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How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Maitland Florida

Maitland FL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Maitland FL, 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 ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist 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 briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Maitland FL nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Maitland FL hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Florida law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered 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

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Maitland FL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created 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 in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Maitland FL There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Maitland FL area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the right option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Maitland FL medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Maitland FL medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Maitland FL with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Maitland FL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering 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 focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Maitland FL area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Maitland healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Maitland FL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Maitland FL, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still 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 due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Maitland Florida?

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

Maitland, Florida

Maitland is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States, part of the Greater Orlando area. The population was 15,751 at the 2010 census.[5] The area's history is exhibited at the Maitland Historical Museum. The city also hosts the Maitland Art Center, and examples of Mayan Revival architecture and Fantasy Architecture, the Maitland Telephone Museum and the William H. Waterhouse House Museum. A SunRail station is located in Maitland on Highway 17-92. The city is named for Fort Maitland.

Maitland is one of the oldest incorporated suburban municipalities in central Florida. The area was previously inhabited by Timucuan Native Americans. The town was originally named for a nearby Lake, which honored Captain William Seton Maitland, who fought in the Second Seminole Indian War, and was slain in the battle of Wahoo Swamp. A small military outpost was built in 1838 on the western shore of Lake Fumecheliga (later Lake Maitland) during the Second Seminole War. After the Civil War, The area began to grow, and a post office opened at Lake Maitland in 1872.[6] Around this post office, a small town grew. The area was put into extensive citrus production.[7]

Lake Maitland was incorporated as a town in 1885, the fifth town in Orange County to do so. For many years, Lake Maitland remained rural village, beautified by large oak trees planted by early town aldermen. However, the old town began to rapidly modernize as Orlando's suburban sprawl reached the town in the mid 1920s.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Maitland FL

Maitland FL medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Maitland FL.