Tag Archives: Medical

Becoming a Doctor’s Assistant

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Doctor’s Assistants are certified medical professionals who work closely with doctors or surgeons to provide medical care to patients. Their responsibilities include examining patients, diagnosing injuries and illnesses, providing treatment, writing prescriptions, making rounds in hospitals, maintaining patient’s progress record, assisting in surgeries, educating patients and their families on health issues, and performing other assigned tasks in the setting.

Doctor’s Assistants work in various health care settings such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, clinics, emergency medicine facilities, nursing homes, outpatient care centers etc. They mostly work full time. They may work even in weekends, evenings or holidays.

Educational Requirements

To become a Doctor’s Assistant, the aspiring candidates need to earn a four- year bachelor’s degree program in science. Then, the candidates have to complete a two-year education program approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

The program includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects such as human anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, clinical medicine, physical diagnosis, and medical ethics. It also includes hundreds of hours of supervised clinical training in several areas, such as family medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics etc.

However, most of the job aspirants have experience as registered nurses or as EMTs and paramedics before they apply to a physician assistant program.

Licensure and Certification

Since the practice of a Doctor’s Assistant requires to be licensed in all the states of USA, the aspiring candidates must have to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). These professionals can obtain exam-based certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Skill Set

Apart from clinical knowledge, Doctor’s Assistants possess various traits such as empathy towards patients, attentive to details, compassionate to work, ability to maintain calm and react effectively in emergency situation, physical stamina to work for long duration, ability to establish and maintain cordial relationship with patients and medical staff, record keeping skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, competent in computer application etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Doctor’s Assistant remains excellent in USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 38% from 2012 to 2022, much higher than the average for all occupations. The average annual salary of a Doctor’s Assistant was $ 90,930 in 2012.

Becoming a Dental Practice Administrator

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Dental Practice Administrators play a key role in managing administrative tasks to provide qualitative and organized patient care services in various dental care settings. They are not directly involved in treating patients. Their responsibilities include maintaining a safe environment; building cordial relationships with the dentists and other staff members; developing the office budget to achieve profitability; motivating staff members and proactively seeking ways to improve the dental practice; and more importantly, assuring that patient’s needs are addressed in a caring, timely and thorough manner. In addition, they schedule patient appointments and assist in insurance claims.

Dental Practice Administrators work in varieties of environments such as public or private hospitals, group medical practices, dentist’s office, dental care facilities, insurance companies etc. They mostly work full time. They may be required to be available on-phone even in the weekends.

Educational Requirements

To become a Dental Practice Administrator, the aspiring candidates have to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree in health administration or in a related field. The students can go for master’s degree in related field for better job opportunities in this field. These professions may also obtain practical experiences on-the-job training.

The common syllabus includes dental office procedures, human resources administration, dental insurance, quantitative reasoning, fiscal management, accounting, budgeting, computer applications etc.

Certification and Licensure

Since the position of a Dental Practice Administrator requires to be licensed in most of the states, the aspiring candidates need to earn exam-based license. . These professionals can obtain exam-based certification, administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).

Skill Set               

Dental Practice Administrators possess various traits such as customer service skills, critical thinking ability, time management skills, ability to perform multi-task activities, excellent administrative abilities, effective communication and interpersonal skills, willing to work as a part of team, ability to establish and maintain cordial relationship with staff members, familiarity with medical billing practices, understanding of insurance procedures, computer skills etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Dental Practice Administrator remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 23% from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Dental Practice Administrator was $90,940 in May 2013.

Becoming a Dental Secretary

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Dental Secretaries are dedicated to perform routine clerical and administrative duties for dentists. Their responsibilities include screening and sorting mail, documents, and telephone calls; scheduling appointments; billing patients; maintaining office files and patient records; transcribing dictation; arranging staff meetings; support other staff, so on and so forth. These professionals use computer software to create spreadsheets and maintain official documents.

Dental Secretaries closely work with Dentists in various health care settings such as hospitals, private dental offices, dental care facilities, army hospitals etc. these professionals need to be familiar with dental terminology, medical records, and hospital or laboratory procedures.

Educational Requirements

To become a Dental Secretary, the aspiring candidates need to complete at least a high school diploma or GED at entry level. The students can obtain two year associate degree program in medical and office administration for better job prospects in this field. The students should learn office procedures, computer programs, dental terminology, and how to prepare office documents. The job aspirants can improve their skills through short-term on-the-job training.

Certification and Licensure

The position of a Dental Secretary typically doesn’t require a license. However, some employers prefer the certified job applicants with some experience. The candidates can obtain certification from the International Association of Administrative Professionals.

Skill Set

Dental Secretaries possess various traits such as good listening abilities, excellent organizational skills, efficient in time management, excellent organizational skills, good at customer service, excellent reporting skills, pleasant communication and interpersonal skills, competent in computer skills etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Dental Secretary remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 36% from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. The average annual salary of a Dental Secretary was $36,960 in May 2012.

Becoming a Dental Specialist

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Dental Specialists treat a specific area of oral problems, in which they have received additional training in addition to or instead of general dentistry. American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes nine different categories of Dental Specialties, such as Endodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons , oral and maxillofacial radiology , oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedists, periodontists, prosthodontists , Pediatric dentists , and Dental public health.

The responsibilities of Dental Specialists differ according to their area of expertise. For example, oral and maxillofacial surgeons provide diagnostic services and treatment for injuries, diseases, and defects of the neck, head jaw, and associated structures, while periodontists perform corrective surgery on gums and supporting bones to treat gum disease.

Dental Specialists can practice alone or involve in a group practice. They can also work in different settings such as public or private hospitals, oral health care facilities, dental research facilities etc. Most of them work full time. Some of them may work during evenings and weekends, if required.

Educational Requirements

To qualify for the position of a Dental Specialist, the candidates have to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) and go through additional two-year training also known as post-graduate training in one area of nine dental specialties. These training programs include extremely specialized clinical practicum.

Most dental students need at least a four-year bachelor’s degree with a major in a science, such as biology; and must have to pass Dental Admission Test (DAT) to pursue DDS or DMD in an accredited dental school. It takes four years to complete a DDS or DMD. The course work includes anatomy, periodontology, local anesthesia, radiology. The students also get practical experience in a clinical setting under the supervision of a licensed dentist.

Certification and Licensure

The practice of Dental Specialist must be licensed in all states. To earn a license the candidates must graduate from an accredited dental school and pass written and practical exams. National Certifying Boards for Dental Specialists offer certification to these professionals.

Skill Set               

Apart from clinical knowledge, a Dental Specialist possesses various skills such as high level of dexterity, excellent attention to detail, empathy towards patient, organizational skills, high medical ethics, effective communications and interpersonal skills, physical stamina to stand for long periods of time, competent in computer operations, etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Dental Specialist remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 16% from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Dental Specialist was ranging from $168,580 to $219,600 in May 2014.

Becoming a Chiropractor

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Chiropractic doctors diagnose and treat patients who face problems with muscular, nervous and skeletal systems of the body. They manipulate these parts to identify the issues and reduce pain and lower resistance to disease. They mostly use hands-on technique to adjust imbalances in patients’ skeletal system. They also work in collaboration with other health care professionals that treat the patients.

Chiropractic care primarily focuses on the relationship between the spine and function of the nervous system. The Chiropractors analyze the factors that affect the health. Those include exercise, eating habits, diet, sleep and hereditary issues.

Education Requirements: The aspiring Chiropractors must have a four-year bachelor’s degree program in chiropractic medicine. After completing the degree, they can enroll for a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree.

The D.C. has a vast curriculum and covers various courses such as Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Microbiology, Pathology, Public health, Physical, clinical and laboratory diagnosis, Gynecology and obstetrics, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Dermatology, Otolaryngology, Diagnostic imaging procedures, Psychology, Nutrition/dietetics, Biomechanics, Orthopedics, Neurology, Spinal analysis etc.

Salary & Job Outlook: The job outlook for Chiropractors remain good and is projected to grow at 15% during the period of 2012-2022. The average salary for Chiropractors is $66,160 per year. Some highly-paid Chiropractic professionals may earn up to $94,454 in a year.

Becoming a Pharmacy Technician

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Pharmacy Technicians work under the direct supervision of licensed Pharmacists. They perform various kinds of functions related to pharmacy. They handles the queries on prescriptions, drug information and other health matters. Pharmacy Technicians work at community pharmacies, hospitals, military establishments, health care settings, care facilities and other organizations.

The job responsibilities of Pharmacy Technicians are no less than that of Pharmacists. They need to be flexible when it comes to working hours. They work in days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays etc, thanks to the demand of the job. As some hospital and retail pharmacies are open 24/7, the Pharmacy Technicians may work in different shifts too.

Education Requirements: A high school diploma or equivalent is required for aspiring Pharmacy Technicians. The subjects may include biology, physics, chemistry etc. The Pharmacy Technicians generally learn on the job. Whatever education programs they join, that must have classroom and laboratory work. They can also go for Master’s Degree, Certificate, Associate Degree etc.

They can also prefer on-the-job training. Most states regulate pharmacy technicians, which means they may require to pass an exam or complete a formal education or training program. It is very much essential for the Pharmacy Technicians to learn about names of medicines, actions, uses, and doses.

Salary & Job Outlook: Job outlook for Pharmacy Technicians remains excellent in the United States. That is projected to grow 20 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all other occupations. The average annual salary for Pharmacy Technicians was $29,320 in May 2012.