MyCAA Programs: Portable Career Training Options for Military Spouses

Military spouses—no matter how supportive they are of the country’s troops—may also experience some frustrations at a certain point, especially when it comes to furthering their careers and may see relocation as an impediment in doing so. In fact, according to recent data, their employment value and salary offer diminishes by 2.8 percent following each relocation. But thanks to the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts or MYCAA program, relocation will no longer get in the way of building a career. The grant, which is being offered by the Department of Defense to eligible military spouses, will allow the latter to enroll in their career training program of choice which they can complete online.

Various e-learning providers are working in conjunction with the DOD to provide educational assistance to military spouses. Meditec.com, for instance, offers 65 portable career training course options for eligible military spouses. Here are three of the top recommended portable careers for military spouses:

Meditec.com Medical Transcription –Medical transcriptionists are in-demand for their fast typing/transcribing skills, knowledge and understanding of medical terminologies and various areas of medicine, and attention to detail. As more and more baby-boomers require healthcare services, the demand for allied healthcare professionals—to which medical transcriptionists belong—will only increase in the years to come.

These are the top in-demand careers that are perfect for military spouses:

Customer Service Representatives –Customer service representatives will always be in-demand no matter where you are on the face of the earth. Almost all kinds of enterprise require one to attend to customers over the phone. Whether for troubleshooting or telemarketing, training for a customer service position is definitely a good career option for military spouses. Besides, customer service representatives can now work at home as long as they have a stable internet connection, headset and a VOIP client.

Legal Transcriptionist –Legal transcriptionists transcribe and edit legal documents and research. Theyhave the potential to earn up to $50,000 a year. It is a fairly new profession, which is why a jobprofilefor it is still not available on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Like the two aforementioned jobs, most legal transcriptionists can work from home in a freelance or contractual position.

Eligible military spouses and Reserve members can receive up to $4,000 in financial assistance. To determine your eligibility for the program, accomplish the form here: https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/. Once they’ve successfully passed the eligibility requirements, they can already proceed registering for a MyCAA account and contact your chosen e-learning provider. It may take up to 15 days for military spouse scholarships and grants to get approved.

Spouses who have successfully enrolled in the program should complete their studies within three years of taking their first course. The MyCAA program is also limited to Associate degrees, vocational and licensure programs.

Using the MYCAA program to your advantage is definitely your most brilliant career move to date. Imagine making yourself more marketable as time goes on, despite moving on to new locations.

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MOS Certification Benefits

Microsoft Office Specialist certifications are perfect for IT and non-IT professionals who are looking into improving their skills in using and troubleshooting Microsoft programs. Being one of the most widely used programs in the world, millions of businesses depend on Microsoft programs to facilitate their everyday work processes and operations. Businesses simply cannot do without Microsoft programs, hence, the continuing need for IT professionals worldwide. This of course has created a favorable work dynamic for IT professionals, increasing work opportunities for them in their workplaces.

The Microsoft office specialist certification program is a globally recognize program adopted by global companies further upgrade the skills and expertise of their manpower. This allows employees to be more productive at work as well as provide them personal satisfaction in terms of productivity and performance. In the academic setting MOS certification programs enable students to have the computing competency they need should the time comes that they need to face the real world.

Communications Advantage

Expressing oneself effectively through communication tools and software is an essential requirement for office workers in the information age. Thus, it is important for employees to be adept in using communication tools and programs from Word, to Outbox to creating powerful and clear PowerPoint presentations. You do not want to be left behind in terms of maximizing the full potential of these programs in building rapport among your employer or clients.

Enhances Productivity

In some way, being able to use Microsoft Office programs to their full capacity can trim one’s work hours into half, allowing one to focus on things that matters most and to plan ahead in terms of deliverables. And as workers finish more work, they get to feel more confident of their abilities and become more driven.

Technological Competency

A MOS certification is not simply granted to a person for formality’s sake—it is a tangible proof of one’s competency in using Microsoft Office Suite. MOS certified specialists will also do well in demonstrating their skills when asked to during a job interview.  

Technology bigwigs like Dell, HP, Cisco and a lot more require employees to at least have or obtain the MOS certification. Many companies also depended on this certification when screening their applicants. This only goes to show how indispensable this certification is to professionals who’d like to boost their IT careers and potential to get hired.

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Who’s In Charge of Managing the Medical Office?

A medical office manager is responsible for ensuring the seamless operations of a medical practice. They are also referred to as medical practice manager or administrator. Their scope of responsibility varies depending on how big the medical practice is and its organizational hierarchy. The work is a full-time the job that requires managers to work for at least 40 hours a week and more.

Typically, medical office manager reports to the medical practice owner or director. The job involves supervising a number of people and coordinating with various department heads, stakeholders and even insurance companies. If you have a knack for problem solving, managing an office and leading people of different backgrounds, then this career may be perfect for you!

Duties and Responsibilities

These are some of the duties performed by a medical office manager:

Medical Office Management/ Office Organization

Medical office managers basically oversee all operations inside the medical practice’s headquarters. They are in-charge of maintaining the integrity of the office building, furniture, the smooth and uninterrupted flow of internet and electrical connections, and the proper function of computers and other related devices. The office manager also shops and negotiates for purchasing office and medical supplies as well as services that facilitate the job of medical personnel.

Accounting

Medical office managers perform accounting tasks as well like light bookkeeping, running the staff’s payroll, preparing budget reports, making deposits, filing bank statements and documents.

Human Resources

Medical office manager also handle hiring and retaining the medical practice’s staff. The manager also decides on the basic pay and benefits that the employees will receive which she has to consult with the practice’s owners. The manager also organizes the files of employees and make sure they are working harmoniously with one another.

Educational Requirement and Training

Some employers do not require medical office managers to present certifications or a college diploma, although most of them would agree that candidates should at least be a high school graduate or a GED holder. However, some medical organizations require medical office managers to have a master’s degree in healthcare administration or a college diploma. 

Obtaining a Certified Medical Office Manager training can give one edge over his or her competition. This type of training is often the basis for employers to hire managers as it proves their competency in handling the complex tasks mentioned in the previous sections. Besides, this is a managerial position that shouldn’t be taken for granted at all. If the medical office manager hasn’t received prior CMOM training, then he or she must have at least a few years of experience serving in the healthcare information management field.

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Medical Transcription Skills and Duties: Can you Measure Up to the Job?

So you wanted to embark on a medical transcription professional career? Do you think you’re equipped as a new medical transcriptionist?

Medical transcription has given a lot of stay-at-home moms and medical professionals the chance to seek a vibrant career from home. It is an in-demand career in the US due to the growing need for healthcare services from aging baby boomers as well as increased life expectancy. And this need is seen to rise in the next decade as forecasted by the US Department of Labor. Like other allied healthcare professions, the job outlook for medical transcription is only getting better moving forward.

That said, it is important to take advantage of the affordable career training for medical transcriptionists available online. With more healthcare services provider needing transcriptionists and medical coders, billers and office assistants in the near future, now’s the time for you to get up to speed with your medical transcriptionist training.

Before anything else though, it’s wise to do a bit of self-assessment to make sure that you’re entering the right field. Here is the set skills required of a good medical transcriptionist:

1.    Should have obtained a high school level of education or equivalent
2.    Have good communication skills
3.    Must be keen at spelling, grammar and punctuation
4.    Have good organization skills for record keeping
5.    Has a decent typing speed
6.    Basic background on operating PCs and using Microsoft Office programs
7.    Good motor skills or eye-hand-foot coordination
8.    Ability to observe rules and follow instructions

Most of all, medical transcriptionists should be knowledgeable about medical terminologies. Career training provider Meditec.com provides a compendium of surgical and medical terms for enrollees of its medical transcription training program.

As for the duties, be prepared to encounter the following tasks when you start your job:

1. Noting and transcribing patient diagnosis, health background, and other pertinent information like social security numbers and insurance provider

2. Making sure that medical terminology references are correct and accurate

3. Collecting recordings and logging them in a record book

4. Editing and revising poorly transcribed transcripts or reports from records

The said duties are bound to change if you get promoted to a supervisory position, which will have you coordinating with physicians and doing quality assurance checks. You would also have to check stocks, backups, and create reports on the progress of your team.

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Medical Coder Salary: Compensation for Certified Coders

As with medical biller salaries, the medical coder salary varies depending on a number of factors such as experience, geographical location, and the type of certification obtained. But if you’re a newbie in the industry, don’t let these things discourage you. Just so you know, the salary forecasts for medical coders are better than that of medical billers. Furthermore, your starting salary could get higher depending also on the reputation and stability of the healthcare provider that’s going to employ you, how well you did on your training, as well as your medical background. Read on to know more about the salary expectations for medical coders.

Salary Range of Medical Coders in Different US States

Based on data released by Payscale, the average hourly compensation for medical coders ranges between $13.49 and $17.19 annually. These figures equate to around $30,000 to $34,000 annually. The median salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $32,350 per year. This rate isn’t the definitive salary for entry-level medical coders, however, who may earn less or more depending on work environments. 

Data from Indeed.com meanwhile estimates the pay range for medical coders between $29,000 and $39,000 in Dallas, Texas (around $74,000 for supervisory levels); between $34,000 and $57,000 (and $85,000 for managers) in Atlanta, Georgia; and between $39,000 and $69,000 in New York. The salary would go higher or lower depending on the demand for coders in the area and the standards of living in the region. Variable compensation which includes bonuses and allowances also have to be factored in.

Medical Coder Training Requirements

One thing that is required of medical billing and coding students is a high school diploma. To be able to obtain a position as a medical coder, one has to obtain a certification from an accredited medical coding program like that offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or Meditec, a long-established career training provider. The coursework for the program encompasses the study of medical terminologies, different medical codes (e.g. CPT, ICD, HCPCS) and billing strategies and can be completed online. 

What to Expect from the Job

Medical coders often work full-time or part-time in the back offices (admin offices) of hospitals or telecommute (work from home). Of course, this would all depend on the agreement established between the coder and the employer. Also, medical billers would expect to interact with physicians, fellow healthcare information management professionals and insurance companies while on the job. They should expect little to virtually no interaction with patients as their job is essentially a desk job.

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