Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Courses Laie HI 96762

Medical Assistant Technical School Laie HI

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Laie Hawaii

Laie HI medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Laie HI, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Laie HI nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Laie HI clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
  • Setting and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
  • Providing general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Hawaii law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Laie HI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Laie HIThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Laie HI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Laie HI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Laie HI medical assistant programsPrior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Laie HI with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Laie HI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Laie HI area medical providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Laie healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Laie HI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Laie HI, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Laie Hawaii?

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

Laie, Hawaii

Laie is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Koolauloa District on the island of Oahu in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. In Hawaiian, lāʻie means "ʻie leaf" (ʻieʻie is a climbing screwpine: Freycinetia arborea). The population was 6,138 at the 2010 census.[1]

Historically, Laie was a puʻuhonua, a sanctuary for fugitives. While a fugitive was in the pu'uhonua, it was unlawful for that fugitive's pursuers to harm him or her. During wartime, spears with white flags attached were set up at each end of the city of refuge. If warriors attempted to pursue fugitives into the puʻuhonua, they would be killed by sanctuary priests. Fugitives seeking sanctuary in a city of refuge were not forced to permanently live within the confines of its walls. Instead, they were given two choices. In some cases, after a certain length of time (ranging from a couple of weeks to several years), fugitives could enter the service of the priests and assist in the daily affairs of the puʻuhonua. A second option was that after a certain length of time the fugitives would be free to leave and re-enter the world unmolested. Traditional cities of refuge were abolished in 1819.[2]

The history of Laie began long before European contact. The name Laie is said to derive from two Hawaiian words: lau meaning "leaf", and ie referring to the ʻieʻie (red-spiked climbing screwpine, Freycinetia arborea), which wreaths forest trees of the uplands or mauka regions of the mountains of the Koʻolau Range behind the community of Laie. In Hawaiian mythology, this red-spiked climbing screwpine is sacred to Kane, god of the earth, god of life, and god of the forests, as well as to Laka, the patron goddess of the hula.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Course Laie HI

Laie HI medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technical School. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Laie HI.

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