Add Accounting or Heath Information Technology?

[Tomas]

All,

I have a MSCS, MCSD and nine years of experience with the Microsoft technologies
(VB, SQL Server and Visual C#). Now, I’m looking to add specific business
knowledge to my skill set. At this point, I’m debating between Accounting
and Heath Information Technology (HIT).

From a general view, accounting knowledge would seem to be the most universally
in demand. There would be opportunities to work for accounting software companies,
move into Oracle Financials or work in an IT department on internal financial
or accounting.

The HIT option seems attractive as well. From what some of the consulting
companies are saying, medical software is a relatively “recession resistant”
industry. This interests me because I have worked on medical software before.

I was wondering if anyone would have any thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks,

Tomas

[Elena]

Are you evaluating college degree programs or just considering general business
areas? And when you say 9 years, do you mean 9 years paid employment or
are you counting high school/college classes and personal projects and and
such?

The reason I ask is an entry level person is evaluated by different criteria
than a 30-year-old with 9 years in the field. You have to approach things
in a different fashion.

Elena

[simon]

Tomas,

I am not too familiar with the health industry. The only thing I know is
that the health industry is NEVER an early adoptor to new technology. Go to
your local hospitals and look for yourself, many of them are still running
DOS application.

What you have heard is partially true. The health industry ITSELF is
recession-proof. But it does not necessary mean the health industry
SOFTWARE is also recesson-proof. I have a friend who works for a software
company. They develop software for doctors. He has not received a pay
check for 3 months!!! But he is thanksful the company's door is still
open..... for now.

As of accounting, it is a gold mine if you have "solid" accounting
background. Our company is implementing Oracle Financial right now and we
are paying the consultants $300+ per hour!!! If you want to go this route,
I strongly recommend you to acquire a CPA certification. A CPA with
**in-depth** IT expertise is, and continue to be, in great demand. A good
friend of mine, she is a CPA and an MBA, and she is now the SAP Consultant
to ExxonMobil and making mega bucks.

I don't know what kind of VB apps you wrote before, but "VB + SQL Server" is
a dime a dozen. Nine years of that does not mean much, unless you have been
building MTS and COM+ objects. And you definitely do not have 9 years
experience in C#, I don't think.

I hate to tell you that, but if all you know are a couple Microsoft
programming tools, you are limiting yourself to small-scale desktop type of
software, whether it is for the health industry or accounting industry. In
that case, you need to get a STRONG leverage against your competition. That
means a couple accounting principle classes in your local community college
is NOT going to cut it.

Hope this helps.

simon.


"Tomas " <Tomas@nospammy2.com> wrote in message
news:3db81292$1@tnews.web.devx.com...
>
> All,
>
> I have a MSCS, MCSD and nine years of experience with the Microsoft
technologies
> (VB, SQL Server and Visual C#). Now, I'm looking to add specific business
> knowledge to my skill set. At this point, I'm debating between Accounting
> and Heath Information Technology (HIT).
>
> From a general view, accounting knowledge would seem to be the most
universally
> in demand. There would be opportunities to work for accounting software
companies,
> move into Oracle Financials or work in an IT department on internal
financial
> or accounting.
>
> The HIT option seems attractive as well. From what some of the consulting
> companies are saying, medical software is a relatively "recession
resistant"
> industry. This interests me because I have worked on medical software
before.
>
> I was wondering if anyone would have any thoughts or suggestions.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tomas
>

[Elena]

"simon" <substring0NOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I am not too familiar with the health industry. The only thing I know is
>that the health industry is NEVER an early adoptor to new technology.

Well, I HAVE worked in health care and if you're talking about patient records
systems, billing systems, and administrative systems, then I would agree
with simon. If you are talking the type of software that runs embedded inside
in medical equipment, or scientific applications used by drug companies and
such, that's a different story. That's why I asked for clarification.

Regarding the CPA "certification" - - I don't know if you are familiar with
the CPA exam Tomas, but it is not a "certification" like most IT certs. In
some circles, it's considered tougher than the bar exam - - I've even heard
that from people who have taken both the bar and the CPA. So Simon's comment
about not getting by with a couple community college classes is also correct.
That doesn't mean you need to have a CPA to work with financial applications.
I've done it on and off for over 20 years with a bachelor's in business/CIS
and a lot of on-the-job experience. But if you want to bill $300 and hour,
well honestly, I have no idea where you go to get credentials to pull that
off in this market. It probably involves taking on $150,000 in debt to an
ivy league school and a couple years of your life.

So back to my original question - - are you evaluating college programs here?

[DavidI]

>I hate to tell you that, but if all you know are a couple Microsoft
>programming tools, you are limiting yourself to small-scale desktop type
of
>software, whether it is for the health industry or accounting industry.


What do we have to learn or what sort of skill sets do we need in order not
to limit ourself to small-scale desktop software. Learning a couple Microsoft
tools already taken most of our time.
Please advise. Thank you

[Tomas]

Elena,

I appreciate your response. I'm looking into both self study and degree programs.
Myself, I do not count personal projects or school. If that was the case,
I'd have 20 years of "experience." :-)

Tomas

"Elena" <egermano@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>Are you evaluating college degree programs or just considering general business
>areas? And when you say 9 years, do you mean 9 years paid employment or
>are you counting high school/college classes and personal projects and and
>such?
>
>The reason I ask is an entry level person is evaluated by different criteria
>than a 30-year-old with 9 years in the field. You have to approach things
>in a different fashion.
>
>Elena
>

[Tomas]

Simon,

My expertise is in Visual Basic, building ActiveX controls, COM, OOA, OOD
and MTS. I'm not one of the programming "hacks" that exist out there. :-)

As for Accounting, I would probably pursue a BS in Accounting. After that,
I'd take the CPA. I think you are right in the Oracle realm. That is exactly
where I was headed. I just wonder how hard it would be to break in to that
area with solid IT experience two BS degrees (one in Accounting) and a MSCS.
Perhaps, I should learn Oracle Financials while I'm working on my Accounting
degree.

Tomas


"simon" <substring0NOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Tomas,
>I don't know what kind of VB apps you wrote before, but "VB + SQL Server"
is
>a dime a dozen. Nine years of that does not mean much, unless you have
been
>building MTS and COM+ objects. And you definitely do not have 9 years
>experience in C#, I don't think.
>
>I hate to tell you that, but if all you know are a couple Microsoft
>programming tools, you are limiting yourself to small-scale desktop type
of
>software, whether it is for the health industry or accounting industry.
In
>that case, you need to get a STRONG leverage against your competition.
That
>means a couple accounting principle classes in your local community college
>is NOT going to cut it.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>simon.

[simon]

"Tomas" <Tomas@nospamm.com> wrote:
>
>My expertise is in Visual Basic, building ActiveX controls, COM, OOA, OOD
>and MTS. I'm not one of the programming "hacks" that exist out there. :-)
>

Good for you. =)


>As for Accounting, I would probably pursue a BS in Accounting. After that,
>I'd take the CPA.

I would do the same thing if I were you. At this economic downtime, it is
the **perfect** time to go back to school to get a degree or another degree.
Then when the economy and the job market start to pick up, you will be in
better position to compete.

Keep in mind that the CPA certification requires 2 years of working experience/sponsorship
program, AFTER acquiring the bachelor degree AND passing the CPA Exam. But
this will give you the valuable working experience that employers are demanding
for nowadays.

It is true, as Elena has pointed out, that the CPA Exam is VERY difficult
to pass. But hey, good things never come easy. If it is easy to get, it
does not hold value. Just look at how many MCSEs out there who really know
anything...


>I think you are right in the Oracle realm. That is exactly
>where I was headed. I just wonder how hard it would be to break in to that
>area with solid IT experience two BS degrees (one in Accounting) and a
> MSCS.

Breaking into a new area always take a little luck and a lot of perseverance.
I know for the fact that CFOs and accounting managers usually do not trust
people outside of their discipline. Therefore, having an accounting degree
helps trememdously. They will treat you as one of their owns, and not just
another cocky IT guy who knows everything. =)

Well, good luck on your new challenge, and let us know how's it turn out.

simon.