Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Friday, March 25, 2011

Need Mental Health Continuing Education?

If you've ever considered a career as a psychiatrist, you must also consider pursuing mental health continuing education. Quite simply, you can't have one without the other.

Psychiatry a specialist of the medical field centered around studying and treating the troubles of the human mind, including cognitive, behavioral, affective and perceptual disorders. Because of the complex nature of the work and subject matter involved, it is one of the most challenging fields to both enter and work in in the world.

So how does one pursue a career in this field, or even begin to think about one for that matter? For starters, it all begins with understanding the need for extensive mental health continuing education.

Psychiatrists are physicians, meaning they are not only therapists but actual doctors as well. Unlike many other specialties within the field, they take a biomedical approach to treating disorders of the mind that include prescribing medication. In short for those considering this career path, it often means that double the education is necessary, as prospects are required to study both related types of medicine.

Psychiatrists often also perform psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and must study these aspects of the profession as well, but their required level of understanding of these topics depends upon where they study or intend to practice. Different mental health continuing education programs and state or regional licensing boards feature different requirements for such cross-training that define a student's specific program.

The requirements to become a psychiatrist are both extensive and significant and vary depending on an individual's location or school of choice. In the United States, prospective students are able to earn an undergraduate bachelor's degree in an area of study of their choice, which is most often a related subject, while also completing required core courses that will prepare them for more focused graduate work.

Most graduate programs begin with years of study, training and apprenticeships in order for the student to become a licensed doctor of medicine. That is typically followed by years of work in psychiatry in order for the individual to become fully licensed. The combination of school work, testing and hands-on experience within the profession is designed to prepare students for the work load and challenges they will experience once licensed and able to practice.

The total amount of time often required to become fully licensed to practice within the profession is between eight and 10 years if there are no interruptions or difficulties with any of the programs. Students must also pass various assessments and forms of testing along the way in order to proceed with their studies.

Mental health continuing education is not for everyone, but it can prepare individuals for a career in one of the most exciting and challenging professions in the world.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

CDC Public Health Training Network Offers Free Online Continuing Education Courses

Many schools and organizations offer courses and other activities for continuing education credit. Courses can vary widely in price, location and media. Instead of paying for continuing education courses, health professionals can choose to complete courses online for free through the  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Public Health Training Network (PHTN), a distance learning network that offers a wide selection of free courses. 


Health professionals, such as physicians, nurses and certified health education specialists, need to complete continuing education units for recertification. For example, physicians in California need to accrue 50 hours every two years to renew their license. 


Some classes are offered online.  Most courses are free and some have an online video component. Students can also elect to take courses and pay only for the media, such as books, video, CD or slides.

Some media do not carry credit. Look for the CE icon. 

The CDC has been approved as a provider of continuing education by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.; American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation, and International Association for Continuing Education and Training. 


The CDC offers CME credit for physician and non-physicians, CNE credit for nurses, CECH credit for Certified Health Education Specialists, and CEU credit for other professionals.
 
When selecting courses, determine if the course providers are approved by the appropriate national accrediting organizations and state boards.  For instance, the CDC states the following about California Board of Nursing stipulations:
 
"The California Board of Nursing will accept CDC's ANCC credit for self-study courses.

However, they will not accept ANCC credit for courses offered within the state of California. "
 
For more information, read the Occupational Outlook Handbook, look for your health profession and read "sources of additional information. "

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Mental Health Continuing Education - Is Distance Learning Right For You?

For many people who choose mental health continuing education, distance learning is an attractive option. You're not 18 anymore, and now you've got an entire LIFE to coordinate. These programs are tailored to people who work, have families and are otherwise engaged in everyday things. However, it's not for everybody. First, let's look at the advantages of distance learning for education; then, we'll consider some of the disadvantages.

You Can Study When And Where You Want. These courses allow you to log in at any time and do your coursework. This is really convenient for those of us with busy schedules. You can also study anywhere, which means that you don't have to spend time traveling to and from school. It's just a matter of turning on your computer wherever you are.

Save Money As Well As Time. You may also find yourself spending less money with distance learning. You can get your mental health continuing education coursework done without having to spend the money on traveling, attending seminars, eating lunch on campus and other things.

Focus Your Time To Use It More Effectively. In a normal classroom setting, you have to sit through the lecture, even if you've already covered it. With distance learning, you move at your own pace, which means that you can skip over things that you've already studied or that don't pertain to you.

These are the reasons so many people choose distance learning for their health courses, but you should be aware that there are some downsides too:

The Technology Can Be Tricky. To make your lectures, discussions and tests, you've got to have a computer that's capable of running all the necessary programs. You also need a certain speed and memory capability. Sometimes, upgrading or getting the necessary software presents challenges you weren't expecting, as well as added costs.

Planning And Time Management. For some people, distance learning isn't such a good idea. It takes a certain kind of discipline to make all of your assignments and take care of all the little things, especially if you've also got a job to think about. You have to be good at planning and time management, and even though you don't have to show up for tests, the deadlines are serious. There are also lots of other little things to remember, like posting to discussion threads.

Teach Yourself. Distance learning is a little bit like teaching yourself. If you're doing a mental health course through distance learning, you've got to be a self-starter.

No Direct Access. Another disadvantage is that you don't get to actually meet your instructors or classmates. This can be a big turn-off for students who need that face-to-face contact.

You can get your education certification in a real classroom or through distance learning. Consider the pros and cons of each before you make a decision. You might want to talk with someone who has done a distance learning course for further advice.

Friday, December 25, 2009

California Insurance Continuing Education - Health Benefits

Wording regarding the PPO Providers (when applicable) are the same as with individual Major Medical plans. As a rule, Provider-type plans are established the same for Group and Individual plans.  Note the illustrated Schedule of Benefits on the first page shows a difference in approved and non-approved Providers in coinsurance percentages.  Since some groups are multi-state, there can be special consideration given if there are employees in an area not served by participating Providers.  Some plans allow a choice with higher co-payments or some other added cost if approved Providers are not used.  Again, because the size of the group determines the type of plan and the benefits provided, there are more alternatives to this and other similar provisions than could be outlined in a text of this size and type.

COVERED SERVICES

Hospital Care, Physician Care, Ambulatory Surgical Center Care, Accident Care, Accident Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Complications of Pregnancy, Sterilization, Newborn Child and Well-Child Care, Organ Transplant, Mental-Nervous Disorder treatment, Alcohol-Drug Dependency treatment, Therapeutic Services, Mammogram, Skilled Nursing Care, Home Health Care, Ambulance Services, Prosthetic & Orthotic Devices & Durable Medical Equipment, are all comparable to the provisions and terminology of the individual Major Medical plans.  The only two sections of interest that are not defined under Major Medical provisions, are Maternity and Hospice Care.  (See below)

MATERNITY CARE
Maternity Health care services and supplies, including prenatal care, delivery and postnatal care, provided to an Insured other than the Certificateholder's child, by a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.), Hospital, Birth Center, midwife or Certified Nurse Midwife may be Covered Services.
Maternity benefits are provided for a Certificateholder's Dependent daughter only when: 1) the  Certificateholder has employee/children or employee/family type coverage; 2) the Contractholder has purchased the optional Dependent daughter maternity benefits Rider from YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY; and 3) the Dependent daughter was covered under such Rider for at least 30 days prior to the date of conception of such Dependent's pregnancy, as determined by a Physician.

Complications of Pregnancy: Health care services and supplies provided to an Insured for the treatment of complications of pregnancy may be Covered Services.  Coverage for complications of pregnancy is limited to Covered Services to treat the Condition covered by the complication, and does not include maternity coverage.
Additionally, coverage for complications of pregnancy is subject to any Pre-existing Condition limitations.

For purposes of this Section, the phrase complications of pregnancy" means a Condition which is diagnosed as a separate Condition from the pregnancy.

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