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If you’re looking for a new career opportunity, we may have something for you. Have you ever thought about teaching medical coding and billing? Some people teach because they have a passion to help others learn and some people teach because they want to pay forward the same opportunity others provided them. Whatever your reason […]
The post AAPC Social Hour: Becoming a Licensed Educator appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.
Take a longtime coder’s advice for how to ignite (or reignite) your love of medical coding. Whether you are just starting out in medical coding or have been at it for a long time, you know that careers (much like relationships) require a lot of work. Maybe you’ve been coding for a long time and […]
The post 4 Tips For Becoming A Medical Coder appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.
I am curious, how many years of coding experience did you have before becoming an Auditor and passing the CPMA exam? I am currently a Coder and want to take the exam, however, I was wondering if it is possible to shadow someone already in the profession to see what a typical day looks like. I hear there is absolutely no coding involved. I don’t know if that is possible or not to shadow someone, but will look into it. 
Think outside of the medical coding box to be a subject matter expert. Being a certified medical coder is an accomplishment. We see from AAPC’s 2017 Salary Survey that multiple credentials are in demand and can be very lucrative. Factors such as location, demographics, experience, demand, and specific credentials affect where and how you can […]
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A Medical Lab Technician is usually involved in procedurally performing laboratory tests to ascertain the conditions of the patient(s) as authorized by the Doctor and giving the feedback of test results. They are at a position to prepare the specimens of blood and other body fluids for testing and analysis or they may carry out simple automated tests under strict guidelines. You need to find how to become one? On this page you find the fundamental tips and qualifications that are necessary for you to become a medical technician.
The number one tip of becoming a Medical Technician is to like the career. This calls for not only being interested in becoming a Medical Technician because it is a well paying job or because someone is already one, but because you are prepared to handle all the complexities involved in it. A will to handle the blood samples, stool, urine and other fluids from the human body are a necessity in this profession. It is by these fluids and other tests that the Medical Laboratory Technician is able to detect drugs in the blood, tell the blood group, bacteria, parasites, microorganisms and chemicals in the samples.
Another tip is: do what you can do best, pursue Medical Technician if you find the career self satisfying. Self search yourself and find if you will cope with Medical regulations, working with a number of equipments to analyze samples taken, handling digital based equipments such as cell counters and practicing keenness in analyzing of the results.
Now, having seen the tips, what are the qualifications for becoming a medical technician? In order for you to become a medical lab technician, you will need to meet the following minimum qualifications: be in a possession of an Associate or Bachelor degree in Lab Science or be in possession of an Accredited Medical Lab Certificate. On the other hand, the individual may be required to have an equivalent education and experience qualifications as defined by ASCP in order to be eligible for the MLT/MT category. Basically, having a formal training in Medical Lab from a state recognized institution.
Author – Pankaj Gupta
A phlebotomist is one who draws blood from the veins of patients for sampling or collection. Being a key part of the medical assistance team, he belongs to the medical profession, so to speak. His primary duties include blood taking, proper handling of human blood, and precisely cataloging blood samples for laboratory testing. Those are just the basic responsibilities of a phlebotomist. Although it may seem like a simple wayfaring in the world of health care, there is actually more to it than it is sometimes described.
Just as doctors and nurses put in mind the best for their patients, so do phlebotomists in terms of carefulness in drawing blood. They see to it that the patients aren’t harmed or don’t feel pain while undergoing the process. They make sure the blood is taken correctly or else the sampling would be useless. Doctors’ orders and directions should be followed at all times as well. Doing anything rash and outside the doctor’s mandates may result to termination.
One other responsibility is to make sure the blood samples reach the right laboratory. They are in charge of the transportation of the samples from where they were taken to the laboratory site. Knowing when and where the fluid samples are needed is very important. In some cases, attending medical professionals would authorize the phlebotomist to perform simple blood processes under their supervision. It is always best to have knowledge of the blood sampling systems so it could be a help in such situations.
Because of the nature of the job, a phlebotomist is prone to blood borne diseases. The level of cautionary measures they use at work should also be with regards to their own safety. Since they are directly exposed to the blood samples they draw on a regular basis, they are at a high risk of taking in contaminants. It is their responsibility to stay safe and take extra care while at work.
Start your phlebotomy training today. Visit us now at for more informaiton on how to become a phlebotomy technician.
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Finding the right career path for you is only a matter of figuring out what kind of setting you will enjoy going to each morning to make a living. One great career path is that of a medical assistant.
A medical assistant performs administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of a physician or other healthcare practitioner. He or she may be responsible for either clinical or administrative tasks, or even a combination of the two.
Whether the person in this position performs only administrative tasks, only clinical tasks, or both often depends upon the size of the practice in which he or she works. In larger practices, people in this position tend to specialize in one specific area, while those in smaller practices can do just about everything.
In the year 2008, the United States had on record 484,000 employees who held the title of medical assistant. These individuals do not typically have any type of formal education or training requirements, although most have a high school diploma.
Most in this particular position will receive only on-the-job training while others complete a one to two year formal program. As stated, this position does not require any type of certification, but when applying for employment, a certification indicates that one is experienced and has received formal training.
This extra bit of training on their resume may lead to better employment opportunities and a higher pay rate. Certification is available from several different professional organizations across the country.
There are two types of educational programs available to aspiring assistants. Some schools offer a one-year certificate, or you may complete a two-year associate’s degree from an accredited school.
The coursework for this particular position will include healthcare terminology, math and science, first aid, healthcare billing, and more. One may also become certified in a specific healthcare specialty, such as obstetrics or podiatry.
After completing the program, individuals can sign up to take the certification exam to become certified. The course is offered three times per year by the American Association of Medical Assistants.
The certification licensure must be renewed every five years. Some employers do not require the certification, but certified assistants will typically have more job options than those who are not certified.
Some individuals choose to further their education in order to move into other healthcare careers. For example, some go on to become a nurse or pre-med students get certified just to get some basic experience in the field.
Those who prefer administrative duties may advance into other positions without going back to school, like becoming an office manager. On a typical day a medical assistant’s tasks might include answering phones and scheduling appointments, and recording information, such as healthcare histories, vital signs, and lab test results in records.
They prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, interview patients and taking vital signs, and administer medications under a doctor’s supervision. They are also responsible for cleaning and sterilizing instruments, disposing of contaminated supplies, and collecting laboratory specimens, including blood and tissue.
Most people in this position will work about 40 hours a week, five days a week. This, of course, is dependent on the office they work in and what their operating hours are.
Because of the nature of the position, this person should be polite and pleasant and have good communication skills. Medical assisting is the most versatile of the allied healthcare professions because they are trained in both clinical tasks, which involve patient care and administrative tasks.
Certified assistants are qualified to work in most medical offices, so there are many options for employment. Individuals in this position are not limited to a particular healthcare specialty.
Becoming an assistant is a relatively easy process compared to some of the other allied roles. This means that it would be a great way to determine if you would want to become a nurse or a doctor and continue your training further.
On the other side of the coin, this career is not the most lucrative of the allied healthcare professions. In addition, you are somewhat limited in terms of climbing up the ladder unless you are willing to get more education.
Tommy Greene is a certified CNA and has worked in health care for the past 15 years. He has great advice on CNA Training Utah and what it takes to jump start your career.
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Tommy Greene
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