Looking to start a career in the healthcare industry often begins with seeking some type of professional certification. There are many courses offered that prepare prospective healthcare workers for exams that lead to certification in a wide variety of specialties. And certification is offered by a variety of certifying bodies in a variety of specialties, including medical assisting, clinical or administrative assisting, phlebotomy, billing and coding, and many others.
Regardless of the specific field in which you may be interested pursuing a career in, you may have some questions about medical certification itself. While certifying bodies and the laws that govern them do vary a bit from state to state, there are some general answers that can be applied to several of the most frequently asked questions about healthcare certification.
How Do I Become Certified?
The road to certification can be different for each healthcare specialty in each state, depending on the certifying body and a variety of other possible factors. Typically, there are a few simple steps toward certification, including enrolling in and completing a course of instruction at an accredited school, and preparing for, taking, and passing a certification exam with the certifying body in your particular geographic area.
What Does Healthcare Certification Cost?
The cost of certification can vary widely, depending on the specialization involved, the state in which certification is pursued, and the certifying body. Costs for different kinds of specialization range greatly, as does the cost of certification from state to state. Also, other local governing bodies, including counties and municipalities, may have certification requirements beyond those of your individual state, with attendant differences in cost.
Consult your local or state government licensing body to ask about the licensure requirements and costs for your specialization in your particular area.
How Long Does Healthcare Certification Last?
Again, this is somewhat dependent on your specialization and your location. Federal regulation stipulates that a certified nursing assistant work at least eight hours, for pay, as a CNA without a break of more than two years to remain licensed indefinitely. Your state or local government may have ongoing education and certification requirements specific to your area of healthcare specialization beyond the federal regulation.
Thinking About a Career as a Certified Healthcare Worker?
If you’re looking to pursue a career as a certified healthcare worker, then be sure to consider starting your journey with Campus, formerly known as MTI College. We offer students the opportunity to become certified in a several specialties in our Diploma Program including:
Phlebotomy
Medial Assisting
Medical Billing and Coding
Fill out our simple online application and begin the process to a rewarding career helping others!