Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bothell WA, 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 subsequently pick the right one? Many future 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 cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Bothell WA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending 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 responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

• Completing insurance forms and filing claims
• Scheduling and verifying appointments
• Weighing and taking patients vital signs
• Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
• Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
• Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Washington law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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

In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bothell WA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Bothell WA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education may be the best choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Bothell WA medical employers simply will not hire 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). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bothell WA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Bothell WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? 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 find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Bothell WA area medical care providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Bothell healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing that first job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Bothell WA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a college to observe 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 program while you continue working full time, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Bothell WA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will 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 emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bothell Washington?

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

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Bothell WA

It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning 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 obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Classes. But irrespective of the kind 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 selecting the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bothell WA.

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