| In these days of economic uncertainty, career change | | | | procedures. Students also learn to sterilize instruments; |
| is a hot button issue. As baby boomers retire and | | | | prevent and control infection; and handle special drugs, |
| leave the work force, employers are concerned about | | | | solutions, supplies, and equipment. Most employers |
| the shortage of skilled workers. In addition, corporate | | | | prefer to hire certified technologists. |
| cost cutting, off-shoring, layoffs, and forced career | | | | Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides - There |
| changes leave many workers with difficult choices. | | | | were 126 accredited occupational therapist assistant |
| Gone are the days of one job and one employer for | | | | programs in 2007. The first year of study typically |
| life. Following a career path today can mean | | | | involves an introduction to health care, basic medical |
| maneuvering many twists and turns, setbacks, side | | | | terminology, anatomy, and physiology. In the second |
| roads, and blind alleys. Where is the roadmap to a new | | | | year, courses are more rigorous and usually include |
| career that provides enrichment, stability and growth | | | | occupational therapist courses in areas such as mental |
| potential? | | | | health, adult physical disabilities, gerontology, and |
| One of the best ways to ease some of the | | | | pediatrics. Students also must complete 16 weeks of |
| uncertainty and increase your marketability quotient is | | | | supervised fieldwork in a clinic or community setting. |
| to broaden your skill set. Since continuing education is | | | | Radiologic Technologists and Technicians - The Joint |
| often required to maintain licenses and certifications, | | | | Review Committee on Education in Radiologic |
| make those education hours do double duty. The right | | | | Technology accredits most formal training programs |
| training can mean more opportunities in your current | | | | for the field. The committee accredited more than 600 |
| field, and serve as a stepping stone to a new career. | | | | radiography programs in 2007. The programs provide |
| But which industries offer the best chance for job | | | | both classroom and clinical instruction in anatomy and |
| stability and advancement? | | | | physiology, patient care procedures, radiation physics, |
| It is predicted that expanding healthcare and | | | | radiation protection, principles of imaging, medical |
| healthcare-related industries will require many additional | | | | terminology, positioning of patients, medical ethics, |
| skilled workers in the coming decade. According to | | | | radiobiology, and pathology. |
| Forbes Magazine, "As well-heeled baby boomers age, | | | | Medical Assistants - Postsecondary medical assisting |
| look to the health care industry... (B)etween 2004 and | | | | programs are offered in vocational-technical high |
| 2014, seven of the 10 fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. | | | | schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and |
| will be in health care." In addition to careers directly | | | | community and junior colleges. Programs usually last |
| involved in patient care, demand for support | | | | either 1 year and result in a certificate or diploma, or 2 |
| professionals such as medical records and health | | | | years and result in an associate degree. Courses |
| information technicians, therapists, counselors, and | | | | cover anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, |
| medical transcriptionists will increase. | | | | as well as typing, transcription, recordkeeping, |
| A basic requirement for entry into almost any | | | | accounting, and insurance processing. Students learn |
| healthcare-related career is a command of medical | | | | laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic |
| terminology. The ability to recognize, understand, spell, | | | | procedures, pharmaceutical principles, the administration |
| and pronounce basic medical terms, identify medical | | | | of medications, and first aid. They also study office |
| abbreviations, and decipher unfamiliar words using | | | | practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics. |
| roots, suffixes and prefixes is a necessary tool to | | | | There are various organizations that accredit medical |
| perform well in any medical setting. Medical terminology | | | | assisting programs, and accredited programs often |
| courses are widely available in online, home study and | | | | include an internship that provides practical experience |
| instructor-led formats. Because medical technology | | | | in physicians' offices, hospitals, or other health care |
| advances rapidly, medical terminology evolves to keep | | | | facilities. |
| pace. To stay on top of new terminology, consider | | | | Court Reporters - Candidates for first level court |
| taking the course again if you've taken it in the past. | | | | reporting certification - the CVR - must pass a written |
| The Department of Labor database lists seven | | | | test of spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, legal and |
| nontraditional careers that require medical terminology: | | | | medical terminology and three 5-minute dictation and |
| Medical Transcriptionists - To understand and | | | | transcription examinations that test for speed, |
| accurately transcribe dictated reports, medical | | | | accuracy, and silence. |
| transcriptionists must understand medical terminology, | | | | In addition to these fields, many other professionals can |
| anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures, | | | | benefit from an understanding of medical terminology. |
| pharmacology, and treatment assessments. They also | | | | Lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal |
| must be able to translate medical jargon and | | | | professionals handling cases involving medical-related |
| abbreviations into their expanded forms. | | | | issues are better able to litigate these cases when |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians - | | | | they understand the terminology involved. Health |
| In addition to general education, coursework | | | | insurance professionals, as well as those working in |
| requirements for medical records and health | | | | medical billing and coding positions also benefit from a |
| information technicians includes medical terminology, | | | | working knowledge of medical terminology. |
| anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health | | | | Many agencies require certification in medical |
| information, health data standards, coding and | | | | terminology for pharmacy technicians. Professionals |
| abstraction of data, statistics, database management, | | | | and technicians of biology, dentistry, hospital |
| quality improvement methods, and computer science. | | | | administration and many others must properly utilize |
| Surgical Technologists - Surgical technologists receive | | | | medical terminology to communicate with patients, |
| their training in formal programs offered by community | | | | staff, customers and colleagues. Therapists, |
| and junior colleges, vocational schools, universities, | | | | technicians, counselors and home health care providers |
| hospitals, and the military. In 2006, the Commission on | | | | can improve communication, increase the quality of |
| Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs | | | | care to patients, and reduce oversights and liability |
| (CAAHEP) recognized more than 400 accredited | | | | issues with a clear understanding of medical |
| training programs. Programs last from 9 to 24 months | | | | terminology. |
| and lead to a certificate, diploma, or associate degree. | | | | A course in medical terminology is a widely accessible |
| Programs provide classroom education and | | | | means to broaden your skill set, boost your |
| supervised clinical experience. Students take courses in | | | | marketability, and increase opportunities for |
| anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, | | | | advancement in your current career while helping you |
| professional ethics, and medical terminology. Other | | | | map a route to exciting work in the healthcare industry. |
| topics covered include the care and safety of patients | | | | Doubling the value of your time and education leads to |
| during surgery, sterile techniques, and surgical | | | | better employment that will enrich your life. |