PCI Health Training Center is a private career college committed to meeting the educational challenges of men and women who are qualified and job-ready for employment in the healthcare industry. PCI’s Eligible Career Pathway program encompasses a unique opportunity for individuals looking to earn their high school diploma and enroll in a healthcare training program.
The institution originated in 1978 when Dr. Roy Rose founded the Academy for Medical and Dental Assistants.
The Academy received its initial accreditation in 1983. In 1990 the Academy was acquired by Prince Careers Inc. to become PCI Health Training Center and has been in operation under the direction of Mrs. Rhonda White.
As CEO Mrs. White has instilled the highest ideals of educational values in all departments which has led to continued success for over 29 years! In 2005 PCI opened a branch campus in Richardson, TX. PCI Health Training Center is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Colleges and Schools and is regulated and approved to offer academic programs by the Texas Workforce Commission.
When you start planning your career and future, is a college degree part of the equation? Do you believe that a college education is worth the time, effort and money involved or are you one of those that think a college degree is just a piece of paper that counts for little in the real world?
Over the years, the job market has changed drastically. As technology revolutionizes the world around us, employers today look for a certain level of expertise that can be guaranteed only through a college degree. As traditional classrooms give way to online education, the opportunities for education has increased, while companies and businesses have begun to leave training and certifications to colleges and universities instead of resorting to internal programs. Thus, applying even for an entry level job nowadays demands a certain level of qualification.
A college degree is always an advantage in today's job market. It is no secret that the numbers of jobs available for graduates with a college degree go more with attractive salary packages and benefits. Previously, jobs existed that did not demand a college education such as industrial jobs or those that required a specific trade or skilled labor. However, these same industries now need a smaller workforce because of technological advances and a college degree becomes a huge advantage for these jobs. And even if your career or job choice does not insist on a specialized college degree, employers often tend to seek a resume with a college degree over one with only a high school education.
Jobs seekers with a college degree earn higher salaries as seen in several surveys that indicate that the median salary of employees with a bachelor's degree is more than 60 percent higher than that of employees with a high school degree.
For those jobs that do not demand higher education there are often have fewer benefits. These jobs rarely provide health insurance or retirement benefits and affect long term financial security and the stability. The career growth is also hampered with a lack of a degree and when these same people have returned to school to complete their education, the difference in attitude by their employers is marked.
College students have a wide variety of options and specializations to choose from. Right from business degree programs with a scientific slant to graphic arts programs that include software technology, students are now aware of many subjects and fields that they never would have considered without going to college. Apart from the basic courses such as math, languages and sciences, electives are also required and students often take a course that appeals to them and may then find out that they in fact have a talent for the subject that can translate into a potential career. College education has also opened up a number of careers and fields that were not even heard of a few years ago. With the options, students now have a staggering array to choose from and a choice that appeals to both their interests and abilities.
It is true that colleges and universities of today carry a heavy price tag along with them but this should not discourage anyone from obtaining a college education. Remember, as the cost of tuition increases, so do the financial aid options available and students should explore all avenues of assistance to ensure that the college degree program becomes a part of their future. After all, along with increasing one's earning potential and promotion potential, the most important improvement occurs with one's self-image. A college education gives one a sense of accomplishment and confidence that may be just what is needed in your professional and personal life.
Online medical assistant programs can be hard to find, but why is this? Well, in all honesty, it's because a complete online medical assistant program does not exist. You can only learn so much information though a computer, or even through a book. There becomes a point at which you simply have to practice certain procedures in a classroom setting, so a professor or other professional can ensure you are doing everything right, and if you aren't, they can help you fix your problems. If you are going to be working with patients, and doing procedures on patients, you simply need to have practiced them before in a certified class.
However, there are some online medical assistant programs which allow people to read the lecture portions of a class online, through their computers. This is generally described as a "split class", or a "partial online class". For instance, when you sign up for a partial online class, you will see in the details that it requires a specified amount of internet hours per week. On top of that, you might have 1 or 2 class meetings per week, where you would practice what you have learned with the help of a professor.
These types of classes are becoming more and more popular nowadays. People are constantly busy with their jobs so they can simply earn a living, so being able to take a class whenever you find time is extremely convenient. In fact, you couldn't make something more convenient than that! However, it is important to note that taking a partial online class requires more responsibility on your part. You must keep up on your required reading or exercises, and that is not as easy as you might think. Procrastination can really take a huge toll on anyone who takes an online class, because they keep putting it off due to their busy lifestyle. This will certainly cause someone to fail a class, and even fail to get their goal of a certificate or degree.
Medical assisting is a great career to get into. As with many of the other healthcare professions, there are a lot of job opportunities and the field is growing faster than average so you can expect to continue to have lots of opportunities in the future. In order to get into this profession however you will need to complete a medical assistant training program. This will help prepare you for your responsibilities and also give you the qualifications that employers prefer applicants to have.
When you start to consider your options for a medical assisting program there are some things that you should look for. The first thing you want to do is go to the Council on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) website and check out which programs near you are accredited by CAAHEP. These programs are the best programs for medical assistant training, and they will prepare you to take the certification exam after you have finished your training, which will make you even more attractive to employers.
Once you have narrowed down your options a bit by figuring out which of the medical assistant training program options are accredited by CAAHEP, you need to decide which sort of program you would like to complete. A certificate program will get you through your training faster, but an associates degree program would give you a more thorough training and preparation for both your career and the certification exam you will want to take after completing the program. This type of degree probably also is more valued by most employers. Even an associates degree usually only takes about two years, so it is not all that long.
If you still have multiple options to choose from for a medical assistant training program, you can further narrow them down by looking more closely into the cost, the courses you would be taking, and the school itself to see which ones will best meet your needs. You might need to make you final need based on the cost, but also be sure to check out your financial aid options because a more expensive school could still be affordable if they will give you a good financial aid package.
Every time you turn on the news you hear about how the great recession may be ending--in every area, it seems, except for jobs. Banks are solvent, auto companies report increased sales, and the stock market is climbing. And yet you are either unemployed or dreaming of a better job. Is there any hope out there for hard-working people like you? Yes there is! One bright spot in the current employment situation is the health care industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the trend is long-term: "Health care will generate three million new wage and salary jobs between 2008 and 2018, more than any other industry."
What kinds of health care jobs are opening up? You might think that the growing health care jobs are only for highly-trained specialists like brain surgeons. Not true. The jobs that are being created are ones that you can be trained for in less time than you think. Many require a high school diploma or GED and one or two years of college or career school. These are job opportunities that can be within reach of people just like you. Here are some growing career fields:
Medical records and health information technicians. Today's busy hospital or doctor's office cannot function without accurate recordkeeping and information management. The offices rely on dedicated health care workers who may specialize in one aspect of health information, or who might supervise health information clerks and transcriptionists. Some medical records and health information technicians are responsible for coding patients' medical information for insurance purposes; they may also serve as cancer registrars who maintain facility, regional, and national databases of cancer patients.
How much training do you need? Medical records and health information technicians generally hold an associate degree from a community or career college. To make getting your college degree easier, many career schools offer flexible schedules for working adults, online programs, and even financial aid for those who are qualified. To get information about schools and what they offer, log onto a reputable online college directory and compare several programs. Then apply to the ones that meet your expectations.
Dental hygienists. Working under the supervision of a professional dentist, dental hygienists teach patients how to practice good oral hygiene, clean teeth, and provide a range of preventive dental therapies. They help patients look and feel better by examining patients' teeth and gums, recording the presence of diseases or abnormalities, and assisting the dentist when necessary.
These dedicated health care workers generally obtain a two-year associate degree or certificate. Many adult learners go to school while they are working a regular job or taking care of family. To make the process easier, most career schools offer financial aid to those who are qualified, and even job placement assistance.
Medical assistants. A vital part of any health care organization, medical assistants perform administrative tasks, arrange for hospital admissions and laboratory services, update and file patients' medical records, and fill out insurance forms. They also perform general administrative tasks including scheduling appointments, answering telephones, handling correspondence, and taking care of billing and bookkeeping.
Clinical medical assistants may take medical histories and record vital signs, explain treatment procedures to patients, assist physicians during examinations, and prepare patients for examinations.
What qualifications do you need for this rewarding career? Postsecondary medical assisting programs usually last either one year and result in a certificate or diploma, or two years and result in an associate degree. Programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges.
How do you begin? It's easier than you may think. Go online to a reputable college directory website. You can get free information about colleges and programs. Simply enter the search terms that are appropriate for you (such as "medical assistant, Chicago," or "online health degrees"). You'll get free information that you can use to compare programs, financial aid, and career development services. Choose the program and the school that is right for you and take the first steps towards changing your life and working toward a brighter future.
Healthcare is a demanding and rewarding profession. Substantial training programs or classes are necessary to receive certification.
Accelerated learning schools that offer a program in healthcare administration can help you to complete your training in a shorter amount of time so that you can enter the field more quickly.
Schools offering classes in healthcare administration prepare their students with applicable skills for the work environment. Students do not finish their education and wonder, "What do I do now?" (What does a person with a background in history go on to do? Most likely, something that doesn't involve history.) Studying healthcare administration will lead students straight into a career, prepared and eager to begin.
What does a healthcare administrator do?
Many people who work in hospitals are not doctors. There are administrators working hard to enable those doctors to do what they do best: help people heal and recover. Doctors may be the ones who administer medication and perform complicated surgeries, but there are many other qualified people working in hospitals to make these facilities run efficiently. Healthcare administrators manage the daily functionality of a hospital, whether it is limited to a certain department or encompasses the whole facility.
Healthcare administrators work in a fluctuating field. Procedures regularly change as technology advances and government regulations are enhanced for the patient's and healthcare provider's protection. Healthcare in the 21st century often involves more preventive care measures, which encourage change as well. Administrators evaluate current procedures and create methods for achieving objectives more efficiently.
Depending on the size of the facility, there may be several other administrators with the same job functions, so a collaborative work environment may be necessary. If there are many administrators with many assistants, there may be more general responsibilities that need to be tended to or more specialized interests to focus on. Community outreach and preventative care are big. At a smaller facility, a healthcare administrator may do more detailed work.
Generally, all administrators are responsible for the security of confidential records involving patients and staff. Administrators must be knowledgeable of the latest database software for healthcare, confident that the files they are maintaining are accurate, and aware of those who have permission to view those files.
While some healthcare administrators work during regular business hours, some are on call and work longer hours, like those working in nursing homes. If there are multiple facilities as a part of a larger system, an administrator may put more hours into a work day as well. The hours will depend on the size of the facility and the amount of personnel on staff.
What kind of education do you need to become a healthcare administrator?
Many entry-level healthcare administrators have certification in a field such as healthcare administration. Some organizations will hire a person if he or she has had significant job experience rather than certification, but this will vary from organization to organization. Most organizations will require administrators to attend a training program and complete certification before joining their staff.
An important aspect of being a healthcare administrator is possessing knowledge of management principles. You can learn these principles at various schools across the country offering the training program. As in many fields, there is fierce competition amongst those entering the healthcare profession, so the more experience you acquire, the more marketable you will be.