One of Philly’s “Top Doctors” Visits Prism Career Institute… Speaks To Students About Readiness For Medical Careers

Posted on February 14, 2012 by admin

It’s not every day that you get chosen to be on the cover of Philadelphia Magazine as one of “Philly’s Top Doctors.” And it’s not every day that students training for careers in Medical Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding and Health Information Technology get to attend a presentation conducted by that doctor, Dr. Maribel Hernandez, Cardiologist/Electrophysiologist, Main Line Health, who was featured in the May 2010 edition.

Dr. Hernandez recently visited Prism Career Institute’s Upper Darby campus and offered invaluable advice and direction for students who are training to enter the medical/allied health field. Growing up in Puerto Rico in a family of seven children, Dr. Hernandez is quite familiar with the value of education. She graduated from Yale University, attended medical school at Stanford University and completed her residency at New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard
Medical School.

Adding to the doctor’s stellar medical credentials is a tremendous reputation for having a caring and compassionate bedside manner with her many patients. This focal point was not lost on the students attending her presentation at Prism. “Without the help Medical Assistants, Medical Billing and Coders and other allied health members, I couldn’t be a good doctor” she said. “To succeed in my office you need to very customer service oriented and make a great first impression.Which means you need to always be friendly, caring and compassionate when interacting socially and medically with the patients and communicating with the doctor.”

Dr. Hernandez also stressed the need for students to develop skills in accuracy, accountability and trustworthiness when performing medical office functions such as EKG, blood pressures and medical record keeping and electronic processing, while forging a “culture of safety.” “A Medical Assistant is the eyes and ears of the doctor” she added. “Life threatening patient medical information could be involved so it’s
important for team members to pause, think, ask and question. We encourage participation from all of our staff.”

By: Kevin Quinn, Vice President of Admissions/Marketing,
Prism Education Group

For more information call 1-800-571-2213.

Prism Career Institute’s Upper Darby campus is located at 6800 Market Street, directly across from the 69th Street Terminal. Other Prism locations include NE Phila., Cherry Hill and Egg Harbor Twp., NJ.

“I felt there was something more out there for me…”

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

Take a look at what one woman has to say about returning to school, and how Career Training has helped her change her life.

Marion was selected to be profiled by The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU).

Community College Wasn’t a Good Fit…

Posted on January 3, 2012 by admin

See how Nursing student John Wells found Prism, after trying college options that didn’t work for him. John is now well on his way to pursuing a rewarding medical career. Check out this 2-minute video and hear John’s story:

John was selected to be profiled by The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU).

Prism Student Profiled by National Association

Posted on November 21, 2011 by admin

Check Out the 3-Minute Video Highlighting the Achievement of One Prism Career Institute Student

Prism Career Institute student Carmelita Clemons has been selected by The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) to be profiled on their “Real Students Real Stories” YouTube channel.

Carmelita is pursuing Medical Assisting training at the Cherry Hill, New Jersey campus. After years in the workforce, Carmelita found Prism as a way to achieve her goals.

About APSCU
APSCU is an organization of accredited, private, postsecondary schools, institutions, colleges and universities with over 1,800 members. APSCU’s vision is a future where the focus of U.S. higher education is to develop a globally competitive workforce and to enable all students to achieve their educational and career dreams.

Prism Help Students Find Rewarding Local Job Opportunities

Posted on November 19, 2011 by kevin

Most every accredited career school has a Career Services Department that helps assist students find career opportunities in their field of study after completing training programs. Various training programs offer externships that enable students to get valuable on-the-job type experience while training.

Prism Career Institute, with locations in NE Philly, Upper Darby, Cherry Hill and Egg Harbor Township is one such system of schools. Paul Alvarez is the Director of Career Services at the Egg Harbor Township campus. Paul is in constant contact with medical and paralegal employers in the South Jersey area to help them find trained candidates to fit their hiring needs.

“A Prism Patient Care Assistant graduate, Taina Manging, just completed her externship at Gen- eral Family Day Health Services in Somers Point and was just hired because the owner/operator, Crista Moffat, a RN and instructor at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, felt they couldn’t be without Taina,” Alverez mentioned. “Rite At Home, Home Instead, Atlantic Adult Daycare, Westmoreland, Vesper & Quattrone Law Office, and Accurate Diagnostics are area employers where we’ve recently placed Prism graduates,” he added.

Prism Career Institute offers training programs in Medical, Practical Nursing, Paralegal, Early Child- hood Education, Health Information Technology and Business Accounting at its various locations. Along with Career Services assistance, Prism provides individual help for all students applying for financial aid they may qualify for. Day and evening classes are available. For more information, visit www.prismcareerinstitute.edu or call 800-644- 4443.

Prism Career Institute Graduate Finds Opportunities In Medical Billing & Coding Career

Posted on November 11, 2011 by kevin

Prism Career Institute Medical Billing & Coding graduate, Rosalyn Garcia, working at Affiliates In Psychotherapy in Northfield, NJ. Ro- salyn is also a Certified Billing & Coding Specialist (CBCS) through the National Healthcare Association.

Each time a patient with insurance sees a doctor, a healthcare professional adept at medical billing & coding files a claim with an insurance company. That medical billing & coding specialist needs to be detailed oriented so that they can spot errors and carefully check their work. With vast amounts of health information passing through medical of- fices daily, medical billers & coders keep things organized so that doctors can be kept up-to-date on the patients they help.

To enter this field, training is necessary and it es- pecially worked out for Rosalyn Garcia who grad- uated from the Medical Billing & Coding program at Prism Career Institute in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Prism’s program features a valuable Externship pro- gram where students receive on-the-job-type ex- perience at local medical facilities. Rosalyn works at Affiliates In Psychotherapy in Northfield, NJ. And how did she get hired? “I was fortunate to be hired through my Externship program that Prism placed me in at Affiliates,” she said. “I perform all front office procedures, checking in patients, pull- ing and filing medical records, performing medical billing for office visits and verification of insur- ance coverage. I also serve as a translator.”

Patty Ford is the Office Manager at Affiliates In Psychotherapy and heads up the medical billing department. “I enjoy having Rosalyn on site and it’s a pleasure working with Prism students, as- sisting them in developing their medical billing skills, and eventually even offering employment when there are openings,” she said.

Rosalyn’s job responsibilities may sound like a big handful but she credits Prism’s training for making her well prepared. “I have a B.A. in American Studies but I could only find work as a substitute teacher. I also worked in a department store but

realized I needed a new career. I kept hearing about how much the medical industry was growing and enrolled at Prism. My education at Prism was quite the experience. The teachers were helpful and patient. They taught me that I should never use the word can’t when it comes to success. I also became a Certified Billing & Coding Specialist (CBCS) from the National Healthcare Associa- tion with Prism’s guidance. ”

Juggling family and school isn’t always easy and Rosalyn says her family “team” support helped tremendously to help her complete the program. “Everything worth having in life includes sacri- fice. I would recommend anyone interested in the medical field to enroll at Prism. They will get all the help they need to succeed.”

In addition to Egg Harbor Twp., Prism has campus- es in Cherry Hill, NJ, NE Phila. and Upper Darby, PA. For more information visit www.prismcareer- institute.edu or call 800-571-1902.

Many Training Opportunities

Posted on October 25, 2011 by kevin

There are many options to consider when looking to gain skills, training and education to be prepared to compete in the job market. One option is to consider one of the many accredited career schools as a place to get a career-focused education in many growing occupations and career fields.

One such school is Prism Career Institute with campuses in NE Phila. and Upper Darby, PA, and Cherry Hill and Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Campuses in NE Phila. and Cherry Hill offer training in Practical Nursing, one of the most in- demand career fields according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010- 11 Occupational Outlook Handbook. The handbook expects this field to grow 21% through 2018 with 155,600 jobs expected to be added during this period. Both campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and approved by the PA and NJ Departments of Nursing.

Prism Practical Nursing students are screened into the program with a limited amount of students accepted each year. Graduates are prepared to take the NCLEX-PN exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and attract many employment opportunities at residential and nursing care facilities, hospitals, doctor’s offices, government agencies, outpatient clinics, long term care units and private care.

Only field trained instructors with Registered Nurse (RN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) creden- tials teach in the program. Mary Cooper is the Director of Nursing program at Prism’s Cherry Hill campus. Mary has 44 years experience in the Nursing Field and has her Master of Science in Nurs- ing degree from Seton Hall University. Her areas of expertise include nursing in the hospital setting, staff education, public health, infection control, hospice, long-term care and community involve- ment. “When I’m asked why some one should pursue a nursing career I always answer by saying if you want to make a difference in people’s lives, then become a nurse,” said Cooper. “And Prism Ca- reer Institute is a great place to start.”

Prism Nursing graduates work in various healthcare facilities throughout the region. ACW Healthcare, a Haddon- field, NJ homecare nursing provider of services for injured and rehabilitation patients, has hired 6 Prism graduates. “I’m so impressed with the quality of Prism Practical Nursing graduates that I’ll continue to hire more as my needs continue,” said Ann Wells, manager of the company. Ann works closely with Margie Strong, Prism’s Career Services Director who is responsible for helping graduates find employment and career opportunities. Prism offers a free ser- vice for employers looking to hire quali- fied workers in the medical field includ- ing Nursing, Medical Assistant, Patient Care Assistant and Medical Billing and Coding.

There are many opportunities for career growth offered by accredited career schools. For more information about Prism Career Institute visit www.prismcareerinstitute.edu or call 800- 644-4443.

Helping Adults Make Career Changes Possible

Posted on October 12, 2011 by kevin

We live in a world that is constantly changing and evolving. Many adults are faced with having to make a career change by choice, or because of a lay off or job loss. Career changes can be exciting and attainable, but the idea can be challenging. Then, the next step is making it all work out given family responsibilities; children need to be taken care of and schedules need adjustment.

That’s where career schools come in. Career school training typically is career focused and takes much less time to complete compared to traditional colleg- es. Training can be finished in months, not years, in a variety of disciplines with classes normally starting throughout the year, not just in the spring or fall.

Candice Bosher decided to make a career change a few years ago with the help of Prism Career Institute in Cherry Hill, NJ. Candice worked in the health field right out of high school and then became a tattoo artist for 11 years. Her life changed when she became a mom and then she found herself taking care of her terminally ill grandmother. “I always wanted to go back in to the medical field but had fears of being too old at age 33,” Candice said. “But I knew I had to make a change so I pursued an interest in the nursing field and was accepted into Prism’s Practical Nursing program. It was 15 months of work but I graduated with perfect attendance and became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).”

Candice works for cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Naomi Lawrence, at The Center For Dermatologic Surgery, Marlton, NJ. She’s assists as a nurse in Mohs surgery, skin care procedures and cosmetic surgery.

“My life is completely different because of the Prism Career Institute graduate Candice Bosher working as a opportunity I was given LPN at The Center For Dermatologic Surgery, Marlton, NJ to attend the LPN program at Prism Career Institute. I still, to this day, call the school and thank them for being such a help to me.”

In addition to Cherry Hill, Prism Career Institute has campuses located in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, NE Philadelphia and Upper Darby, PA. Other programs are offered in Medical, Paralegal, Accounting, and Early Child- hood Education at various locations. For more information about Prism Career Institute, visit www.prismcareerinstitute.edu or call 800-644-4443.

Partnering With Universities To Provide Unique Training

Posted on September 29, 2011 by kevin

Prism Career Institute Medical instructor, Roseanne Leung, monitoring her students in Drexel University’s simulation lab.

Career schools often partner with colleges and universities to offer additional training seminars and exercises to help students gain knowledge and expertise in their chosen field of study. One example occurs right here in our area. Students at Prism Career Institute’s Northeast Philadelphia campus take part in a unique training partnership with Drexel University called the Patient Sim- ulation Experience.

Prism students have participated in the Patient Simulation Experience at Drexel for several years. Over 300 Prism Medical Assistant and Practical Nursing students have attended a three day training program that meets three times per year. The program allows stu- dents to take part in a “live” simulation.

The simulation team consists of a Medical Doctor, Drexel Nurse, Drexel Medical students and Prism students. The simulation labs are located at Hahnemann Hospital in center city Philadelphia. Each student is assigned by an instructor to a simulation team. Each simulation team conducts two to three medical experiences each day over the training period.

Prism students benefit as the Patient Simulation Experience provides the opportunity to train without risk to patients. A simulated environment is safe and risk free for trainees and helps build their competence and confidence.

“Incorporating the Prism Career Institute students into simulation with nursing students has raised the level of education for both sets of students,” said Linda Wilson, RN, PhD, CPAN, CAP, BC, CNE, Assistant Dean for Special Projects, Simulation and CNE Accreditation, Drexel University,

College of Nursing and Health Professions. “We hope to contin- ue to build simulation experiences. That leads to more effective team efforts on behalf of patients” she added.

In addition to the NE Philadelphia campus, Prism Career Institute has locations in Upper Darby, Cherry Hill and Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Programs in Medical, Practi- cal Nursing, Paralegal, Accounting and Early Childhood Education are offered at selected campuses. For more information, call 800- 644-4443 or visit www.prismcareerinstitute.edu.

Externships Leading To Employment Opportunities

Posted on August 12, 2011 by kevin

Prism Career Institute Medical Billing & Coding graduates Steven Hollis and Nichole Torrence flank Leonard Molin, Practice Manager, Stenton Avenue Medical & Rehab

Most accredited career schools offer externships as a part of the training program in certain fields of study. Externships allow the student to get valuable on-the-job type experience. The site sponsoring the externship can then evaluate each student’s performance and, often, extend an offer of employment at the completion of the externship and graduation.

Prism Career Institute offers externships in its medical program offerings. Students at Prism’s Northeast Phila. campus have participated in externships at Stenton Avenue Medical & Rehab since 2007. Leonard Molin, Practice Manager, has utilized the program to evaluate potential permanent employees. “The good Prism students who walk through the door have self motivation, want to learn, have excellent work ethic, do their work effectively and know how to prioritize, “ he said. “One student in particular, Steven Hollis, a Medical Billing & Coding extern, had the deter- mination to become part of our team. I actually did not have a permanent opening at the end of Steven’s externship. However, I hired Steven as a medical biller and have never regretted my decision.”

Stephanie Joyner owns Limitless Home Care Providers on N. 5th St. She started her business as a mobile phlebotomy company and utilizes Prism’s medical externship program also. “I’ve hired 3 Prism graduates as permanent employees out of the externship program,” said Joyner. “The students come to work well prepared, know exactly how to execute the job from day one and I don’t have to retrain them. My company is growing and I will continue to place Prism as my top career school in securing employees.”

In addition to Northeast Phila., Prism Career Institute has locations in Upper Darby, PA, Cherry Hill & Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Employers interested in externships or hiring Prism graduates can contact Debby Miller at the Northeast Phila. campus. More information about Prism Career Institute can be found at www.prismcareerinstitute.edu or by calling 800-644-4443.

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