Healthcare is a specialized profession where interested individuals need to get certified before considering applying somewhere. And to get the certification, you first need to complete all educational requirements and then apply for your chosen certification program.
Getting a medical authorization is always the perfect option for aspiring students willing to pursue a career in the field of medicine. A certification program is unlike a regular four or five-year degree program. They usually require around six months to a maximum of three years to finish. An individual typically earns certification to guarantee their level of knowledge or skill in a specific field.
Acquiring a certificate in certain specialties is also a great way to improve your credentials. If you’re a licensed professional, an additional certificate may allow you to perform certain jobs which could mean an additional income for you. Mastering several skills and specialties has paved the way for many professionals to grow in their field and become experts that others can consult.
There are many new medical skills that you can acquire in a short period. You can dive into chiropractic, pharmacy, and behavioral practices and become specialist assistants to licensed experts. You may also try learning the novel birthing technique today, and become a birthing teacher to expectant mothers and have a certificate in hypnobirthing teacher training.
When you acquire a medical-related one, it shows that you have the qualifications required to perform tasks for a healthcare job. You can choose from thousands of available medical certification programs. However, all of them will allow you to take your career one step further to promote growth in the field. Today, in this article, we will share with you such options for certifications. They are listed as follows:
- EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
An EMT or emergency medical technician is a medical professional who has general medical skills training, which helps them provide patients with emergency medical care. They are often during emergencies such as accidents, fires, or natural disasters. Their duties can also include stabilizing emergency patients or transporting them to other medical facilities to attain further medical treatment.
You need to obtain a high school diploma or a GED first. Then follow it up by enrolling in an EMS certification program such as EMT-basic for which you can prepare by taking an EMT test prep course. There is also an availability of various online ems training programs that will provide you with the credentials needed to attain such a certificate. The average salary of an EMT technician is around 34,000 dollars per year. Besides working for a medical facility, EMTs can also work for the fire department, emergency services, or rescue teams.
EMTs, as first responders, are considered heroes on the job because they provide immediate care that could save the lives of those in distress.
- PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN
The nation health association (NHA) usually provides this medical certification. Medical professionals who obtain this certification can work as a nursing assistant. To become a patient care technician, you have to perform various tasks such as administering medicine, bathing and feeding patients, assisting with physical exams, and much more. You will also assist physicians with lab work and answer medical procedure-based questions asked by patients.
To enroll yourself in such a certification program, you need to complete graduation or have a high school diploma. The average pay of a patient care technician is around 32,000 dollars per year. It is the perfect stepping stone for individuals looking to kick start their healthcare careers.
Working as patient care technicians is one of the most flexible jobs out there. They can work in a clinical or administrative setting since they have a general knowledge of many procedures.
- EKG TECHNICIAN
An EKG technician is a healthcare professional who conducts EKG testing on patients. This kind of medical test determines whether patients have irregularities in their heart functions, leading to a heart attack. An EKG technician's responsibilities include providing explanations regarding the EKG test, checking their blood pressure, and assisting cardiologists by providing them with the test results.
To apply for such medical certification, you need to have a high-school medical diploma. When studying to obtain this certification, you will take part in patient interaction studies, which will enhance your communications skills. To increase your employment chances as an EKG technician, consider getting a year's experience as a nurse or an EMT. The expected salary for an EKG technician is around 35,000 dollars per year.
- NURSING ASSISTANT
As the certification's name, it is the nursing assistant's job to assist RNs and MDs with various tasks. These tasks include taking and writing down details about the vital signs of patients, helping with medical procedures, taking care of patients' hygiene, and much more. Healthcare professionals who want to obtain such certification should have 75 training hours and pass an oral and a skill-based exam.
To be eligible to apply for this certification, you should have a high-school medical diploma and be at least 18 years of age. After obtaining this certification, you can work at a hospital or a private clinic. The average salary of a nursing assistant is around 30,000 dollars per year.
Certified nursing assistants are sought after in the field of home care and have been in demand in many countries especially those with an aging population like the United Kingdom and United States, Germany, and Poland. Highly skilled nursing assistants are also needed not just by the aging population but also those with mobility challenges.
CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT
As a clinical medical assistant, your tasks include administering medication to patients, taking down their medical history, checking their vitals, and preparing medical examination rooms. These are the same duties that a patient care technician performs.
A high-school medical diploma is necessary to be eligible for this certification and previous healthcare experience. A clinical medical assistant can usually apply their trade in a private or public clinic. Their average salary is around 33,000 dollars per year.
A clinical medical assistant may often be seen in the doctor’s clinic attending to patient appointments and ensuring that the doctor’s files are up to date. A doctor’s success for the day heavily relies on the efficiency and organizational skills of a clinical medical assistant, which is why their job is crucial in the health sector.
THE FINAL WORDS
In the end, the first step you should take is to choose the medical certification that is of interest to you. After doing so, you need to go through all the requirements the medical certification requires to know whether you are eligible for it or not. If you have the eligibility, then enroll yourself into a certification program that you can complete in the given time frame. After you achieve your choice's medical certification, you can immensely increase your employment chances at a medical facility or clinical that pays you well. These certifications will offer you the growth in your medical career that you always wanted.
The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you in interpreting any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.
