Top Accredited Medical Assistant Schools Dade City FL 33523 Archives

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Dade City Florida

Dade City FL medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dade City FL, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Dade City FL nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is ensure that the Dade City FL clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Florida law, some opt 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Dade City FL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually 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 ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dade City FL There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Dade City FL area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Dade City FL medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Dade City FL medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Dade City FL with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Dade City FL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Dade City FL area health care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Dade City medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Dade City FL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Dade City FL, 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 may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dade City Florida?

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

Dade City, Florida

Dade City is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is popular with tourists for its antique stores, restaurants and historic architecture including the Pasco County Courthouse, Hugh Embry Library, and Edwinola. The annual Kumquat Festival is hosted downtown and the surrounding area is a large producer of the tart kumquat, a citrus fruit eaten whole.

As of the census[3] of 2010 there were 7,223 people, not the 6,437 stated above. In the census of 2000 there were 6,188 people, 2,399 households, and 1,460 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,885.3 person per square mile (728.4/km²). There were 2,818 housing units at an average density of 858.6 houses per square mile (331.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.90% White, 24.16% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.10% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.76% of the population.

There were 2,399 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.15.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Course Dade City FL

Dade City FL medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Classes Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Dade City FL.