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Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree Lakeport CA

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Lakeport California

Lakeport CA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lakeport CA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Lakeport CA nursing home patientThe function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Lakeport CA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under California law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Education

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Lakeport CA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lakeport CAThere are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Lakeport CA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the right option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Lakeport CA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Lakeport CA medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lakeport CA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Lakeport CA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Lakeport CA area healthcare providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Lakeport healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Lakeport CA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may 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 likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lakeport CA, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lakeport California?

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

Lakeport, California

Lakeport is an incorporated city and county seat of Lake County, California.[3] This city is one hundred and twenty-five miles northwest of Sacramento. Lakeport is on the west shore of Clear Lake,[6] at an elevation of 1355 feet (413 m).[3] The population was 4,753 at the 2010 census, down from 4,820 at the time of the 2000 census.

Lakeport was first settled by Native Americans several thousand years ago. At the coming of the settlers, the Kabe-napos, a subtribe of the Pomo people, lived here within their main village. The village name was Kaci-Badon, after the water lily plant Kaci and badon which was the native name for island.[7]

The first business in Lakeport was established in 1855. Goods were traded to the natives for their wares and baskets. The business was run by a man named Johnson, but he did not have a store location. The first shop built in the Lakeport area was constructed by Dr. Boynton.

Select the Right Medical Assistant College Lakeport CA

Lakeport CA medical assistant studentIt’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if 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 obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Lakeport CA.

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