Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification Sylmar CA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Sylmar California

Sylmar CA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Sylmar CA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences 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 take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Sylmar CA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Sylmar CA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can 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 may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under California law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options 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

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Sylmar CA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created 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 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive 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 element 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Sylmar CA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Sylmar CA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Sylmar CA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded 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 have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Sylmar CA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Sylmar CA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Sylmar CA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Sylmar CA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout 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 couple of classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

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

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Sylmar California?

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

Sylmar, Los Angeles

Sylmar is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Historically known for its profusion of olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and the founding of the San Fernando Mission. In 1890 olive production was begun in a systematic manner. The Sylmar climate was also considered healthy, and so a sanitarium was established, the first in a series of hospitals in the neighborhood. There are fourteen public and eight private schools within Sylmar.

The population of the Sylmar area was roughly 3,500 in 1940, 10,000 in 1950, 31,000 in 1962,[1] 40,000 in 1972,[2] 41,922 in 1980[3] and 53,392 in 1986.[4] By 2000, a "wave of immigrants and working poor" had enveloped Sylmar, Pacoima, Arleta and Sun Valley, resulting in a housing shortage for lower-income people.[5] The 2000 U.S. census counted 69,499 residents in the 12.46-square-mile Sylmar neighborhood—or 5,579 people per square mile, among the lowest population densities for the city. In 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 79,614.[6] In 2009, the Sylmar Chamber of Commerce estimated that the population was approximately 90,000 residents.[7]

In 1980 Sylmar was predominantly white,[3] the ethnic breakdown being 58% white and 36% Latino.[8] Twenty years later, in 2000, the neighborhood was considered "moderately diverse" ethnically within Los Angeles, with a relatively high percentage of Latinos. The breakdown in 2000 was Latinos, 69.8%; whites, 20.7%; blacks, 4.1%; Asians, 3.4%, and others, 2.0%. Mexico (71.7%) and El Salvador (8.4%) were the most common places of birth for the 36.7% of the residents who were born abroad—an average figure for Los Angeles. In 2000 the median age for residents was 28, considered young for city and county neighborhoods.[6]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Sylmar CA

Sylmar CA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in health 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 so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you choose 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 Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Sylmar CA.