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Massage Therapists: Hands-on Members of the Healthcare Industry

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Want to be part of a growing movement in healthcare? Consider a career as a Massage Therapist.

As a Massage Therapist, you will combine procedure with artistry to create an experience that relaxes clients, reduces muscle soreness, and helps treat injuries and illnesses.

American Career College's Massage Therapy Program is designed to immerse a student into the massage field. In 720 hours and nine modules, students learn the various types of massage, such as Swedish, reflexology and deep tissue. They also study human physiology as well as the body systems, kinesiology and pathology.

"You have to have knowledge of the body and understanding of how it works," says Debra Stell, Orange County Campus Program Director. "You're not just rubbing bodies, you're affec....(Continued)

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Pharmacy Technicians: A Valuable Member of the Pharmacy Team

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Do you enjoy a fast-paced environment and have an interest in healthcare - without providing hands-on patient care? A career as a Pharmacy Technician may be for you!

As a Pharmacy Technician, you will assist Pharmacists in meeting patients' medication needs. Your duties may include helping to dispense medications, such as by counting pills, coordinating refills, making IV solutions and preparing single doses for hospitalized patients, as well as maintaining stock, accepting payments, answering phones and performing routine administrative tasks.

"You're definitely part of a team helping people," says Talin Tchakmakjian, Director of American Career College's Los Angeles Campus Pharmacy Technician program, which is also available at the Orange County and Ontario campuses.(Continued)

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Optical Dispensing Specialists: Focused on Healthcare

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Have an eye for fashion and an interest in healthcare? Consider a career in Optical Dispensing.

Graduates of American Career College's Optical Dispensing Program have a plethora of career options, such as working directly with patients as a Dispensing Optician or a Contact Lens Technician, or behind the scenes as an Ophthalmic Lab Technician or a Sales Representative for frame distributors.

"We are the pharmacy technicians of the eye, and we tend to play a lot of roles in the industry," says Antonio Alaniz, Optical Dispensing Program Director at the Ontario Campus of American Career College.

American Career College's Optical Dispensing Program provides advanced optic knowledge, which is crucial for any related career path. Its primary focus is on the phys....(Continued)

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Health Claim Examiners/Medical Billers: Vital Members of the Healthcare Industry

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Have an interest in the healthcare field but would rather work in front of a computer than directly with patients? Consider a career as a Health Claims Examiner or Medical Biller.

As a Health Claims Examiner or Medical Biller, you may process health insurance claims, interpret medical, dental and hospital claims forms, use provider abbreviations, apply hospital revenue codes, analyze costs and perform billing for Medicaid, Medicare and commercial accounts.

American Career College's Health Claims Examiner/Medical Biller Program is set up as an entry level training program. In 720 hours and eight modules, students learn the responsibilities of a medical biller, basic anatomy with an emphasis on the terminology used in medical billing, and the use of such reference books as....(Continued)

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Surgical Technologists: Valuable Members of the Surgical Team

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Think the operating room sounds like an exciting work environment? A career as a Surgical Technologist may be for you.

As a Surgical Technologist, you will work side-by-side with Surgeons, Anesthesiologists and Registered Nurses to provide care to patients during surgery. You will ensure that the operating environment is safe, that the equipment is functioning properly, and that the conditions under which the surgical procedure is performed maximize patient safety.

But being a Surgical Technologist requires a special skill set and personality, says David Alfaro, Surgical Technology Program Director at the ACC Los Angeles Campus. "Not everybody can be in the operating room, taking care of patients who are going through surgery. There are a lot of sights, sounds and....(Continued)

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Vocational Nurses: Valuable Part of The Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Considering a career in nursing? Becoming a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) may be just the place to begin.

As an LVN, you will be responsible for providing care to patients at the most basic level. LVNs are often called “bedside nurses,” because they give direct, physical care to patients at their bedside. This includes anything patients cannot do for themselves, from getting bathed, dressed and groomed, to eating, standing and walking, to making their bed.

Such care is known as the Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing, which was founded by nursing theorist Dorothy Orem and is taught at American Career College. “We believe that whatever patients can do for themselves, they should do,” says Wendy Maleki, MS, RN, CNS/PMH, Director of Nursing at the ....(Continued)

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Healthcare Boom Opens Up Huge Demand for Support Staff

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

If you’ve always wanted to work in a hospital or doctor’s office, becoming a healthcare support staffer might be just the shot in the arm your career needs. With training from a top-notch career college, in about 8 to 12 months, depending on the program, you can be a valued team member in a hospital, lab, pharmacy, physician’s office or dental practice.

According to the Department of Labor, healthcare will generate three million new jobs between 2006 and 2016, more than any other industry, employing over 12 million workers*. California, in particular, has a shortage of healthcare professionals, with vacancies across the state, raising salaries and increasing employment opportunities for high school graduates, career changers and other job seekers.

Altho....(Continued)

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Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Career College

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The road to a career can be long and winding with lots of dead ends and wrong turns. Perhaps you've hit some of these occupational detours--unnecessary coursework, scattered employment opportunities, and wandering around the Internet, looking for just the right profession. But with a career college, you can be on the fast track to a rewarding career in a respected field. "I received training in exactly what employers are looking for," said one career school student. “I didn’t waste time taking classes that I didn't really need for the job market.”

If you’re thinking about earning a certificate from a career college that trains you for a specific healthcare support position, such as a pharmacy technician, medical assistant, or health claims examiner/medi....(Continued)

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What Is A Career College?

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Understanding what a career college is and what it has to offer.

If you're like many students, perhaps you're not sure what a career college is. But these private career institutions are a quiet educational powerhouse, comprising a large career training segment in the U.S., according to the Career College Association.

At career colleges, students of all ages have fulfilled their potential. A 2001 report from the Russell Sage Foundation shows that graduates of these private, post-secondary colleges and schools are 10 to 15 percent more likely to be in the labor force, and earn 8 to 9 percent more than graduates of academic programs.

Another study, conducted in 2004 by the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) showed that postsecondary....(Continued)

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