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Medical Jobs That Require a Four-Year Degree

Medical Jobs That Require a Four-Year Degree

The standard medical school curriculum in the U.S should complete in four years. The first two years in the traditional schedule comprise of basic classroom science education while the last two years will mostly include rotations in the clinical settings where the students learn firsthand patient care. Registered nurses (RNs) in any specialty or work settings perform some tasks. They do the following:

  • Help or engage in treatment
  • Educate the patients and public about different medical conditions
  • Provide emotional support and advice to family members of patients

Registers nurses must do the following:

  • Record symptoms and medical histories of patients
  • Help to perform diagnostic tests and result in analysis

 

  • Operate medical machinery

 

  • Administer treatment and medications
  • Help to follow-up patient care and rehabilitation

A good thing about nursing is that it has many opportunities for everyone for everyone beginning with those who have a four-year bachelor's degree. A nursing job is a place even for those with an associate degree or when a master's or doctoral degree seems to be beyond reach. There are many jobs in healthcare for people holding or intending to pursue a 4-year degree. Some of the jobs in nursing might require licensure testing, certification or on the job training but they start with a bachelor's degree.

Physician assistant

Physical assistants (PAs) are medical professionals who practice medicine but work under the supervision of doctors and surgeons. PAs are different from medical assistants whose work is to perform routine clerical and clinical tasks. PAs go through formal training to provide diagnosis, therapy and preventive health care service according to instructions by a physician. They work as members of a healthcare team to take medical histories, order and interpret laboratory tests or x-rays. They also examine, diagnose and treat patients. PAs can also treat minor injuries, record progress notes, order or perform therapy, instruct and counsel the patients.

Some states of the US allow physician assistants to prescribe some medications. A PA at some establishments performs managerial duties like supervising technicians, assistants, ordering medical equipment and supplies.

Medical and health services manager

Healthcare is business like others and requires proper management to maintain smooth running. Medical and health services managers’ occupation has all the individuals with a role to plan, coordinate, direct and supervises the delivery of healthcare. These managers include generalists and specialists. Specialists are the people in charge of particular clinical services or departments. Generalists manage or help in managing a full system or facility.

Health educator

Health educators encourage wellness and healthier lifestyles by providing education about behaviors that promote healthy living and prevent diseases or other health problems. They educate individuals and communities.

Health educators try to avoid illnesses by providing education on health-related topics such as the importance of exercise, proper nutrition, avoiding STIs and habits that are necessary for preventing disease. They start to be assessing the needs of the audience to determine the best topics and best way of presenting information. They can have different programs for women at risk of breast cancer, college students who may engage in binge drinking and the elderly with chronic diseases. Health educators consider the cultural norms and other belief by the audience to make much impact.

Job prospects for the health educators favor those with bachelor's degrees, but those with experience through an internship or volunteer jobs have an advantage.

Recreational therapist

A recreational therapist or a therapeutic recreation specialist provides treatment and recreation services to patients with illnesses or disabilities. Therapists help clients to reduce depression, stress, and recover basic motor functioning and ability to reason. They also help people to build confidence, socialize well to enjoy more independence and reduce or eliminate effects caused by sickness or disability.

Recreation therapists experience competition for jobs buts prospects is bright for holders of a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation or another course in the same field. Employment opportunities are more for the therapist who acquire special certifications in areas such as crisis intervention, aquatic therapy and medication.

The above five jobs medical jobs that require a four-year degree and still have a large number of openings are also rewarding careers because the professionals directly contribute to improving lives.

Online  Medical  Transcription  Training

Online Medical Transcription Training

Medical transcription also MT is manual processing of voice reports that other physicians and healthcare professionals dictate in text format. Healthcare providers will voice-record notes while transcriptionists convert these voice files to text in digital forms. Demand for electronic data is increasing because of the required compliance with electronic health record (EHR) and Health IT initiatives. Healthcare providers sometimes use voice streaming to voice files that they need to reach the MT department immediately.

Employers of the medical transcriptionists look for people proficient individuals with proper training. Medical transcriptionists should have excellent comprehension of:

  • Medical terminology
  • Computer training
  • A background in transcribing medical dictation
  • English grammar and punctuation

Employers prefer hiring certified medical transcriptionists. Training for medical transcription can take place online taking 6-9 months for a certification program. Those who want to earn an Associate degree in applied science in medical transcription will study for two years.

Curriculum of Online Medical Transcription Training

Students of online medical transcription classes learn to create a medical report for use at various healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, and other facilities. Many online programs in MT field target to help students to develop the right skills for the industry. It might include the use of online simulators, access to dictation and editing exercises.

Medical transcription will be difficult for someone who does not understand the basics of the medicine world. Training programs solve this challenge by teaching these subjects to their students:

  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Medical terminology
  • Medical reporting
  • Electronic health records
  • Using different types of medical reference books

Online courses cover various topics that help students to master medical transcription. Some of the courses in online medical transcription training are:

  • Discharge summaries
  • Operative and autopsy reports
  • Producing medical reports and documents
  • Diagnosing imaging studies

Online programs today have become extremely comprehensive, and students can find those that also teach medical law and ethics, health science, communication, pharmacology, and medical terminology.

Licensing

Students should start by reviewing the certification or licensing requirements for the state where they operate as there might be some differences. The state professional licensing board or another regulatory body in a region where a learner intends to work can provide licensure information.

Online Medical Transcription Training Programs

Different online educational programs offer opportunities for medical transcription training.

  • These are the major programs for online training.
  • Associate's degree in Applied Science in medical transcription
  • Professional medical transcriptionist program
  • Medical transcriptionist certificate

Most of the people who go into medical transcription decide to attend a community college that offers an associate degree in applied science (medical transcription). It takes one to two years to learn the educational background with an emphasis on the medical transcription. At the end of the program, students sit for an RMT examination from AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity).

Certification of Online Medical Transcription Training

All online medical transcription training programs prepare students to take certification exams.

Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT)

RMT is the first level of certification for beginning transcribers with knowledge on transcribing dictation from a health professional but might need help for words or phrases that are inconsistent or lack clarity. Students must take a registered medical transcriptionist exam to test their professional skills before they begin practicing. The examination has more than a 100 multiple choice question focusing on transcription standards, styles, body systems, and clinical medicine terminology.

Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT)

CMT certification is for transcriptionists with RMT after they gain experience by practicing for 3-5 years as medical transcribers in multi-practice setting or acute care. They earn the second level after passing the CMT exam which has over 100 questions testing on various areas transcription, medicine and anatomy terminology and transcribing. Employers hire transcribers with certification with any of the two certification credentials depending on their needs.

Students who plan to pursue online medical transcription training should determine the scheduling requirements. Some of the institutions allow students to set their course schedules after fixing the end date for completing assignments and submitting tests. Other stream class conferences or video lectures by webcam at set schedules that all students should attend at the same time.

Many transcription programs make arrangements for internship or externship to enable students to gain hands-on transcription practice. Students who show proficiency and mastery of keyboarding skills usually get externship opportunities for transcription training from affiliated companies.

The  Highest  Rated  Medical  Transcription  Schools  in  the  US

The Highest Rated Medical Transcription Schools in the US

Medical transcriptionists are the professionals responsible for transcribing dictated recordings from healthcare professionals including doctors to create documents for patient fields. These documents can be medical, administrative or for other essential records. There are many transcription schools, but the best for medical professionals are those specializing in training professionals in this field. There are many communities and technical colleges that teach medical transcription to students on campus or online educational programs.

The highest rated among the many are those with remarkable graduation rates, successful alumni in the job market and student satisfaction. Opinion of experts is also another vital criterion to consider when choosing the top medical transcription schools. The highest rated medical transcription schools in the US at this time are:

1.Everett Community College

Everett community college has programs in medical transcription and editing through the health science division. It is an online program that uses written materials and custom software to enable students to train from their homes or any other place with internet access. It allows students to work and study. Everett community college medical transcription program is one of the high rates has full accreditation and among the highest rated in the country. Students can join at the beginning of an academic quarter on a full or part-time basis provided that they complete 43 credits.

2.Metropolitan Community

College An accredited program at Metropolitan Community College offers an accredited program to enable the students earns an associate of applied science degree (health information management systems) with an emphasis in medical transcription. The college offers a medical transcription program at the main campus in Omaha, Nebraska and also online. It is a fully accredited program that is among the best in the US. The program requires students to complete the study in two years. They should complete 44.5 credits in the health information management, 27 credits general education and an internship. Students can after completing their degree program take a certification examination by AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity) to qualify to be registered medical transcriptionists.

3.Delta College

Delta College is in University Center Michigan and offers a Medical Office Professions program including a famous one year certificate in the medical transcription. AHDI certifies the students who complete the program, pass specific written and practical examinations to be certified medical transcriptionists.

Medical transcription program at Delta College is comprehensive as it requires students to complete classes in:

    • Medical terminology
    • Anatomy and physiology
    • Medical college pharmacology
    • Legal aspects of the Healthcare system
  • Medical pharmacology
  • Document processing
  • Time management
  • Medical transcription
  • Business communication

4.GateWay Community College

This community college offers one of the top online medical transcription programs leading to an Associate degree in Applied Sciences. The program emphasizes the study of these subjects:

  • Study of anatomy and physiology
  • Medications
  • Surgical procedures
  • Diagnostic tests
  • Therapeutic procedures
  • Legal issues in healthcare management

Students who apply to enroll must produce a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation card from health care provider and earn at least a grade C in all the courses within the program for them to graduate.

5.California State University (CSU)

CSU, one of the top regional colleges in the West with a continuing education department offers more than 50 programs. An online medical transcription course leading to a certificate is one of the classes at CSU. A professional with decades of experience in professional transcription teaches and leads the instruction team. Students study medical terminology about systems of the body and infectious diseases. Instructors use audio recordings of speakers from different states to develop the transcription skills.

Medical transcription course programs are for the people who have an interest in working the medical field as medical transcriptionists or editors. Certification is necessary for qualification to work in the medical transcription field. The program should include a real-world practical experience to provide learners with practical skills that they require become excellent transcribers. Many healthcare providers outsource their transcription work to healthcare documentation companies that in turn hire professionals to transcribe and edit in an online virtual work environment.

What  to  Expect  During  Nursing  School

What to Expect During Nursing School

Nursing school can shock many students in the first days because their experience will be different from high school. It is even more complicated due to meeting new people and maybe living further from home for those attending on-campus classes. It takes time for many students to adjust because the activities are different from what students expect.

Things to Expect During Nursing School

These are realities that entrants to nursing school should expect.

Orientation is the first activity

Most nursing schools require students to begin with orientation before starting classes. It is during orientation that they will receive a student handbook that has information on classes, supplies, dress code and other school rules. The wise thing is to use the time before classes studying the manual because it is impossible to comprehend everything on the first day. Nursing school orientation also provides an opportunity for meeting other students. An introduction and making friends with classmates is essential as buddies are essential in the future.

Clinical rotations do not start immediately

Some nursing school might begin offering clinical rotations earlier, but most will not begin until the second semester. They decide to allow students time for settling into classes and rhythms or nursing school before the hectic although thrilling encounters with patients. Hands-on work is essential for students nurse, but the knowledge base and building confidence is vital before the students can fit into rotations. The first semester is still busy as students learn the basics and take the concept courses to learn the basics of the nursing profession in lecture format. This approach enables students to gain a firm foundation, learn medical terminology and learn how theory will apply to nurse practice. There will be much reading and memorization.

Much coursework workload

There is much to learn and read for an accelerated or regular BSN degree program as nursing requires expertise because nurses must know many things such as basic math, English, pharmacology, and anatomy. The intensity of subjects and workload can make nursing school to be very challenging but is worth the effort. Learning much as possible will make nursing to be a rewarding career.

It is important to create a personal timetable that space out the tasks to avoid overwhelming. Reading in nursing is impotent but it is essential to revise and study topics that lecturers teach because these are the areas where they get exam questions. A study group helps to increase motivation for studying and filling the knowledge gaps.

Clinical assignments

Clinical rotation and relating assignments for any nursing are almost always about hands-on aspects and skill development in the field. The clinical portion of coursework is the time for practicing direct patient-centered care and conducting specific laboratory work. Nursing schools at this time assign students to medical facilities for them to gain experience in caring for patients who need nursing and medical help. The students gain hands-on experience by going for clinical assign at various healthcare facilities including:

  • Hospitals
  • Community health centers
  • Hospice and long-term care facilities
  • Doctors' offices
  • Home care facilities

It is during a clinical assignment that students should expect to go for rotations, practice lab procedures, shadow medical care professionals in the department and engage in the essential role of patient care. The magnitude of class and practical work at this time can overwhelm the nurses. A prudent step is to write a list of must do and like to do tasks. Students will balance their responsibilities by tackling things in the order of priority and ticking complete work till the last. It is the time to forgo some optional activities like seeing friends or partying.

Graduation requirements the requirement for knowledge base and skills might vary between nursing school and degree, but the difference is minimal. The faculty approves graduation for those who past their exams and also demonstrate their ability to:

  • Design, manage and coordinate care
  • Practice professional holistic nursing
  • Apply knowledge from education (theory, sciences, research, and practice) to professional nursing practice
  • Communicate and collaborate with medical professionals, patients and families.
  • Demonstrate leadership and management skills by utilizing critical thinking, ethics, and evidence-based practice
  • Use quality improvement and evidence-based practices to practice safe, appropriate, high-quality patient care.

One of the many things to expect during nursing school life is a busy schedule with much workload. A student should avoid trying to be perfectionists in everything or getting the highest grades all the time. They should instead focus growing knowledge, skill base and gaining clinical experience.

Course  Objectives  for  Nursing  Informatics

Course Objectives for Nursing Informatics

Nursing informatics according to the American Nurses Association (ANA) is an integration of nursing, computers and information sciences. The integration helps in providing better service to patients while assisting nurses and other providers to make timely and effective decisions because records are easy to access from different points. The designation of nursing informatics as specialty practice by ANA was in 1992. ANA developed a certification process that it first introduced in 1995.

Course objectives for nursing informatics

Various courses have objectives that motivate students to make a choice. These are the objectives of informatics.

1.Introducing theories of informatics

Students studying nursing informatics course begin by learning the theories behind it. Theory studies cover the human and computer interface components, ethics in nursing informatics, confidentiality, privacy, and ergonomics. The students will also study and learn about their role in patient care and the way of applying nursing informatics theory to the nursing practice.

2.Training students on applying technology to the nursing practice

Students who study nursing informatics also need to understand the way of applying technology efficiently to nursing practice. The course provides an opportunity for students to learn technologies they can use in numerous situations. The students also learn the best way to apply them for management as well as communication of various types of data and information. Students also learn the way of using data principles and documenting information appropriately within computer applications specifically designed for nursing and healthcare administration.

3.Developing competency plans

Another course objective of nursing informatics is to provide nurses with a solid background in nursing informatics theory and technological application. The trainees also gain hands-on experience in customizing professional development plans. The purpose of competency planning is to meet personal preferences matching the needs of healthcare providers while aligning the competency plan to the requirements of the patients and staff. Students can also use the knowledge from the coursework to create educational development plans for clients. This process involves exploring the use of IT to document data, network, collaborate and make universal decisions. A close collaboration helps to develop an informatics plan that meets information needs in a specific environment. This can be a case study or a real-world scenario depending on specific course requirements.

4.Enhancing patient participation

Nursing informatics students learn how to collaborate with their patients with electronic access to their health history and recommendations. Patients who can access their records feel empowered to play more roles in the patient care and take it more seriously. Learners learn how to develop and run informatics care portals that their patients can access to track symptoms and medications.

5.Improving healthcare coordination

A nursing informatics course teaches enables nurses to know of ways they can use to interact with other nurses and doctors are simpler ways which yield better outcomes. Much specialization is taking part in healthcare, and most patients are receiving care from different specialists even in one hospital stay. An increase in specialization requires more coordination and informatics provides the way forward. One patient may have a different conversation with various professionals and care might suffer due to problems that arise when decisions for failing to make decisions in tandem. Health informatics helps to facilitate the necessary coordination for implementation of instruction from different specialists.

Other course objectives for nursing informatics

Nursing informatics course also intends to provide learners with an opportunity to:

  • Explore dynamics of combining computer technology and nursing practice
  • Apply principles of data and information documentation to select computer applications
  • Play a role in evolution and implementation of mHealth, eHealth, AI, and decision support systems.
  • Explore the use of computer technology for documenting, networking, decision, collaboration, and discharge planning.
  • Analyze the role of a nurse informatician in research, system implementation and project management.
  • Create a personal informatics competency plan
  • Use selected completed application to apply principles of data and information documentation

One of the essential responsibilities in knowledge-based professions is for practitioners to pass what they know to another generation. In addition to the above course objectives for nursing informatics, those who excel will teach their colleagues or become nurse educators specializing in the area of electronics documentation.