Accreditation for a Career in Medical Transcription

Are you considering a career in the healthcare industry? If so, then medical transcription may be the ideal choice for you. With appropriate accreditation, you can have a lucrative experience that provides you a great deal of freedom while still helping others.

The history of this profession can be loosely traced by to cave writings depicting medical treatments. Since the early 1900’s, there has been an increased emphasis on maintaining comprehensive medical records involving patient care and doctor observations. If you become a medical transcriptionist, you will be responsible for listening to, and possibly reading medical professional reports, transforming the data into an organized, formatted document.

Though there are some medical transcriptionists who have not undergone formal training, these are often people who have worked in the industry for years and possibly decades. During that time, their knowledge and skills have developed and changed with the industry. However, if you do not have this type of experience, medical transcription accreditation is the way to go!

Most medical transcriptionists work as independent contractors, which provides you scheduling flexibility and work choices, even when your primary clients are on vacation or otherwise not in need of your services. Thanks to the Internet, you can also develop professional relationships with physicians in various locations. Keep in mind that medical lingo can vary, even if your potential client practices in another English speaking country.

Before you sign with any educational institution regarding your certification, you need to verify that the learning center itself has the appropriate credentials for instruction, strong ties with professional organizations and a good reputation with graduates of the medical transcription program.

You may choose to obtain basic certification through a six-month course. However, there are additional options including opportunities for you to earn your Associates Degree or more.

Verify the institutional accreditation; if missing from their website, it is unlikely accredited. For those that do, delve deeper into the matter by finding out which government and educational bodies have verified the coursework is appropriately designed and will prepare students for a successful and reputable independent career.

You can use these organizations, agencies and accreditations in your research:

* Department of Education
* Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
* North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
* Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
* New England Association of Schools and Colleges
* Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
* Middle States Commission on Higher Education
* Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (ADHI)
* Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS)
* Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS)
* Approval Committee for Certificate Programs (ACCP)
* Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

You can use this to obtain national and regional records of the medical transcription certifications are most recognized by the industry. You are likely to discover more specific degree choices as you peruse these sites.

A worthwhile medical transcription certification or degree will provide you with ample courses that allow you to perfect your keyboarding skills so that you have virtually perfect accuracy while delivering the content rapidly. Additional components should include a comprehensive study of the computer applications relevant to your profession. Since much of the work is often exchanged and performed via computers and the Internet, it is vital that you have the training and knowledge to perform your job flawlessly, including using state-of-the-art advancements that allow the transcriptionist to use foot pedals and software designed specifically for medical transcriptionist use.

The other vital aspect of coursework is the understanding of medical terminology as it relates to anatomy.

You can have a fulfilling and flexible career by obtaining the proper certifications and taking continuing education classes to ensure that you stay abreast of industry developments.

About the Author

Jonathan Leger is a freelance journalist with a deep interest in holistic medicine and homeopathic care. If you’re ever in Ashveille, North Carolina, he suggests you visit AshevilleMassageByBrie.com.

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5 Great Ways To Test Your Fitness

Physical fitness refers to a state of the body which is able to function normally when subjected to highly or moderately strenuous body activities. A body that is physically fit is often able to endure long hours of engaging in vigorous training or any strenuous activities such as running and lifting heavy objects. When you are physically fit, you tend to manage any kind of reasonable stressful activity. Suppose you have been training for many months but you hardly know whether you are physically fit or not, how can you ascertain your body’s level of physical fitness? The following five tips to test your fitness will prove to be beneficial in this area.

How To Test The Fitness Of The Upper Body

First of all, you have to ascertain what you are testing. In other words, you need to know which part of the body you are testing for fitness. For example, testing the body for upper strength is often achieved by doing pushups. The number of pushups that you will be able to endure within a certain time frame will determine your upper body strength. This activity is meant for examining the strength that lies in the shoulders, triceps and chest.

Have A Timer

For most of the test methods that involve the testing of the body’s endurance abilities, it is often advisable to use a timer. You can use any reliable stop watch to accurately calculate your ability to endure a certain physical exercise. For example, you can use a timer when testing the strength of the upper muscles through the use of the pushup method. If setting and monitoring the time is not easy for you, try to seek help from another person.

Testing The Fitness Of The Core Muscles (Located In The Abdominal Plank)

Core muscles are a group of muscles that are mainly responsible for stabilizing various body parts such as the abdomen, internal obliques and the glutes. In general, the core muscles are particularly localized in the torso. To ascertain the fitness of the abdominal plank, you need to assume the position for doing press ups. But, this time remain stagnant in that position while distributing your body weight between the shoulders and keeping the legs apart. The distance between the legs is supposed to be as long as the width of the waist or slightly more. Otherwise, your fitness test results will be inaccurate.

Testing The Pull

The pull is not often regarded as an important way to test for the body’s upper strength. But, it is an important method that you can substitute for the push up method. This method is used to ascertain the strength of the latissimi dorsi which are commonly referred to as the lats. These are the large muscles that are found in the back of the upper body. They spread out to the sides of the upper body.

Testing The Lower Body Strength

Once you have managed to ascertain your upper body strength, you can proceed to determine your lower body strength. This is usually far easier than it is when testing the upper body strength. To ascertain the endurance levels of the muscles in the legs, you can use a simple technique which is a replica of sitting on a chair. However, you have to be sitting in the air this time around. While in that position, try to endure for as long as you can. Using a timer, you can determine the endurance of your lower muscles. Running or walking as fast as possible is another perfect way to determine the strength that lies in the lower muscles.

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5 Tips For Medical Professionals

If you want to become the top dog in any field, including the medical field, you should follow these 5 simple tips to make the most of your career as a medical professional. Getting a degree is only half the battle. In your medical career you will need to go through training, certification, ongoing education, and hours of hard work and dedication.

Follow the Code of Medical Ethics

The code of conduct of a medical professional is vital in providing professional medical care to individuals. Following the code of medical ethics improves patient care and the health of patients. Proper execution of duties and responsibilities, maintenance of medical records, issuing authorized drugs and providing quality assurances in patient care are essential ethics of a successful medical professional.

Build Knowledge and Expertise

Focus on gaining knowledge and becoming certified in your field. Whether you are pursing a medical degree, becoming a pharmacy technician, training to be a nurse, becoming a certified medical professional signifies your field of study. If you aim to be a successful medical professional, you should maintain persistent knowledge in the area. You must also keep yourself abreast with medical advancements and new innovations in the field.

Manage Patient Relationships

Medicine is not only a job but also a service to the community. The social attitude towards your patient contributes to their stress levels and emotional status. Good bedside manner involves comforting and reassuring patients while maintaining professionalism and honesty. Be aware of your body language, tone of voice, volume, gestures, presence, attire, and honesty. Poor bedside manner can lead to a patient feeling stressed, worried, sad, and frightened. Managing patient relationships becomes especially difficult when trying to communicate unfavorable news to a patient while trying to keep them calm.

Use Social Media Accounts Cautiously

This applies to doctors, physicians and other medical professionals. It is critical that you set appropriate boundaries when you use online social media accounts. Medical professionals must be cautious when they connect with their patients and clients on these platforms. Use these platforms to provide public information instead of private information. Provide valuable content and spark meaningful conversations and comments. Take advantage of this opportunity to provide your expert opinion and show of your expertise.

Focus on Determination and Consistency

Rome was not built in a day! Dedicate yourself to your profession. Your determination to be the best and consistent hard work will lead to a successful career. You must devote yourself to the field and must serve with selflessness and a positive attitude to gain experience. Your experience adds to your personality as a medical professional.

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5 Things To Consider While Pursuing a Medical Career

Getting a degree or certification is an important step in pursuing career, but getting the right degree or certification is more important. There are a plethora of fields in which one can enter from engineering or architecture, medicine or hospitality and every field requires in-depth Desire, Direction and Determination. Let’s dive into the things to consider when you pick a career in the medical field.

1. Find Motivation

A desire for work without motivation soon fades away. You must find purpose in what you are doing. There are two types of motivations Internal and External, both of which support you to continue with your passion and grow in it. Try answering these questions to better understand why you want to pursue a career in the medical field before you make your decision. Is it the desire to serve mankind? Or the lucrative job opportunities? Or is it because nothing else interests you much? Whatever the reason, you must figure it out and work accordingly.

2. Understand The Job Profile

Whether you decide to be a physician, a nutritionist, a cardiologist or a neurosurgeon every job profile demands commitment and passion. More importantly, there are some other aspects of each and every specialized field that an individual needs to fulfill for better performance in the respective field.
A nutritionist cannot perform well if he or she has no affinity towards food or does not have sufficient knowledge of food and healthy eating habits. So to become one you need to be a food and nutrition enthusiast. Similarly, other medical fields require around the clock service and ability to work under pressure. It is important to understand whether or not you are the right fit for the job and that the job is the right fit for you.

3. Learn How To Become a Medical Professional

Analyzing and identifying the best colleges or training programs is essential to get yourself a good medical professional degree. You must seek help from people already in the field who can guide you throughout the process. The internet is always at your service, you can get help online regarding advice and information.

4. Look Into The Work Environment

There are numerous job opportunities for a medical professional enthusiast, but before you make your decisions you need to see where you are the most comfortable. Doctors, physicians and other medical personnel are needed in military, public and private firms. It’s up to you to decide where you want to serve and how you want to serve. You can select the zone of your service depending upon the remuneration and incentives offered or your ease of service in the field.

5. Work Life Balance

Medical careers are lucrative but at the same time some of the career paths demand consistent efforts and around the clock service. It becomes one’s moral duty to serve long hours and to be on point whenever you are called to work. A dying patient cannot wait for the clock to strike 8:00 am and it is the medical professional’s duty to be ready for anything at any time. If you decide to pursue a medical professional career, you need to be mentally prepared for the role you are supposed to perform and its expectations.

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MedPreps Internship Opportunity

To all aspiring medical professionals, healthcare providers, and educators:  MedPreps is now accepting applications for its 2011 summer internship program!  The intern position will be an integral part of the MedPreps team, assisting in content development and medical research.  The candidate should:

• Be studying for a degree in pre-medical studies, physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, education, or related fields
• Be a motivated and independent worker
• Have at least a 3.4 GPA from a top univiersity

The position is full-time for approximately 12 weeks, and includes very competitive pay.  Please submit your resume to medpreps@gmail.com with "Intern Applicant" in the subject line.  Applications will be accepted through April 21, 2011.

Pharmacy Technician Top Career for 2011

#5 - Pharmacy Technician
Training Time: About 6 months

A pharmacy technician certification program or on-the-job training can prepare you for this in-demand job in as little as 6 months. While program length and content may vary by school, most cover medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmaceutical calculations and techniques, and pharmacy law and ethics.

Job Growth: With the growing number of middle-aged and elderly people - who use more prescription drugs than younger people - the pharmacy technician field will see significant growth. In fact, the Department of Labor expects job growth to increase by 25 percent over the 2008-2018 timeframe.
Responsibilities: As a pharmacy technician, your duties will include receiving prescription requests, counting tablets, labeling bottles, and sometimes measuring and mixing medications for the pharmacist to check before they are given to the patient. This is an important, precise job - details are sometimes a matter of life and death.
Salary: Pharmacy technicians earn an average hourly wage of $13.32, though the highest 10 percent averaged at more than $18.98 in May 2008. Certified technicians may earn more than non-certified technicians.

Take the PTCB Pharm Techs and start off 2011 right!

See the complete list of top careers here.

New PTCB Calculations Only Option

We have heard plenty of gripes from pharmacy technicians about the PTCB calculations section.  Where to get practice, how to score higher, how to do better, generally how to beat this section of the test.  Thus, MedPreps responded with a calculations only option, where you can practice this section of the PTCB until your heart is content.  Now there is nothing standing in your way, go get certified!