Clinical Medical Assistant Clewiston FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Clewiston Florida

Clewiston FL medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Clewiston FL, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Most potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should 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 credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Clewiston FL nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Clewiston FL clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Florida law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Courses

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Clewiston FL health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way 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 six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Clewiston FL There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have 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 earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Clewiston FL area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Clewiston FL medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected 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 be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Clewiston FL medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Clewiston FL with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Clewiston FL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose 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. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain 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 choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Clewiston FL area health care providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Clewiston health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Clewiston FL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Clewiston FL, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Clewiston Florida?

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

Clewiston, Florida

Clewiston is a city in Hendry County, Florida, United States. Its location is on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 7,155 at the 2010 census,[5] up from 6,460 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2015 was 7,505.[6] This city is home to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Indian Museum, the Clewiston Museum, Dixie Crystal Theatre, and Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. The area has been home to Seminole tribe members and sugar plantations.

The area beside Lake Okeechobee was once used as a fishing camp by the Seminole Native Americans. The first permanent settlement began in 1920, when John O'Brien of Philadelphia and Alonzo Clewis of Tampa purchased a large tract of land to establish a town. They commissioned a town plan and built the Moore Haven & Clewiston Railroad to connect the community to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad at Moore Haven. Incorporated as a city in 1925, Clewiston would become noted for its sport fishing, particularly of largemouth bass.

Large sugar plantations were established around Lake Okeechobee. By the 1950s and 1960s, the cultivation of citrus, vegetables and cattle were also important to the economy. The US Sugar Corporation, however, remained the dominant manufacturer in Clewiston, which became known as "America's Sweetest Town". On June 24, 2008, Governor Charlie Crist announced that the state of Florida had arranged to buy for $1.75 billion the company's 187,000 acres (76,000 ha), including the refinery in Clewiston. On November 11, the plan was scaled back to $1.34 billion for 181,000 acres (73,000 ha) of farmland, no longer including the mill, citrus processing facilities and other assets. This would allow the company to remain in business and leave open the possibility of preserving its 1,700 jobs. Over the next seven crop cycles, the farmland would be leased back from the state to US Sugar for $60 million. It would then be converted into reservoirs and water-filtering areas as part of the ongoing restoration of the Everglades ecosystem.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Clewiston FL

Clewiston FL medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Clewiston FL.