Medical Assistant Job Interview Tips

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Medical Assistant Job CheckJust like any good medical professional, it is important to cultivate a good bedside manner.  Having one is going to come in handy when you’re working on landing a new job after completing medical assistant school.  After a good interview, it can be very discouraging waiting to hear back from the hiring manager.  Days, weeks, even months go by and no call comes; no letter.  Should you call back? Should you send a note?  Should you march down there and demand satisfaction? Well according to US News and World Report, there is a preferred course of action to pursue after having interviewed for any position. (So this advice will also pertain to those studying medical billing and coding online or nursing assistant training.)  Click here for tips on how to follow up on a job interview and find out where your candidacy stands without damaging your chances to land the position.

When Life Gives You Trash, Make Art

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Medical Billing Trash ArtYou’ve surely heard the old saying, “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.  Perhaps you haven’t heard the new saying, “if life gives you trash, make art”.  That’s probably because I just made it up.  I made it up after watching this inspiring video about how a group of artists is helping draw attention to the growing problem of ocean pollution which is already reaching epidemic proportions.  These artists have collected more than 1 million pounds of floating garbage from the beaches of Hawaii and instead of simply disposing of it properly, they’ve been building large scale art installations out of it.  The idea is that if people can see the garbage in a new and positive light, they’ll be more emotionally invested in this issue when they learn of the origin of the artists’ medium. What does this have to do with online medical billing and coding schools you may be asking?  The answer lies in the idea that something truly transformative and good can come of something sad and negative.  If you’ve recently lost a job – especially if you’ve lost a job in a field that is being heavily outsourced or automated – you may be lamenting the loss.  And while you have every right to feel this way, perhaps you may take this opportunity to look at it as a potentially positive development.  Perhaps you take this opportunity to embark on an exciting and stable new career as a medical billing specialist by taking medical billing and coding online courses through the Allen School Online.  In this way, you will be turning the trashed remains of your old career and building a beautiful new position from the ruins.

Be Aware of Pseudo-Science Medical Assistants

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In the Internet age, laypersons – that is people who have not completed medical assistant education or any other medical training – have unprecedented access to an overwhelming volume of information about their own health.  Credible sites like WebMD.com and others, while home to lots of actual, proven scientific/medical knowledge, can still lead the untrained to make erroneous decisions regarding what may be ailing them.  Diagnoses are best left to professionals who’ve studied long and hard to be able to tell the difference between something minor and something catastrophic. Medical nursing assistants are often at the front line when patients visit their doctors.  These days, many nursing assistants report that patients come to their visits with established preconceptions about what is bothering them.  “I’m sure I have ulcerative colitis” they’ll state with conviction, when in fact, they only suffer from constipation. Part of the job of a certified medical assistant is to gently disabuse people of these uninformed beliefs.  The video below does a good job of explaining the phenomenon of health quackery promoted by the on-peer-reviewed nature of the internet. Article updated December 12, 2023

Every Day is a Good Day to be a Medical Assistant Candidate (Monday is Best Though)

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Studying to get your certified medical assistant degree is but the first step in one’s career transformation plan.  Once you’ve completed your studies, purchased a snazzy new, professional outfit of clothes, and drafted an impeccable resume, you’ll be ready to embark on the process of seeking a position as a certified nursing assistant.  Landing a new job takes determination and a bit of showmanship to make yourself stand out among other candidates. But did you know it matters what day of the week you’re out there beating the metaphorical bushes?  Yep. It’s true.  Thank the scientific-minded researchers at career website Bright.com who performed a recent study revealing that Mondays are the best day to seek a job.  We kind of already knew this on an intuitive level. Monday morning, hit the ground running right?  But there is a deeper scientific logic to why this is true.  Read all about it here.  Then, get your certified medical assistant degree, your snazzy new outfit, and your resume, and hit the pavement early Monday morning!  Good luck!   Article updated December 12, 2023  

Ways to Optimize your Medical Assistant Education

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Study habits for successful nursing assistant educationGetting a medical assistant education requires a good deal of study and effort.  Like most courses of study, the certified medical assistant course from Allen School can quickly get away from a student if he or she isn’t well organized and prepared to take the steps necessary to stay that way.  Here are ten study habits shared by successful students across all fields of study.  We recommend reading them and then clicking through to the source article at How-to-study.com which provides details on each of these important suggestions for improving your study habits.
  1. Try not to do too much studying at one time.
  2. Plan specific times for studying.
  3. Try to study at the same time each day.
  4. Set specific goals for their study times.
  5. Start studying when planned.
  6. Work on the assignment they find most difficult first.
  7. Review their notes before beginning an assignment.
  8. Tell their friends not to call them during their study times.
  9. Call another student when they have difficulty with an assignment.
  10. Review their schoolwork over the weekend.
What are some of your most effective study habits or tips?  Share with your fellow students in the comments below! Article updated December 12, 2023

Unplug for Numerous Reasons Online Medical Billing Students

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By the very nature of online study, those taking medical billing classes online spend more time than most tethered to electronic devices.  As someone who also makes a living sitting in front of computer screens and other electronics, I can say with authority, that there is a definite benefit – mentally, physically, and emotionally – to disconnecting from the “matrix” on a regular basis. The folks over at Huffington Post built this excellent infographic detailing the manifold benefits of taking a break from social media, videos, LOL catz, and all the rest.  Have a look at it and then resolve to shut off the machines and go enjoy this lovely, sunny Autumn day.  Medical billing classes online will still be there when you get back from doing something electron-free, and you’ll likely be in a better frame of mind to learn too!

Certified Nurse Assistants, Promote the Flu Shot

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The Fall is upon us and soon enough it will be Winter time.  That means freezing temps (here in the Northeast), being confined to close quarters indoors, and the more easy spread of influenza.  Every year, as the flu season approaches, nursing assistants, doctors and all manner of healthcare professionals urge patients to prepare by getting their annual flu shot to guard against infection.  And every year, there are those who fail to heed the warnings for an array of reasons.  Many of these folks find themselves wishing they’d listened as they suffer the grueling effects of the flu. If you’ve already earned your nursing assistant certification from the Allen School (or if you’re close to completing the program and about to enter the workforce), you ought to be prepared to knock down the common arguments patients make when declining the shot.  Dodges like, “I’m healthy” and “I don’t want the shot because it will make me sick” are only some of the regular rebuttals.  “It’s not covered by my insurance” is another oldie but goodie.  Read this piece from US News and World Report for the full list and the simple arguments against these positions.

Be an Optimistic Medical Billing Specialist

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We all know that laughter is the best medicine.  But did you know that optimistic people are prone better overall health than their grumpy counterparts?  Yep.  It’s true!  While studying medical billing and coding online already makes for a happier disposition (eliminating commutes and enabling study from the comfort of your favorite location), there are still plenty of external stressors that can lead us to be grumpy, angry, anxious and a whole host of other negative feelings.  In the end though, if you can maintain a positive outlook and attitude, you’ll be doing yourself a favor health-wise.  When this blogger begins to feel snippy, he seeks out some levity on the internet.  In fact, this is exactly how I came upon this information today.  In an article entitled, “the Happiest Facts in the World“, after a bunch of neat facts that made me smile, I found a slideshow explaining the physiological impacts of happiness versus anger or sadness.  I highly recommend all medical billing specialists (or students of medical billing school online) read it.  It’ll do your body good!

How to Approach the “Weaknesses” Question in Medical Assistant Interviews

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Updated December 12, 2023 Nursing Assistant Interview ProcessIf you’ve ever been on a job interview, you’re well aware of the notorious questions most hiring managers ask.  The obligatory “Tell us about your strengths” question is a slam dunk.  It’s easy to rattle off all the ways you excel in your role as a medical assistant.  The follow-up question, “Tell us about your perceived weaknesses as a candidate” is a minefield.  The conventional wisdom for some time has been to turn a strength into a weakness.  Yet after many years of hearing, “My biggest weakness is that I work too hard” or “Being a perfectionist annoys my co-workers” interviewers have become wise to this deflection.  Most will not let you off with one of those shop-worn answers.  So how are you supposed to answer that question without disqualifying yourself in favor of other applicants with similar levels of nursing assistant education? USNews and World Report has published this good piece on how to answer this probative line of questioning.  The short answer is: to tell them about a true weakness you possess, but then explain what you’ve done to correct the behavior in your work.  Being candid about your shortcomings can work to your advantage as it shows you to be a thoughtful and self-aware person.  Just the kind of professional they’d like to hire as their next medical assistant. Looking to start a healthcare career? Find all the courses you need at the Allen School of Health Sciences – we have three campuses in Queens, Brooklyn, and Phoenix. Contact us below to learn more about the program! CONTACT US

Don’t Think You Can Succeed at Medical Billing Education?

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Anything worth pursuing is worth struggling to achieve.   Nobody, but nobody succeeds at anything their first time out.  For some of the most famously successful people, achievement didn’t materialize until having endured countless failures.  If you’re considering a career as a medical billing specialist, you may be worried about how challenging it will be to find success in your studies.  Don’t let this anxiety hold you back from a prosperous and rewarding medical billing and coding career.  If you need some inspiration to make the task seem less daunting.  Consider some of these people, renowned for success, who overcame significant failures before reaching their positions of greatness.
  • Albert Einstein didn’t speak a single word until age 4!
  • Actor Jim Carey was homeless before making it big in Hollywood.
  • Steven King’s first novel was rejected 30 times by publishing houses!
  • Thomas Edison failed over 1000 times to build a lightbulb prototype that actually worked.
For more inspiration, read this nifty piece over at the Huffington Post about 15 wildly successful people who overcame huge obstacles before succeeding.