These programs were created to offer online education in fields of rapidly growing career trends:  business and medical.

Davenport, IA, March 25, 2009 — Kaplan Continuing Education (KCE), a leading provider of online continuing education, has launched three new web-based professional certificate programs designed to prepare students to work in the competitive fields industries of medical transcription, medical office specialization and business management.

“Careers in the medical field are booming,” said Ron Trautman, President of Kaplan Continuing Education. “Additionally, business management skills provide professionals in any industry with a competitive advantage as they seek to advance in careers. We provide busy professionals with a robust array of convenient online education certificate programs designed to help them remain competitive, through the course of tough economic times.”

KCE’s Medical Transcription Certificate was developed to prepare students for entry-level positions as medical transcriptionists, whose duties include translating and transcribing physician dictation into medical documentation for third-party payers, regulators, and consumers. Students will be taught relevant grammar, punctuation, formatting and medical record proofreading skills. The six-course online education program is designed to be completed in six months or less. Medical transcriptionist careers are expected to be a growing trend, faster than the average for all occupations through 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition).

KCE’s Medical Office Specialist Certificate is designed to provide students with training in state and federal health care regulations, medical record management, medical insurance requirements, medical terminology and other skills necessary to become a successful medical office specialist. Graduates may pursue career opportunities in physician’s offices, hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities. The professional online continuing education program can be completed in the course of 12 months or less.

KCE’s Business Management Certificate online program is designed for professionals who wish to advance their knowledge of business theory, capitalize on new professional opportunities or explore new career paths. The certificate is also suited for those with no formal business education who want to build a strong foundation in business theory and practice. The six-course certificate program includes four specialization tracks — general management, marketing, corporate finance and international business. The program should take approximately six months to complete.

For more information about the Kaplan Continuing Education online professional certificate programs and their courses, visit www.kce.kaplancontinuingeducation.com.