Online learning includes master of education programs for those teachers who want to go a level up from the qualification conferred by the conventional courses. With a master’s education degree, the teachers also get to learn the skill of incorporating technological tools in their teaching curriculum. With such a qualification, they also learn to adapt methods as and when they evolve, to remain up-to-date and incorporate the modifications in their teaching styles. A master’s education degree is particularly ideal for those who are into imparting distant education to the adults, administrating education, designing curriculum for educational institutions, and training military candidates.

There are many colleges and universities offering accredited master’s of education degrees programs online. A master’s of education degrees certification has many advantages for the teachers’ for their careers, particularly because many states necessitate K-12 teachers to enroll in masters’ of education degrees within a specified timeframe. Obtaining such a certification means higher salaries for the candidates and guarantee well-paying jobs to the fresh candidates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, teachers averaged $46,597 per annum in 2003-04. The continued strong demand of well-qualified teachers globally, indicates that this is the right time for those teachers, who are aiming at the sky to enroll themselves for the master’s of education program.

Following is the list of universities that offer varied master’s of education program to teachers from various disciplines:

The U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has given a $10 million grant to the WGU’s Teachers College to develop competence-based online degrees and various teacher certification programs for trainers and aspiring teachers. Some of the programs are listed below:

· Master of Education / Management and Innovation

· Master of Education / Measurement and Evaluation

· Master’s Degree in Science Education (5-9 or 5-12)

· Master of Education / Learning and Technology

· Master’s Degree in English Language Learning (preK-12)

· Master’s Degree in Teaching, Mathematics (5-12)

· Master’s Degree in Mathematics Education (K-6, 5-9, or 5-12)

· Master’s Degree in Teaching, Science (5-12)

Grand Canyon University Online

Grand Canyon University (GCU), targets at preparing its candidates as thinkers, responsible leaders, and effective communicators. GCU, with its value-based and academically-challenging curriculum offers several regionally accredited degree programs to its candidates. Some of master degree courses offered by GCU are:

· M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction: Reading

· M.Ed. Elementary Education (Credential)

· M.Ed. Secondary Education (Credential)

· M.Ed. TESOL

· M.Ed. Elementary Education (Non-Credential)

· M.Ed. Secondary Education (Non-Credential)

· M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction: Technology

Besides, University of Phoenix Online provides the most up-to-date curriculum to the teachers. Complete dedication to the courses fetches the candidates a master’s degree in three years.

According to a research every year hospitals and related institutions spend billions of dollars on equipment, supplies, and services. In fact US alone has spent $1.7 billions on total health care in 2003, and topped 15% of the GDP for the first time. About one third of this, which was some $516 billion, was spent directly on hospital care, and another $20 billion on major equipment. Thus a mail list can always help to target the general and special products, to lucrative-specific and niche market.

There are various kinds of medical lists such as lists of AMA and AOA Physicians, ADA Dentists, Nurses, Allied Health Professionals, Association Members, and Hospital Personnel by name.

The American Medical Association list is the most comprehensive and accurate list of medical practitioners, containing over 600,000 physicians. The AMA assigns a unique number to individuals when the individual enters the medical school. The person uses this unique number throughout the career. The AMA furnishes with all the information regarding specialties, including both members and non-members of AMA.

Often the medical list of practitioners furnishes information regarding the specialty of the physician, type of practice, Board certificate, demographic, education, geography, licensure states, and phone numbers.

The Nurse’s list is compiled from the state license information, which is highly accurate and targeted. The list compiled in such a way that it is possible to select nurses by specialty.

The database of a medical hospital list is sorted after considering several different demographics such as, geographic location, service area, size of hospital, type of hospital, other vendors, and service providers, affiliation with care groups, religious institutions, number of beds, type of programs offered at the hospital, budget, and number of floors. The hospital medical list also provides the addresses of admininstrators, reasearchers, and health care professionals who are attached to the hospital.

Medical lists are also available for medical related institution like clinics. Research labs, HMOs, and specialty centers. A high quality list compiled from reliable sources will always prove helpful to target the best prospects for direct marketing campaign.

Medical Assistants are skilled health professionals working principally in medical offices and clinics. Their tasks are varied and based on whether they work in large group practices, small private offices, clinics or hospitals.

Medical Assistants work under the direction of physicians in their offices or other medical places. They execute administrative and clinical duties to help the health care office run efficiently. The task of a medical assistant includes, answering telephones, receiving and greeting patients, filling out insurance forms, scheduling appointments. They also assist in the preparation and maintenance of medical records. The clinical duties of a medical assistant include documenting patient histories, preparing patients for check-ups, collecting specimens and preparing and giving medicines as directed by the physician. Medical assistants are mostly employed by, practicing physicians, community-based health care programs and regional health corporations.

Certified Medical Assistant, Registered Medical Assistant and National Certified Medical Assistant certificates are some of the accredited credentials awarded to qualified individuals who have passed the specified exams. Medical assistants complete 1or 2-year programs in technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools and junior colleges. A few are also trained on the job.

Employment prospects are best for medical assistants with recognized training and experience, especially those with certification.

Medical assistants usually work in clean surroundings. They continuously work together with other people and have multi tasks to perform at most times. A full-time medical assistant works a 40-hour week normally. Some also work part time, in the evenings or only at weekends.

Employers have become conscious of the medical assistants as important health care professionals. They appreciate and identify the skills and profit the medical assistant brings to the medical office. The ever growing and aging population enhances the need for qualified medical assistants to handle both, the clinical and administrative aspects in a medical office.

The field of medical transcription is growing at a rapid pace, and the Internet has allowed the industry to become even more prominent. Work is often exchanged nowadays via encrypted digital files through the Internet, allowing the medical transcriptionist to not even have to leave the house.

Working at home as a medical transcriptionist will give you a great deal of flexibility. Unlike the typical day job, you won’t be limited to your geographic area. The services of transcriptionists are greatly in demand, and you can expect to earn as much as $20 per hour or more. This career is noted for being excellent for women, who can stay home and tend to their families while earning money at the same time.

The field of medical transcription is known for its flexibility. Because you can work from home, you can essentially set your own hours. Being a medical transcriptionist does not require a huge amount of education, and the pay is highly competitive. When most people hear about this job, one of the first things they want to know is where they can find out more about it. The Internet is a valuable resource that you will want to use. Local hospitals in your area may also have positions available.

There are a number of companies that advertise for home based medical transcriptionists on the Internet, and you will want to look for them. Many of the major job search websites will have medical transcription jobs available. As always, there are many companies online that are fraudulent, and it is very important for you to be wary of who you choose to work for. Before you agree to work for any company, you will always want to check their background. Find out how long they’ve been in business. Forums are a great place to chat with people to find out which companies are the most reputable.

The amount of money you will be paid in this field is heavily dependent on your experience and skill level. National companies usually require 2-3 years of experience. However, you can start your own business and get your own accounts, thus eliminating this issue, once you have taken either an online home study medical transcription course, or taken classes at your local community college. To increase your transcription skills, it may be wise to purchase real-life practice tapes or CDs, even after you have finished your education. This is especially useful in helping the new transcriptionist gain confidence and more experience before embarking on setting up a home based business or going to work for someone else.

Running a home based medical transcription business from home is one of the easiest to do. The bookkeeping is minimal and usually the work is constant. As with any home based business, you need to be disciplined and motivated to make it a success.

Training and education in natural healing will often include CPR and first aid programs as an adjunct to good health care training. Natural healing schools can provide specialized training in emergency situations that can arise in a medical setting. Training in emergency medicine could mean the difference between life and death, and basic classes in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation are usually required for medical students at every level.

Natural healers and other health care specialists are expected to be prepared in case of an emergency while a patient or client is under their care. That is why CPR and first aid programs are such an important component of a health care education. Those first few moments in an emergency situation are a critical time, and knowledge of CPR and first aid can help keep a patient alive while waiting for professional medical assistance.

CPR and first aid training at healing arts schools (and other schools, for that matter) will instruct in the latest techniques of opening the patient’s airway, chest compression, and checking the patient for vital signs of life. Without these healing techniques, a patient experiencing a stroke or heart attack can quickly lose consciousness or even die. But, the live-saving actions delivered by someone who is trained in CPR can maintain the patient’s breathing and keep the heart beating to supply oxygen to the brain.

Healing arts schools can also teach you to act in case of a traumatic injury, such as a bleeding wound or fracture. Students are taught to stem the flow of blood and to secure broken bones with a splint and other emergency measures that can buy time until the patient reaches a hospital. While training in CPR and First Aid will not take the place of a complete medical education, it is an important component to all health care professions.

Instruction at natural healing schools will deliver the same information, skills and techniques as CPR and First Aid courses found in any traditional medical school, vocational school, or continuing education course. The American Heart Association will readily endorse training in CPR and First Aid from a natural healing school just as they do any other school. It’s a great way to gain professional certification in emergency preparedness.

Online medical transcription schools offer a tremendous time savings and the flexibility to tailor your school schedule around your busy professional and personal life. If you want to enter the medical transcription field, you may need the flexibility to study and learn at your own pace. Thanks to technology if you wish to pursue a career in medical transcription, you can do so now via online medical transcription schools.

A good online medical transcription school will offer study courses in the following:

Medical word roots, prefixes, suffixes and combining forms, the building blocks of medical terminology.

Individual body systems: Musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, genitourinary, nervous, lymphatic, integumentary, and endocrine.

Anatomy and physiology, human diseases, medical abbreviations, pharmacology, and diagnostic tests/ procedures.

Punctuation; capitalization; English grammar, transcribing numbers, figures, and abbreviations; proofreading and corrections; use of medical reference books; and ethics.

Report formats of history and physicals, consultations, operative reports, discharge summaries, and medical letters, as well as progress reports, also known as follow-up/ SOAP notes (SOAP is an acronym that stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan).

Furthermore, while studying medical transcription courses, real doctors’ dictations must be used so medical transcription students can hear and master a variety of voices and accents, including medical doctors for whom English is a second language (commonly referred to as ESL medical doctors/dictators). Instructors of online medical transcription schools should be certified medical transcriptionists (CMTs) or medical transcriptionists (MTs) with an extensive background in medical transcription and teaching medical transcription classes.

Good online medical transcription schools have work placement programs to provide assistance to qualified entry level medical transcriptionists seeking their first medical transcription job after completion of all online medical transcription courses.

When one reflects on how busy people are these days and how little time we have to enjoy time at home with our families, taking online medical transcription schools is a legitimate way to have the best of both worlds: quality time with our family while pursuing a career in medical transcription, all thanks to the courses offered by online medical transcription schools.

Clinical Quiz questions are based on selected articles in this issue. Answers appear in this issue.

American Family Physician has been approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians as having educational content acceptable for Prescribed credit hours. This issue has been approved for up to 4.5 Prescribed credit hours. Term of approval covers issues published within one year from the beginning distribution date of June 2000. Credit may be claimed for one year from the date of this issue.

The American Academy of Family Physicians is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The AAFP designates this educational activity for a maximum of 4.5 hours in Category 1 credit toward the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he or she actually spent in the educational activity.

AAFP Credit

Each copy of AFP contains a Clinical Quiz answer card. AAFP members may use this card to obtain the designated number of Prescribed credit hours for the year in which the card is postmarked.

AMA/PRA Category 1 Credit

AAFP members who satisfy the Academy’s continuing medical education requirements are automatically eligible for the AMA/PRA.

Physicians who are not members of the AAFP are eligible to receive the designated number of credit hours in Category 1 of the AMA/PRA on completion and return of the Clinical Quiz answer card. AFP keeps a record of AMA/PRA Category 1 credit hours for nonmember physicians. This record will be provided on request; however, nonmembers are responsible for reporting their own Category 1 CME credits when applying for the AMA/PRA or other certificates or credentials.

For health care professionals who are not physicians and are AFP subscribers, a record of CME credit is kept by AAFP and will be provided to you on written request. You are responsible for reporting CME hours to your professional organization.

NOTE: The full text of AFP is available online (http://www.aafp.org/afp), including each issue’s Clinical Quiz. The table of contents for each online issue will link you to the Clinical Quiz. Just follow the online directions to take the quiz and, if you’re an AAFP member, you can submit your answers for CME credit.

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Read each article, answer all questions on the quiz pages and transfer your answers to the Clinical Quiz answer card (bound into your copy of AFP). This will help you avoid errors and permit you to check your answers against the correct answers.

(2) Mail the Clinical Quiz answer card within one year (by June 30, 2001). The bar code on the answer card contains your identification for CME credit hours.

Before beginning the test, please note:

Each Clinical Quiz includes two types of questions: Type A and Type X.

Type A questions have only one correct answer and may have four or five choices. Here is a typical Type A question:

Jul. 27-30: Louisiana AFP 1st annual summer breakaway. Marriott’s Grand Hotel, Point Clear. (17 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: Louisiana AFP. Contact Anne Cathey: 225-923-3313.

Arizona

Jul. 15: Clinical reviews: summer sessions 2000. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Phoenix. (4 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: Mayo Clinic Scottsdale. Contact Sarah Dorste: 480-301-4580.

Jul. 18-19: St. Mary’s advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). St. Mary’s Hospital, Russellville. (13 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: AHEC Fort Smith. Contact Rhonda Horton: 501-968-2841.

Aug. 19: Clinical reviews: summer sessions 2000. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Phoenix. (4 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: Mayo Clinic Scottsdale. Contact Sarah Dorste: 480-301-4580.

Aug. 24-26: Basic and advanced colposcopy. Sedona. (39 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: University of Toronto and Biomedical Communications. Contact Mary Ann Riopelle: 800-477-7702.

Sept. 22-25: Intensive conversational medical Spanish & cultural workshop. University of Arizona, Tucson. (36 hrs: P) Sponsor: Rios Associates. Contact Joanna Rios or Jose Fernandez: 520-907-3318 or 619-218-4875.

Sept. 23-27: PREP: the course. Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort, Scottsdale. (37 3/4 hrs: P) Sponsor: American Academy of Pediatrics. Contact Sandy Goldstein: 847-228-5005.

Arkansas

Jul. 13-15: Intensive workshop in health care ethics. Freeway Medical Tower, Little Rock. (17 1/4 hrs: P) Sponsor: UAMC Division of Medical Humanities. Contact Judy Smith: 501-661-7970.

Aug. 22: Neonatal resuscitation program. Medical Center of South Arkansas, El Dorado. (6 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: Area Health Education Center (AHEC) South Arkansas. Contact Carol Cobb/Debra Boyd-Jelks: 870-881-4417.

Oct. 17-18: St. Mary’s advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). St. Mary’s Hospital, Russellville. (13 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: AHEC-Fort Smith. Contact Rhonda Horton: 501-968-2841.

California

Jul. 7-9: San Diego Academy of Family Physicians 44th annual postgraduate symposium. Hotel del Coronado, Coronado. (17 1/4 hrs: P) Sponsor: San Diego AFP. Contact Terry Camarata: 619-422-1186.

Jul. 14-17: Intensive conversational medical Spanish & cultural workshop. Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Los Angeles. (36 hrs: P) Sponsor: Rios Associates. Contact Joanna Rios or Jose Fernandez: 520-907-3318 or 619-218-4875.

Aug. 4-7: Intensive conversational medical Spanish & cultural workshop. San Francisco. (36 hrs: P) Sponsor: Rios Associates. Contact Joanna Rios or Jose Fernandez: 520-907-3318 or 619-218-4875.

Aug. 6-9: Essentials in emergency medicine and urgent care. Hotel del Coronado, San Diego. (20 hrs: P) Sponsor: CME Associates. Contact Customer Service: 800-447-4474.

Aug. 6-10: U.S. women’s healthcare congress. Del Coronado Resort, San Diego. (20 3/4 hrs: P) Sponsor: CME, Inc. Contact Melba Hill: 949-250-1008.

Aug. 10-13: Cardiology in primary care. Hyatt Islandia, San Diego. (20 hrs: P) Sponsor: CME Associates. Contact Customer Service: 800-447-4474.

Aug. 11-13: Part B: MDT of the cervical/thoracic spine. La Jolla. (20 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: The McKenzie Institute. Contact Stacey Lyon: 315-471-7612.

Aug. 18-19: Controversies in women’s health. Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim. (12 hrs: P) Sponsor: UCLA CME/Iris Center UCLA Women’s Health Center. Contact Catarina Prata: 310-312-0531.

Sept. 7-10: Part A: MDT of the lumbar spine. Glendale. (27 hrs: P) Sponsor: The McKenzie Institute. Contact Stacey Lyon: 315-471-7612.

Sept. 14-18: Internal medicine 2000 fall program. Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego. (20 hrs: P) Sponsor: CMEA, Inc. Contact Customer Service: 800-447-4474.

Sept. 20-23: 17th annual intensive course in geriatric medicine and board review. Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica. (31 1/4 hrs: P) Sponsor: UCLA School of Medicine, Geriatrics. Contact Lucio Arruda or Catarina Prata: 310-312-0531.

Oct. 11-14: 22nd year: semiannual wound management workshop. La Jolla Marriott, La Jolla. (14 1/4 hrs: P) Sponsor: University of California, San Diego. Contact Mely Fitzgerald: 619-543-6084.

Oct. 23-26: Primary care update. Hyatt-Embarcadearo Center, San Francisco. (27 hrs: P) Sponsor: Interstate Postgraduate Medical. Contact H. B. Maroney: 608-231-9045.

Oct. 25: Improving end-of-life care for the hospitalized patient. Grand Hyatt Hotel, San Francisco. (7 hrs: P) Sponsor: Department of Medicine, CME, UCSF. Contact Cliff Brock: 413-476-5208.

Oct. 26-28: Management of the hospitalized patient in the managed care era. Grand Hyatt Hotel, San Francisco. (17 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: Department of Medicine, CME, UCSF. Contact Cliff Brock: 415-476-5208.

Oct. 27-29: Physician leadership program. Laurel Heights Conference Center, San Francisco. (19 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: California AFP. Contact Laura Johnson-Morasch: 415-394-9121.

Nov. 2-5: Advances in infectious disease. Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego. (20 hrs: P) Sponsor: CMEA, Inc. Contact Customer Service: 800-447-4474.

Nov. 3-5: Part B: MDT of the cervical/thoracic spine. Glendale. (20 1/2 hrs: P) Sponsor: The McKenzie Institute. Contact Stacey Lyon: 315-471-7612.

Purpose-Increasing healthcare professionals’ knowledge about organ and tissue donation; the national mandates regarding referral compliance; and the effect on donors, donor families, and transplant recipients is a challenging task. Physicians not routinely involved in organ donation or transplantation are some of the most difficult professionals for organ procurement organizations to access. A course for medical students was developed to initiate the transfer of information, comfort, and familiarity with the organ and tissue donation process.

Methods-Discussions with a local medical school revealed that little organized education on organ and tissue donation existed. An elective course was developed consisting of 2-hour lectures, once a week for 6 weeks. Topics included an overview of tissue and organ donation, history and significance of the current crisis, determination of brain death and its role in organ donation, tissue donation, pretransplant and posttransplant processes, ethical issues, and the donor family and recipient experience.

Results-A thorough course proposal was presented to the medical school’s Chairman of Surgery and Chairman of Transplantation. The proposal was approved for first- and second-year medical students.

Conclusion-Offering medical students a unique and comprehensive course may attract curious students who could become future champions for donation. This type of educational approach may significantly influence future interactions between physicians and organ procurement organizations. If more organ procurement organizations implement this type of program, the medical students’ knowledge of donation will not only affect and benefit the local organ procurement organization’s service area but other procurement organizations throughout the country as well. (Progress in Transplantation. 2005;15:124-128)

There is an overwhelming demand for organs for transplantation. Every day, the waiting list for lifesaving organ transplants grows, and the supply of donated organs remains relatively unchanged.1 In an effort to increase donation and donation awareness in the hospital setting, the 1998 Federal Conditions of Participation from the Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) was introduced.2 It was the first major intervention in many years that required collaboration between hospitals and organ procurement organizations (OPOs).2 Since then, OPOs have made aggressive attempts to meet the professional educational demands set forth by the 1998 legislation.

Increasing healthcare professionals’ knowledge about the organ and tissue donation recovery process; the national mandates regarding referral compliance; and the effect on the donors, donor families, and recipients is a necessary and challenging task that may positively affect organ availability for transplantation. Regional OPOs are in a unique position to present all aspects of these processes to a wide range of healthcare professionals. Educating hospital personnel such as physicians, nurses, clergy, and social professionals requires originality, maintenance, and persistence. The hospital development and procurement staff members of OPOs sustain donation education and awareness in the hospital setting with diligence; however, other professional education opportunities remain.

Recent research has shown that nursing schools throughout the United States provide organ donation education in their curricula. One study documents that US nursing education curricula on donation- and transplantation-related content are increasing.3 This donation education describing proper procedures and protocols plays a key role in higher donation consent rates.4 In addition, Frottas and Batten5 demonstrated that nurses’ attitudes regarding donation directly affect their interaction with families. Nurses who believe organ procurement is a professional responsibility have the fewest reservations about facilitating donation.5 In contrast to nursing education, only a small amount of research exists regarding the education of physicians.6-11

Of the various professionals, one of the more difficult groups to access are physicians not ordinarily involved in organ donation and transplantation. The concept of organ and tissue donation during physicians’ education process is limited in the rapidly changing environment of organ donation medicine. The training of physicians directly affects the donation process and their involvement is paramount and should not be overlooked.12 However, achieving a partnership between OPOs and physicians is a complex challenge. In 1992, the United Network for Organ Sharing assembled a consortium of transplant professionals, and developed an organ donation and transplantation curriculum for medical schools.13 Its voluntary implementation was dependent on the medical school and the OPO was not always involved. However, the fact that the curriculum has not been updated since it was originated limits its utility. At the same time, the environment of organ donation and transplantation has experienced numerous changes in practice, policy, and philosophy. To enhance physicians’ knowledge, comfort, and familiarity with the organ and tissue recovery process and procurement organizations, a collaborative course was developed between the regional OPO and local medical school. The goal of this course was to facilitate the transmission of this information at the level of first- and second-year medical students.

Managing a practice in today’s complex health care environment not only requires excellent clinical skills, but also superior business skills. To help practicing physicians better understand the business side of medicine, the American College of Physician Executives has developed a new, completely online, Practice Management course.

Similar to ACPE’s Practice Management Institute offered live at the Spring Institute, this Web-based course allows participants to learn without the expense and hassle of travel. Busy clinicians do not need to leave their practice or their families to gain skills to improve clinical and financial outcomes of their practice.

* How to interpret and use financial tools to measure and improve your practice’s profitability

* Ways to avoid billing and coding mistakes that may be costing you lost income

* Proven methods to improve quality and clinical outcomes

* The business secrets that America’s best practices are using to provide excellent patient care

* Practical, hands-on ways to boost your bottom line through more efficient scheduling, staffing and time-saving technology

Participants will also receive templates and worksheets to put to use right away in their own practices. Physicians, office managers and staff are welcome to participate in the course and take advantage of the expert insights.