and losses. To avoid these type of setbacks they now turn to saver choices when it comes to recruiting new medical assistant staff and will hire only medical assistants that graduated from known programs with a diploma or A.S. degree in medical assisting, are certified, and to make it even safer, they often want someone with at least one or two years of experience in the field. This is, of course, the better option for the doctors, however, it makes landing a good medical assistant job, especially the first 1st, challenging.

As anyone in the medical community can tell you: it is a SMALL world and reputation travels fast. Therefore we recommend highly that anyone who wishes to become a successful medical assistant to set the odds in their own favor right from the start by enrolling in the best known medical assistant school in their area, one with a flawless reputation and one that leads to the desired medical assistant diploma or degree that leads to better jobs.

Impressive Vocations Inside The Medical Domain

2011-01-31T19:30:00.000-08:00

18.12.2010 | Author: paulalero | Posted in Acne

The health-related field has generally offered fantastic occupation opportunities and seems to present not just occupation protection but favorable incomes in quite a few aspects with the health-related environment. The demand is a continuous and unless of course men and women give up acquiring sick, it appears there will not be any problems within the future discovering a want for that health care expert.

Careers within the health care field differ but it is possible to definitely discover quite a few various opportunities. It is possible to go into mental wellness or household apply as a tech, physician or nurse. It is possible to set your personal hrs having a profession which provides flex-time, part-time and full time opportunities. You can be your own boss in a lot of places from the medical field specifically if you’re a physician or psychologist in private apply. The career prospects are countless.

In the psychological health field, registered nurses are in substantial demand. Psychologists and Psychiatrists can find a position with ease. Social staff are in demand in psychological hospitals and drug treatment centers. Psych techs are in large demand now inside psychological health facilities and lots of psych techs are paid as much as sixteen bucks an hour in larger cities and that is for an individual who has a substantial college diploma and a willingness to learn by way of on the position instruction!

In pediatrics, the medical area is extensive open. Careers for child psychologists and nurses are obtainable and of course, physicians who are prepared to go to do the job in private apply or as an essential component of a household group practice will probably be pleasantly surprised with their working environments in most instances.

Careers for nurse practitioners and doctor assistants are in high demand. Numerous physician assistants and nurse practitioners are producing as significantly like a household physician if they are in the proper subject. Surgical procedure Physician Assistants make over $100,000 in some areas and most of them have a three or 4 day deliver the results week which can give a profession chance loads of appeal.

Dermatology offers registered nurses, PAs and medical techs many choices and usually the dermatology offices are closed possibly on Monday or Friday which once more, provides appeal. Dermatologists draw good salaries and occupation minded physicians can function alone in private practice or inside a group.

There are so many careers to take into consideration inside the health-related discipline. If you are not certain in the several choices, then take a look at our comprehensive list beneath. The following opportunities are offered and make excellent job selections with most of them in large demand!

. Physicians ranging from Pediatricians to Psychiatrists
. Nursing possibilities ranging from registered nurses to LPN and CNA possibilities
. Medical techs including psych techs, radiology techs and healthcare techs
. Health care transcribing
. Health-related information and billing opportunities for clerical do the job and auditing
. Counseling and crisis function for psychologists and psychiatrists
. Clerical operate in lots of capacities

There are many other health care area opportunities and there are lots of opportunities for meals service employees too. Medical personnel inside the hospitals count on the foods service within the deli or cafeteria twenty-four hours a day. Individuals who want balance in their careers in the foods service business typically select foods service careers within the health-related business. They will need the career safety and discover the salaries are normally far much better than people realized within the restaurants within the surrounding areas.

Whenever you begin your search for a profession, appear on the internet at the Occupational Handbook placed on line by the US Labor board and see if you can obtain a career that’s not just in substantial demand but 1 which will satisfy your long time period goals for salary and academic requirements. Be familiar with your occupation possibilities just before you lock your self right into a long lasting profession option.

If you want added knowledge with reference to cna training online visit Vernon Manerginsly’s Site!

Nursing Cover Letter

2011-01-31T18:43:00.001-08:00

Guides Nurses To Standout And Get The Job

Author:

Mario Churchill
One of the most sought after jobs today are related to medical professions such as nurses. However, it is a fact that competitions are so tight. So, to standout among the rest, nurses are advised to write a good nursing cover letter when applying for a nursing post.

Remember, every time you are passing your resume; make sure that it is accompanied with a good cover letter. The cover letter will help the employer to focus on reading your credentials. It will give you the opportunity to explain the reasons why you are applying for that position. Likewise, it must also indicate your interests in their organization.

The cover letter should target specific aspects in your resume that will correspond to the employer\'s specific needs. It is important that you are knowledgeable about the person and the organization. In this manner, you will be able to focus on the things that will give genuine interests to the employer. It is a mortal sin when writing a cover which just addresses 'Dear Sir' or 'Dear Madame'. Address your letter to a specific person. In case it was not listed in the advertisement, make a call to the organization to ask who will be the addressee of your letter.

Moreover, the employer will first meet you in your cover letter together with your resume. It is advisable to print it on a high quality bond paper using the standard business format. Always check for grammatical errors and misspelled words. Make sure that you use the same paper in printing both your resume and cover letter.

There are four main areas of a nursing cover letter that should be given an adequate attention by nurses.

1.Introduction. It explains the reasons why you are applying for the position. Be specific. The organization and the position should be always mentioned. State how or where you learned about the job opening. Never forget to write about your present status. Take for instance; you are going to finish your masteral degree in nursing and you learned about the hiring. The introduction should say something about considering your application. If you learned the hiring from a friend or acquaintance, then mention his or her name.

2.Highlighting your educational background and work-related experiences. It should stress your potential that will make you qualified for the applied position. Never repeat what is written in your resume. Just select the aspects that will interest your employer. Give direct emphasis on important medical and professional accomplishments.

Mention your strengths and acquired skills related to the position. Also include the time when you have work, important promotions, specific responsibilities, and what have you contributed in the institutions you have worked for.

3.Briefly explain the reasons which tackle about your interests in the applied position, organization, and qualifications. It is very important to an employer that he will read something about your enthusiasm in applying for a certain nursing position and why you chose their medical institution. You should put much weight on the things that you can offer to your employer and his organization rather than what you could obtain from him as an employee.

4.Structuring your final paragraph. You should mention how you are going to make follow-ups. Indicate your eagerness for an interview. If possible maintain your control over the matter. Take your initiative by making phone calls so that you could be scheduled for an interview, just be polite about it.

Nurses should allow their personalities to come out in their cover letters. Make it creative but never jeopardize professional presentation of the qualifications.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/nursing-cover-letter-guides-nurses-to-standout-and-get-the-job-72168.html

About the Author
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on cover letter or cover letters checkout his recommended websites.

Cover Letter for Medical Assistant

Example Cover Letter for Medical Assistants.

Medical Assistant, RN, or LPN? Which is better?

2011-01-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

The difference between nursing and medical assisting TRAINING is that medical assistant courses are geared toward ambulatory care and medical office management. The curriculum typically covers general, clinical, financial, bookkeeping, and administrative areas of knowledge.

Medical Assistants are also trained to handle medical office administration tasks, patient scheduling, and medical transcription. Nursing training mainly focuses on the foundations of nursing, which essentially is "how to take care of people" that are sick, injured, or with special needs. This includes A & P along with the disease processes, medical management of diseases, conditions and nursing interventions associated with each disease, pharmacology, which covers common medications, their uses, side effects, route, dosage and actions.

In short, medical assistant training prepares students to work in a medical office, health insurance verification, medical billing and medical records management, which is not typically taught in a nursing program. while nurse's training is geared toward hospital or institutionalized patient care. The medical assistant vocational training program takes up to 9-11 months, or less, to complete. Some medical assistants are trained directly on the job without any formal training.

On the other hand, a LPN can spend 12-18 months in an accredited nursing school and then must take the NCLEXPN. The RN with an associate degree takes 2 years of full time college attendance and there also are 4 year programs.

The medical assistant's work hours are typically Monday through Friday from 8AM-12PM and after a one hour lunch break resumes from 1PM - 5PM. Some medical assistants are asked to work Saturdays IF the doctor, under whom they work, wishes to open his/her practice to accommodate patients that cannot come in to be seen during the normal work-week hours. Medial assistants wear comfortable (nursing) scrubs, usually a colorful top with pants, and (nursing) shoes or sneakers.

Note, that medical assistants are NOT nurses. There is no licensing requirement, and certification is largely voluntary for medical assistants. They work under the umbrella of the medical doctor, who supervises, instructs and at times, trains them in specific areas. For a more detailed explanation of the Difference between a Medical Assistant and Nurse click the link.

2011-01-12T14:47:00.001-08:00

What Needs to be in the Medical Assistant's Resume? http://ping.fm/IzqqY

Training for Medical Assistants

2011-01-11T18:11:00.000-08:00

Training for Medical Assistants

2011-01-03T20:23:00.001-08:00

Does age matter? When it comes to enrolling in vocational training programs ... http://bit.ly/i6waRp

Does Age Matter? When It Comes to Enrolling in Vocational Training Programs...

2011-01-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

Many enter career training programs at a college, trade school, or vocational training institution immediately upon graduating from high school, however, there is a significant number of of so-called nontraditional students as well. Those enrolling into health care vocational schools run the gamut of age. Most are in need of a postsecondary education or vocational rehab to get back into the workforce. Most are in their late 20s or 30s, some are in their 40s and even 50s.

When Contacting a School... Questions to Ask

As a student learning new skills you want quality education that lead to desired diplomas or degrees that make you more employable on the job market. When contacting a school, or they contact you, take the opportunity to ask whether the program you are interested in is completely campus based, or a combination of classroom instruction and online, or one hundred percent online based.

If it is an online course, ask whether our certificate or diploma will state "online". Find out how long the program will take from start to finish, what kind of documentation you will recieve upon graduation. Ask how long the program has been in existence, and how many people have graduated. Find out whether it costs extra to repeat their finals.

Ask whether the schools and all their programs, including online courses, are accredited by the Department of Education, CAAHEP or ABHES, if not, whether they have applied for accreditations (pending) and whether they are offering financial aid, what professional credentials it will grant, and last but not least, as about disclosure of itemized costs involved, including tuition, books, and any certification exam application fees.

2011-01-02T19:01:00.001-08:00

Medical Assistant On the Job Training vs. Formal Vocational Training http://ping.fm/9YUwN

2010-12-30T00:54:00.001-08:00

Medical Assistant Charged with Felonies and Unlawful Practice of Medicine http://ping.fm/yhfbX

2010-12-27T21:27:00.001-08:00

Utilization of Medical Assistants: Delegation of Tasks by Nurses http://ping.fm/GtcsR

2010-12-22T21:36:00.001-08:00

Reason for Earning a Medical Assistant Diploma http://ping.fm/AOiS0

2010-12-13T22:40:00.003-08:00

Stand Behind the Medical Assistant Name! http://ping.fm/ei3WV

2010-12-13T22:40:00.001-08:00

Medical Assistants to be Stationed at Rural Clinics http://ping.fm/Cse6f

2010-11-19T08:28:00.001-08:00

Medical Assistant Skill Review http://ping.fm/IzkhO

2010-11-15T10:12:00.001-08:00

Medical Assistant Net Blog http://ping.fm/bu5x8

2010-11-15T09:44:00.001-08:00

Choosing the BEST Medical Assistant Program that's RIGHT for You http://ping.fm/5ZoFA

Thinking About Becoming a Medical Assistant?

2010-11-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

Year after year thousands of new high school graduates are facing the simple question: "What would I like to be when I grow up?". Starting a very first, new career path new career path is part of modern live.

The old days of learning one trade and sticking with it for decades until retirement are pretty much over. In our age and time sooner or later everybody will have to deal with deciding on a new, or different a career path, until it's time to move on and up to the next level, or yet, another new career!

Even people who never thought they will have to enter the job market (because they are born wealthy, or married to a wealty spouse (smile!)) probably will still want to find their own niche and contribute their time and talents in a meaningful way outside the home (likely YOU!). Those who enjoy working side-by-side with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to make a difference in their community should seriously consider medical assistant training.

Dos and Don'ts in Medical Record Charting

2010-11-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

1. ALL ENTRIES in medical records must be LEGIBLE, DATED AND SIGNED including their professional title and IDENTIFICATION so that any future reader can
identify each entry's author.

2. Avoid using problem prone abbreviations listed in Table I below. Do not use abbreviations Use only abbreviations and symbols approved by your
medical office, clinic, or hospital.

3. Use only approved chart forms with the patient's name, the date, and the time recorded on each sheet and on, if applicable, both sides of every sheet in the record.

4. Use ink; never pencil.

5. Don't skip lines or leave spaces between entries.

6. Don't use vague, non-descriptive terms.

7. Don't get personal. Comments cannot be removed or changed. Refrain from entering into the chart any statement that does not deal directly with the
patient's diagnosis, treatment, care or condition.

8. Don't use the medical record to comment on other health-care professionals or their actions.

9. Don't wait until the end of the day to chart.

10. Don't back date, add to or tamper with notes on the medical record.

11. Don't use terms unless medical assistants know what they mean.

12. Always legibly identify yourself by signature, or initials.

13. All entries in the medical record must be signed by the author. Federal law mandates that only the author can sign his/her entries in medical
records.

Abbreviation to Avoid	Intended Meaning	Misinterpretation	Correction
D/C	discharge discontinue	Premature discontinuation of medication (intended to mean discharge) especially when followed by a list of discharge medications.	Use "discharge" and "discontinue"
MgSO4	Magnesium sulfate	Morphine sulfate
MSO4	Morphine sulfate	Magnesium sulfate
MTX	Methotrexate	Mitoxantrone
ZnSO4	Zinc sulfate	Morphine sulfate
q.d. or QD	every day	Mistaken as q.i.d. especially if the period after the "q" or the tail of the "q" is misunderstood as an "I".	Use "daily" or "every day" If abbreviation is used, capitalize and avoid use of periods.
q.o.d. or QOD	every other day	Misinterpreted as "qd"(daily) or "qid" (four times daily) if the "o" is poorly written	Use "every other day". If abbreviation is used, capitalize and avoid use of periods.
U or u	units	Read as zero (0) or a four (4) causing a 10-fold overdose or greater (4U seen as "40" or 4u seen as "44").	Unit has no acceptable abbreviations. Use "unit".
IU	international units	Misread as IV (intravenous)	Use "units"
TIW	three times a week	Mistaken as "three times a day"	Spell out "three times a week"
AU	each ear	Mistaken for OU "each eye"
SS	sliding scale (insulin) mistaken	for "55"	Spell out "sliding scale"
Zero after decimal point 1.0 (trailing zero)	1 mg	Mistaken as 10 mg if the decimal point is not seen	Do not use trailing zero's
No zero before a decimal dose .5 mg (no leading zero)	0.5 mg	Misread as 5 mg	Always use zero before a decimal when the dose is less than a whole unit

LEARNING TIP FOR NEW MEDICAL ASSISTANTS AND NURSING STUDENTS: SEEK PRACTICE SCENARIOS for PRACTICE CHARTING (both medical office and phone call situations)!

Certified, or Not-Yet Certified Medical Assistants!

2010-11-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Certified, or Not-Yet certified medical assistants start here!

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Working as a Medical Assistant (Preferred!)

Are you a recent medical assistant school graduate or...

A medical assistant already working but not yet certified?
Does your diploma seem worthless without experience?
Do you have experience but no way to reliably document it?

Most employers demand
"We want CERTIFICATIONS before we hire!"

Medical assistant certification gives you recognized credentials and verification of your qualifications in various areas of the medical assisting discipline. When applying for medical assistant jobs these credentials are your "secret weapon", your ace in a hole, the sure thing that makes you stand out from the rest. As long as you keep your certification status active these credentials are valid, recognized, and portable to all places in the USA where you may live and seek work now and in the future.

Your Certification is Important!

Find out about Medical Assistant certification!

look here!
Get your information kit!