ed2go Success Story: Beating Cancer, Becoming a Certified Medical Assistant
Nichole O. had never considered working in healthcare until she was diagnosed with cancer a second time. Beating the diagnosis put her new career in motion and an ed2go course helped her earn a career-defining certification.
“I basically lived in oncology offices,” Nichole said. “But the people I interacted with daily made me want to work in the healthcare field.”
Shifting Career Direction
Joining the healthcare profession was a serious career change for Nichole.
From the start, she knew she would need in-depth training and an industry-recognized certification to work in the field.
But as a working mother, she also needed a flexible training program to fit her hectic schedule.
Nichole researched online courses that met her needs and found ed2go partner Heartland Community College. Heartland offers ed2go’s CCA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant with Medical Billing and Coding course, which prepares for two certification exams:
- Certified Coding Associate (CCA), offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, offered by National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
Learn more: CCA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant with Medical Billing and Coding
Striking a Balance
Nichole had reservations about learning a new skill set in an online course.
“I hadn’t been in school in quite some time,” she said.
Juggling work, parenting, and online coursework was a learning curve, but Nichole found her groove. She spent a few hours completing lessons after her son went to bed every night.
“Learning in an online course was easier than I expected,” Nichole said.
Nichole said her ed2go advisor, Vivian R., played an important role in her education journey. Each month, Vivian provided a detailed report on Nichole’s progress. This ‘game plan’ outlined how many hours Nichole would need to spend on a lesson to complete the course on time.
“It was like having someone hold me accountable without breathing down my neck,” Nichole said.
Thanks to Vivian’s monthly outlines, Nichole completed the course with a month to spare.
She passed the NHA’s Certified Medical Administrative Assistant certification exam shortly after.
Helping Others Daily
Nichole, now completely cancer-free, manages inpatient services at a specialized eye clinic.
No two days are alike, but Nichole’s training in medical billing, coding, and administration pays off. She handles everything from patient intake and discharge to billing and insurance authorizations. She even coordinates surgeries.
“I knew that ed2go’s course prepared me for my new job immediately,” Nichole said. “When I was onboarding on my first day, the trainer actually thought I had a background in healthcare!”
For Nichole, the most important aspect is the support she provides patients struggling with difficult diagnoses. Many of the clinic’s repeat patients are on the verge of losing their eyesight, suffer from long-term illness, or face medical uncertainty — something knows Nichole knows all too much about.
“I appreciate that I have the skills to care for them the way others cared for me when I had cancer.”
To learn more about our CCA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant with Medical Billing and Coding course, click the link below.
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