3 Month Medical Assistant Program Mobile AL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Mobile Alabama

Mobile AL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Mobile AL, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Most potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Mobile AL nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Mobile AL hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under Alabama law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Mobile AL health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Mobile AL There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Mobile AL area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Mobile AL medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Mobile AL medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Mobile AL with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must examine when researching programs. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Mobile AL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Mobile AL area healthcare providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Mobile health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that initial job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Mobile AL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Mobile AL, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Mobile Alabama?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Mobile AL area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Mobile, Alabama

Mobile (/moʊˈbiːl/ moh-BEEL; French pronunciation: [mɔ.bil]) is the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 as of the 2010 United States Census,[10] making it the third most populous city in Alabama, the most populous in Mobile County, and the largest municipality on the Gulf Coast between New Orleans, Louisiana, and St. Petersburg, Florida.

Alabama's only saltwater port, Mobile is located on the Mobile River at the head of the Mobile Bay and the north-central Gulf Coast.[11] The Port of Mobile has always played a key role in the economic health of the city, beginning with the settlement as an important trading center between the French colonists and Native Americans, down to its current role as the 12th-largest port in the United States.[12][13]

Mobile is the principal municipality of the Mobile metropolitan area. This region of 412,992 residents is composed solely of Mobile County; it is the third-largest metropolitan statistical area in the state.[10][14] Mobile is the largest city in the Mobile-Daphne−Fairhope CSA, with a total population of 604,726, the second largest in the state.[15] As of 2011[update], the population within a 60-mile (100 km) radius of Mobile is 1,262,907.[16]

Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Mobile AL

Mobile AL medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in 3 Month Medical Assistant Program. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Mobile AL.