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Registered Medical Assistant Exam Thomasville AL

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Thomasville Alabama

Thomasville AL medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Thomasville AL, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges 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 training and credentials that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Thomasville AL nursing home patientThe role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Thomasville AL clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Supplying general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Alabama 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Thomasville AL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Thomasville ALThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Thomasville AL area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Thomasville AL medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Thomasville AL medical assistant programsBefore you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Thomasville AL with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should examine when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. First, 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 must 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 examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Thomasville AL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Thomasville AL area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Thomasville medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Thomasville AL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Thomasville AL, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Thomasville Alabama?

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

Thomasville, Alabama

Thomasville is a city in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 4,209.[3] Founded as a late 19th-century railroad town, it has transitioned over the course of more than a century into a 21st-century commercial hub.[5] It is the childhood hometown of author and storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham.[6][7]

Thomasville was founded in 1888 and incorporated on November 24 of that year.[8] The former community of Choctaw Corner, dating back to the antebellum period, was a settlement west of what would become Thomasville, but when the merchants there learned that a railroad was going to bypass their town to the east, they decided to move their stores to be near the railroad.[9] The former community is now inside the city limits. The tracks between Mobile and Selma were completed the same year that Thomasville began. First referred to as "Choctaw", the town was named after railroad financier and former Union Civil War general, Samuel Thomas, after he donated $500 for the construction of Thomasville's first school.[5] The town had expanded by the end of the 19th century with numerous stores, several hotels and boarding houses, and a depot station.[5] In 1899, what is now downtown was destroyed by a fire that burned several blocks of the wood frame buildings. Thomasville quickly rebuilt, this time in brick, and was once again flourishing by the start of World War I.[9]

Over the next century, Thomasville continued to grow and expand. Over the years, many businesses came and others left. These included garment factories, sawmills, and cotton gins.[5] The railroad discontinued its use of the town's depot by the 1950s, but that time also saw the opening of Thomasville's FPS-35 radar base, part of the Air Defense Command's Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, bringing in servicemen and their families.[5] The prototype for the FPS-35 radar was developed at the Thomasville Aircraft Control and Warning Station.[10] The 1950s also saw the planting of roses along Highway 43, the main highway through Thomasville, earning it the nickname of The City of Roses. The 1960s and 1970s saw the opening of numerous paper mills in the area, an industry that continues to be important to the economy of Thomasville today. This time also saw businesses begin to relocate from downtown to the main highway. The Thomasville Historic District was designated in 1999 by the National Register of Historic Places.[11]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Thomasville AL

Thomasville AL medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Exam. But irrespective 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 supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Thomasville AL.

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