How do I prepare to enter a career as a professional health worker?
American Association of Medical Assistants
"The mission of the American Association of Medical Assistants is to provide the medical assistant professional with education, certification, credential acknowledgment, networking opportunities, scope-of-practice protection, and advocacy for quality patient-centered health care."
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
“ASCLS serves as the voice of all clinical laboratory professionals, creating a vision for the advancement of the clinical laboratory practice field, and advocating the value and the role of the profession ensuring safe, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient centered health care.”
American Clinical Laboratory Association
American Medical Technologists (AMT)
Clinical Laboratory Management Association
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
“The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) was established in January 1995 and is governed by five organizations: the American Pharmacists Association; the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists; the Michigan Pharmacists Association; and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Since 1995, PTCB has advocated for a single national standard for pharmacy technician certification that is recognized and supported by the profession."
Available from the Erwin Library (so you'll need your library barcode), Ferguson's Career Guidance Center is a great place to begin planning for a career! You can:
Ferguson's Career Guidance Center
Published by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) can help you find career information on:
for hundreds of occupations.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Homepage
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Medical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Medical Assistants
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technician
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Pharmacy Technicians
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Phlebotomists
Becoming familiar with current, reputable and authoritative websites providing patient information on symptoms, drugs, medical tests and therapies is crucial to developing communication skills for the medical care professional and his or her patients. Three of these sites are often consulted more than others:
"The Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. Because physicians, scientists and other medical experts dedicate a portion of their clinical time to this site, we are in the unique position to give you access to the knowledge and experience of Mayo Clinic.” A Symptom Checker is provided to help you identify important information to share with your physician.
“MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free … learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.” You can easily look up Symptoms to help you identify important information to share with your physician.
“WebMD provides valuable health information, tools for managing your health, and support to those who seek information. You can trust that our content is timely and credible. The WebMD Medical Team works closely with a team of over 100 nationwide doctors and health experts across a broad range of specialty areas to ensure WebMD’s content is up to date, accurate, and helps you live a healthier life. ” A Symptom Checker is provided to help you identify important information to share with your physician.