Certification Eligibility Requirements
So, you’ve decided to embark on an exciting, new career. While an online education is a great foundation to your career pathway, there are still steps along this journey that you will have to determine. For instance, should you get certified?
Certification is encouraged by many employers, as they see it as a sign of commitment to your profession. In addition to the benefits of improving your hiring prospects and marketability as a candidate, certifications also lead to higher salaries.
Before pursuing certification, however, it is important that you make the right educational decisions. Ask yourself a few questions before you get started:
1. Is certification required in my field?
Research your career by looking at job advertisements. Professional requirements are usually outlined in these posts, and you can get a good sense of a certification’s demand. Talk with others who have gotten certified, and see if it helps get a leg-up on the rest of an application pool.
You can always ask for an employer’s preferences on certification during an interview or in follow-up discussion. Expressing interest in learning more about your field can help enhance your work reputation.
2. Will it strengthen my knowledge and career?
Certification can help you gain knowledge as you study and prepare for the test, and it helps establish lifelong values of self-motivation and field knowledge in the process. It also helps you stay abreast in ongoing updates or trends in a career. For instance, attorneys have to regularly enroll in Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses to keep their law credentials.
3. Does it showcase my skills?
Some certifications can help you develop a skill that is related to your field. A certificate in computer skills can help improve your hireability in administration positions, even though it may not be entirely related. Look for ways to market yourself as a budding professional, and capitalize on any opportunity.
Listed below is a breakdown of Blackstone Career Institute’s career training programs and the subsequent certifications. Look through the career prospects and remember to spend some time researching how it can help you in the job-search process. Don’t think of a certification as another chore, think of it as a chance to highlight your experience and performance as a professional!
Become A Certified Paralegal
Blackstone’s nationally accredited online Legal Assistant/Paralegal Certificate Program helps you achieve the 900 clock hours of coursework needed to sit for the Accredited Legal Professional (ALP) exam and/or the Professional Paralegal (PP) certification, given by NALS, the association for legal professionals.
Graduates with a Paralegal Certificate from Blackstone will also meet the accredited business/legal course criteria needed to sit for the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) exam given by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).
Become A Certified Medical Biller and Coder
Graduates of Blackstone’s Medical Billing and Coding online courses are qualified to sit for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS) exam from the American Billing Association (AMBA), and the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
Become A Certified Pharmacy Technician
Graduates of Blackstone Career Institute’s Pharmacy Technician Training online course are qualified to sit for the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
The course also includes an externship with partners CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens, a great opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge in a real-world setting.
Become A Certified Medical Office Assistant
Graduates of Blackstone Career Institute’s Medical Office Assistant training program are qualified to sit for the National Certified Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA) exam administered by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Certification provides further assurance of skills and knowledge to employers.
Become A Certified Medical Transcriptionist
Graduates of Blackstone‘s Medical Transcription training program are qualified to sit for the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) exam, administered by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). After gaining work experience, graduates may qualify for the Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS) exam offered by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).
Become A Certified Dental Office Assistant
Graduates of Blackstone’s administrative Dental Office Assistant training program are eligible to sit for certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), along with two years of full-time or four years part-time as a dental assistant, and a CPR certification.
