Building a career in allied health requires continuous learning and professional development. You can enhance your career by stacking credentials, which means earning multiple certifications over time. You can build a career that is unique to your personal goals while also increasing your value in the workplace.
This post explains how stacking credentials works, its benefits, and how American Medical Technologists (AMT) can help you.
What Are Stackable Credentials?
Stackable credentials means earning multiple certifications to build a diverse set and strengthen your professional knowledge. In health care, stacking credentials is a great way to advance your career and reach your long-term goals. This allows professionals to customize their personal development by choosing credentials that align with their interests, responsibilities, and aspirations.
The Department of Education supports stackable credentials as part of its initiative to promote career and technical education. This concept helps students and professionals improve their skills while balancing work, life, and education.
Vertical Stacking
Vertical stacking focuses on advancing your career by moving up to more specialized or leadership positions. In this approach, you build on your foundational knowledge by pursuing higher-level certifications or further education. After earning the RMA certification, a health care professional might pursue a certification as a Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS). This opens doors to administrative roles or even project management positions within medical practices or hospitals.
This vertical stacking approach allows you to create a more focused career pathway that supports your long-term career goals. This is perfect for those looking to move into leadership or specialized roles that require higher-level credentials.
How AMT Supports Your Credential Stacking Journey
AMT offers certifications and resources to help you stack credentials for your current career needs and future goals. AMT’s resources help you create a flexible career path that meets industry standards while balancing work and life.
Professional Certifications
AMT offers 12 professional certifications, each designed to validate your qualifications in a specific area of allied health. Whether you're interested in medical assisting, phlebotomy, or another field, AMT offers certifications that match your career goals. Employers across the United States recognize AMT certifications. This recognition helps you stand out in a competitive job market.
AMT also supports professionals through its variety of training programs, which include both free and paid exam preparation resources. This support helps ensure that candidates are well-prepared for their certification exams, leading to higher rates of success.
Benefits of Stacking Credentials
Stacking credentials offers many benefits for those starting their careers or wanting to advance into specialized roles. Some of the most significant benefits include:
- Increased Marketability: Stacking credentials makes you more appealing to employers because it shows you have a diverse skill set. This is particularly important in health care, where employers value employees who can handle multiple responsibilities effectively.
- Personal Development: Stacking credentials helps you continue improving your skills and knowledge. You can control your professional journey by earning certifications that align with your career goals.
- Career Advancement: Vertical stacking of credentials positions you for leadership or specialized roles. Employers value professional certifications and often seek candidates committed to ongoing learning.
Conclusion
Stacking credentials is a powerful strategy for career growth, especially in the healthcare field. AMT offers a variety of resources to help you along your journey. By utilizing AMT’s programs, you can create a career pathway that aligns with your goals. This approach also helps you increase your value in the workplace.