To Be or Not to Be Certified

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

When you ask children what they would like to be when they grow up, you may hear answers like a nurse, doctor, firefighter, or President of the United States. Rarely, if ever, would you hear a child utter the statement, “I want to be a medical group practice executive when I grow up.” So how is it that we find ourselves in this profession? Medical group practice management is not one of the majors you can choose in college. In fact, you must go out of your way to find this field of study; and, when you do, medical group management is likely an elective course or at best a small concentration in an overall business or health administration degree. Our profession is a hidden gem in the sea of available career options.

Even though becoming a medical group practice executive probably was not the dream job that immediately popped into our minds the first time somebody asked what we would like to be when we grew up, we somehow found our way into the field of medical group management.

Some of us worked our way up through the ranks, whereas some pursued the degree after hearing and learning more about the discipline of healthcare management. I fall into the latter category. I knew I wanted a career in the healthcare field, but I had not settled on a specific area. That is, until I found myself passed out on the floor after witnessing a chest crack procedure during an emergency department observation. As I regained consciousness, I drew the conclusion that my particular choice of healthcare profession would need to be one that did not involve the presence of bodily fluids or invasive surgery.

Twenty years later, I find myself proudly saying that managing a medical group practice is my life’s work. My daily routine consists of ensuring the physicians and staff I serve have all the tools and resources they need to provide exceptional patient care. The tools and resources we use to craft our trade come in the form of knowledge or access to find answers to questions. It is critical that medical group executives be well versed in the current rules and regulations regarding human resources management, regulatory compliance, and financial and operational management.

Career In Medical Practice Management . . . Check. Now What?

A few years after securing my position as an academic medical practice executive, I began searching for even more validation in my career. In this pursuit, I sought to know more about the certification process of the American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE), the standard-setting and certification division of Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). My interest in the certification and fellowship offerings of ACMPE helped me answer the question, “If I expect the physicians we employ to be board certified and thus documenting their knowledge through an external source then why shouldn’t I expect the same of myself?”

The Road Of Professional Development

During my quest, I discovered that, since 1956, the ACMPE has answered this question while at the same time promoting professional growth of medical practice leaders. ACMPE board certification validates your knowledge and skills through the completion of three requirements: an objective examination; an essay examination; and continuing education. Becoming a Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) served as more than a validation of my knowledge; it legitimized my existence in this profession. The continuing education requirement ensures that I remain current in my professional knowledge and skills. ACMPE grants continuing education hours to programs that feature relevant content aimed at improving participants’ management competencies and medical practice management knowledge. The required continuing education portion of the ACMPE certification process was critical to me and my dedication to lifelong learning. This requirement made sense to me because of the many data sources vying for our limited time and attention. Just as the physicians we serve are often required to maintain their competency through the maintenance of [board] certification process, I think executives who manage the business of medical group practices should be expected to remain current in their field. The continuing education requirement of ACMPE ensures our relevancy.

Today, more than 6400 medical practice executives participate in the ACMPE. As of January 1, 2016, ACMPE has 2827 nominees, 2686 certified members, and 706 Fellows. If you have a desire to promote your profession, then you should consider certification or fellowship in ACMPE.

Does Certification Make A Difference?

Recently, I ventured out into the employment market and found that my credentials as a certified medical practice executive and a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executive (FACMPE) did, in fact, make a difference. I was granted several invitations to interview based on this credential and accomplishment. Achieving Fellowship through ACMPE demonstrates an individual’s willingness to embrace greater challenges and drive practice performance to new levels through the completion of a professional paper. As other Fellows in the program have stated, this achievement confirms our professional expertise and brings greater recognition from physicians, executives, industry professionals, and peers.

Resources for Professional Development

MGMA provides numerous resources for someone interested in pursuing certification and Fellowship, first among them your state MGMA affiliate, the ACMPE Forum Representative. The ACMPE Forum Representative serves as your personal guide through the certification and Fellowship process, providing information on professional development, certification, and Fellowship activities. Most ACMPE Forum Representatives are an integral part of the state MGMA executive leadership. Additional resources include an exam workbook, complete with practice questions; a Body of Knowledge (BOK) review series, a Knowledge Assessment book, and Body of Knowledge flash cards (all of which are available at mgma.com ). The Body of Knowledge for Medical Practice Management provides the organizational foundation for the certification examination.

The BOK represents a network of knowledge and skills required to perform as a medical practice executive. The examination process is designed to attest to the knowledge and skills most medical practice executives have after two years of healthcare management experience. The board certification exam is experience-based. I admit that taking an exam after I had been out of college for a number of years did not sound pleasant. After some encouragement by a colleague who had recently completed her certification, I began to consider it. It took several months of psyching myself up for the challenge before I signed up for the exam. I was nervous, but six to eight weeks after completing the exam, I received the results in the mail and was able to celebrate that I had passed. I am encouraged to help others overcome their anxiety and realize their potential and receive validation of what they know.

The ACMPE certification exam is held four times a year at a testing center located near you. To help you prepare, MGMA offers a national study group Webinar series each year. These recorded weekly Webinar sessions are for those interested in board certification and for those preparing to take the board certification exams. The series consists of eight sessions: an overview of board certification and organizational governance; two sessions on Operations Management; two sessions on Human Resource Management; two sessions on Risk Management and Patient Centered Care; and two sessions on financial management, with an essay exam overview and critique.

The sessions are open to anyone interested in certification or planning to take the certification exams, and there is no registration fee. Interested individuals can register for the bundle of ALL eight sessions, or individual sessions. Those who register will also have access to a dedicated Board Certification Study Group Member Community where they can ask questions, post messages, and interact with the content experts/presenters.

The Fellowship resources are just as plentiful for those certified individuals who are looking to set themselves apart or simply give back to their profession by authoring a professional paper on a relevant topic concerning medical practice management. ACMPE offers workshops and Fellow mentors to aid those actively pursuing this next step in their professional development.

Conclusion

Obtaining certification and fellowship gave me validation of my knowledge, skills, and abilities, and an avenue for professional development. The continuing education requirement keeps me on track to seek out educational opportunities to expand my knowledge and skill base. My commitment to my professional development helps me succeed by keeping me abreast of current knowledge and skills and makes me a better medical practice executive.

Resources

Medical Group Management Association. ACMPE Fellowship. www.mgma.com/fellowship . Accessed April 3, 2016.

Medical Group Management Association. Register for the ACMPE examinations. www.mgma.com/exams . Accessed April 3, 2016.