Hello my name is Anne Michalski, I am currently a student with CD-ED a terrific on-line school based in Cape Breton Nova Scotia. As a mature student with previous data management experience I have been able to apply some of my life experience and skills to an exciting new course, HIM, health information management.
The main advantage of online training is the flexibility of the hours, but there are other advantages such as no need to commute to classes, no distractions in your work environment (unless you have young children) and the ability to contact other students or your instructors when required. While on my first year practicum in Montreal, I had the opportunity to speak to students from other schools that also offer the HIM program and realized for them it is a 3 year program which I will be able to complete in 102 weeks, less than 2 years, that is pretty exciting to me. If you have previous experience with health records you could complete the program even faster since it is self-paced.
The school is always looking for speakers to provide webinar presentations and give the students a chance to speak with current professionals in the HIM world but I noticed the choice of speaker holds great variety and introduces not only health record professionals but all sorts of different avenues within health information management. Many of the lessons cover current articles for a better understanding of medical research papers, current events and challenges to health data as well exciting new developments within health care management.
One of the reasons I was attracted to this profession was the wonderful opportunities it holds from hospital records to medical research to worldwide standardization of terms and classifications. There are jobs coding, co-ordinating, privacy advocating, programming, and standardizing or even teaching to name just a few. The other important aspect of the HIM profession is the high ethical standard and sense of co-operation that are encouraged within the membership. The sense of sharing and learning that continues far beyond the initial classroom phase is not found in many other professions and brings a sense of community with many opportunities to have a positive impact on the direction of health care.
I feel blessed to have this new career direction thanks to the great instructors at CD ED.
Best Regards,
Anne Michalski