LAB ASSIGNMENT : Interview of a Professional

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this assignment, the student should be able to:

• Delineate the responsibilities of a professional employed in the student's field of study

• Explain why the professional's position is one that the student would (or would not) be interested in obtaining Overview Health information management professionals often have similar educational backgrounds, but their job respon- sibilities and roles within organizations vary greatly. This assignment will familiarize students with the specific job responsibilities of a professional employed in their field of study.

Instructions

1. Prepare 10 questions that you would like to ask a professional employed in your field of study. NOTE: Your instructor might devote classroom time to brainstorming such questions (or use a discussion forum if you are an Internet-based student). This will allow you to share questions with other students in your course and to obtain additional questions to ask the professional.

2. Identify a credentialed professional in your field of study. Medical assistant students should interview a CMA or an RMA; coding students should interview a CCS or CPC; health information students should interview an RHIT or RHIA; and so on. Contact the professional to schedule an on-site interview. Conduct yourself in a professional manner and explain that you are a student completing a required assignment. NOTE: If it is not possible to schedule an on-site interview, check with your instructor to determine whether a telephone or email interview would be acceptable.

3. Prepare for the interview by reviewing and organizing the questions you will ask the professional.