Top 7 Healthcare Certificate Programs

Top 7 Healthcare Certificate Programs that Pay Well

The healthcare sector requires more medical professionals with experience, skills, and certificates. Many health professionals undergo healthcare programs and earn certifications, including phlebotomy and medical assistant certificates, to streamline their careers.

A healthcare certificate program helps you stand out from the competition/crowd and gain a competitive advantage over other candidates applying for positions like phlebotomy specialist, medical assistant, pharmacy assistant, etc. Certification makes medical professionals more valuable in healthcare settings.

While many people find and apply for jobs without certification, not having a certificate can limit their options and negatively impact their paychecks. Therefore, a healthcare certificate program is essential to improving your skills, increasing job opportunities, and achieving better financial stability.

Certified medical professionals have better job prospects, more satisfying careers, and higher salaries compared to those who don’t have certificates. Today’s article will explain the essential details and benefits of the top seven well-paid healthcare certificate programs. Read on!

1. Certified Phlebotomy Tech Certification

Earning the certified phlebotomy tech certification is an excellent way to streamline your career and receive a higher salary. The average duration of a certified phlebotomy tech certification program is eleven weeks.

Likewise, the average median pay is $34,480 per year, and the top salary is above $49,000 per year. Phlebotomy technicians work in various healthcare settings and collect blood samples from patients.

These professionals work in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and blood donation centers. A phlebotomist is a vital medical team member, assisting medical professionals and guiding patients by explaining blood-drawing procedures. The purpose is to efficiently carry out the process and give peace of mind to patients.

So, becoming a certified phlebotomy technician is a promising career if you want to participate in rewarding work. You will engage in critical healthcare procedures/processes and work closely with health professionals and patients to make meaningful connections.

Therefore, certified phlebotomy tech certification demonstrates you have improved your knowledge and skills in this profession. It qualifies you for high-paying jobs with benefits. A phlebotomy tech certification will give you an advantage over professionals without certificates.

It shows health institutions and employers that you are highly qualified, skilled, and dedicated to your profession. You will perform specific tasks beyond blood drawing, such as

• Analyzing blood specimens
• Setting up testing equipment
• Transporting prepared specimens
• Labeling vials
• Matching blood specimens to patients
• Carrying out blood tests

Besides, certified phlebotomist provides their employer with added security by carrying out their tasks/duties professionally, efficiently, and reliably. Thus, your employer will provide you with high pay and work-related benefits.

1. Professional Coder Certification

Professional coder certification paves a path for a rewarding and promising career. The average training duration is 20 weeks, the median pay is $44,751, and the top salary is $51,752 per year.

A medical coder, also known as a certified professional coder, reviews patients’ medical records and converts confidential information into codes, allowing insurance companies to process medical claims from patients.

Professional medical coders work in different healthcare organizations, including hospitals and clinics, and interact with health professionals like doctors, surgeons, nurses, and administrative officers.

Having a certificate is an excellent way to land your dream job and leverage a higher salary. You have better opportunities to gain experience by working closely with medical professionals, patients, and insurance companies. You can also work remotely or offer home-based coding services to multiple employers.

A professional medical coder with certification develops knowledge and skills required by employers, including medical auditing, practice management, clinical documentation review and improvement, compliance, education, etc.

1. Medical Assistant Certificate

Medical assistant certificate training time is 27 weeks, with a median and top pay of $33,610 and $47,250 per year, respectively. According to AAMA, a clinical assistant, also known as a medical assistant, helps doctors, surgeons, and nurses provide patient care.

A certified medical assistant has extensive knowledge and skills and assistant health professionals by recording and updating patients’ medical history, adding contact information in files, scheduling appointments, and carrying out standard medical procedures, such as drawing blood, collecting lab samples, and checking patients’ vital signs.

Moreover, undergoing a medical assistant certificate program helps you receive quality training. You will improve your knowledge and skills and show potential employers that you have acquired administrative and clinical abilities. So, having a medical assistant certificate makes you more likely to land your dream job, receive benefits, and obtain a high salary.

1. Pharmacy Technician Professional Certification

The average training duration for pharmacy technician professional certification is 24 weeks. A pharmacy technician professional earns a median pay of $30,753 per year. However, once you gain experience and streamline your career, you can expect to receive over $36,604 per year.

A pharmacy technician works with a pharmacist and ensures patients’ health and safety. Not only will you locate, dispense, pack, and label medications, but you will also review prescribed meds and ensure everything is according to the medical standards before dispensing medications to patients.

Although most positions do not require a certification, it provides significant merit and enables you to apply for high-paying jobs. So, you can apply for the certification program if you have GED or high school diploma. The institution will provide you with the certificate after you have passed the ExCPT exam.

The National Health Career Association (NHA) and Technician Certification Board (PTCB) are two organizations that provide pharmacy technician certifications. Unlike PTCB certification, the NHA certificate program has different criteria.

For instance, you must be 18 years old, have a GED or high school diploma, and have one year of experience to qualify for the training program. Likewise, you must pass the ExCPT exam to earn the certificate.

The main difference between the certification from PTCB and the NHA is that PTCB certification requires only a high school diploma and a passing score on the ExCPT exam. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technician jobs will see a 5% growth by 2031.

1. Behavioral Technician Specialist

According to BACB, a behavioral technician specialist is a paraprofessional who participates in one-on-one sessions with clients with mental health issues. However, these technicians also conduct small group sessions under the guidance of a board-certified behavioral analyst, collecting data and performing treatment protocols.

The average duration of a behavioral technician specialist training program is 11 weeks. Once you have earned the certificate, you can apply for high-paying jobs in various medical institutions and increase your hiring chances. The median pay per year is $31,522, but when you gain experience, you can get as high as $43,000 per year.

A typical training program covers registered behavior technicians’ subjects, tasks, and subtasks. It covers courses on evidence-based behavior change and intervention strategies, methods, and techniques, including:

• Behavior measurement
• Behavior assessment
• Behavior reduction
• Troubleshooting during sessions
• Documentation and reporting
• Scope of practice
• Professional and ethical conduct

These professionals are in high demand and have better opportunities to land high-paying jobs by completing the training program. However, you must be 18, pass a criminal background check, and have a high school diploma to qualify for this certificate program.

1. Medical Front Office Administration Specialist

A medical front office administration specialist, also known as a medical secretary, performs day-to-day tasks, ensuring efficiency and reliability in a medical office. Undergoing a medical front office administration certificate is essential to improving your skills and knowledge and increasing your hiring chances.

The duration of a certificate program is 13 weeks, and once you earn the certificate and land a job, you can expect a median pay of $30,000 per year. After gaining experience for a few years, you can earn a high salary of $38,378 per year. As a medical front office administration specialist, you will:

• Answer phone calls
• Schedule appointments
• Manage financial transactions
• Compile medical records
• Send and receive laboratory results
• Operate and manage office equipment

1. Patient Care Technician

A patient care technician certificate is critical to working in a reputable health organization or clinic. As a certified patient care technician, you will receive a median pay of $36,605 per year. A typical training program duration is 23 weeks. Once you gain experience, you will earn more than $67,872 annually.

You will work under the supervision of a doctor, nurse, or other health professionals, administering care to patients. You will interact face-to-face with patients aiding with day-to-day tasks. A certificate program teaches you to stay patient, empathetic, and intuitive to serve patients professionally, efficiently, and reliably.

Not only does undergoing the certificate program improve your organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills to interact with staff members and patients, but you will also accurately take care of patients by carrying out tasks like feeding, bathing, catheter care, emergency room protocols, hemodialysis, and electrocardiography.

Final Words

One of the most significant advantages of health certificate programs is that they help people start a promising medical career within a few months. Whether a medical assistant certificate, certified phlebotomy tech certification, or any other healthcare certificate program, you will have extensive and evidence-based knowledge, skills, and experience to enjoy a rewarding career, receive a high salary, and leverage benefits. Until Next Time!

Sources:

• https://www.aama-ntl.org/medical-assisting/what-is-a-medical-assistant
• https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OSPHLD/LFS/Pages/Phlebotomist-CPTI.aspx
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm#tab-6
• https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/medical-and-health/medical-assistant/certification/
• https://www.bacb.com/rbt/
• https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/faq/what-is-an-rbt/
• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/cpc-a-certification
• https://www.cambridgehealth.edu/career-profile-patient-care-technician-career/