Medical Assistant Trade School Jacksonville Beach FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Jacksonville Beach Florida

Jacksonville Beach FL medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Jacksonville Beach FL, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided 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 responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Jacksonville Beach FL nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Jacksonville Beach FL hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Florida law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options offered 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 Training

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Jacksonville Beach FL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 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 two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Jacksonville Beach FL There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good 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 a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Jacksonville Beach FL area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the best choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Jacksonville Beach FL medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Jacksonville Beach FL medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Jacksonville Beach FL with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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 eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Jacksonville Beach FL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, learn 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 assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate 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 choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Jacksonville Beach FL area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Jacksonville Beach medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Jacksonville Beach FL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Jacksonville Beach 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 have to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Jacksonville Beach Florida?

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

Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Jacksonville Beach is a coastal resort city in Duval County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated on May 22, 1907 as Pablo Beach, and would later change its name to Jacksonville Beach in 1925.[1] The city is part of group of communities collectively referred to as the Jacksonville Beaches. These communities include Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach. When the city of Jacksonville consolidated with Duval County in 1968, Jacksonville Beach, together with Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin, voted to retain their own municipal governments. As a result, citizens of Jacksonville Beach are also eligible to vote in mayoral election for the City of Jacksonville. As of the 2010 census, Jacksonville Beach had a total population of 21,362.[6]

The area around present-day Jacksonville Beach was first settled by Spanish settlers. Spanish missions were established from Mayport to St. Augustine. Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain by treaty in 1763, only to have Spain regain it again, and then a final time in 1821 to the United States. American river pilots and fishermen came to Hazard, present-day Mayport, and established a port.[7]

In the late 19th century, developers began to see the potential in Duval County's oceanfront as a resort. In 1883 a group of investors formed the Jacksonville and Atlantic Railroad with the intention of developing a resort community that would be connected to Jacksonville by rail. The first settlers were William Edward Scull, a civil engineer and surveyor, and his wife Eleanor Kennedy Scull. They lived in a tent two blocks east of Pablo Historical Park. A second tent was the general store and post office. On August 22, 1884, Mrs. Scull was appointed postmaster. Mail was dispatched by horse and buggy up the beach to Mayport, and from there to Jacksonville by steamer. The Sculls built the first house in 1884 on their tent site. The settlement was named Ruby for their first daughter. On May 13, 1886, the town was renamed Pablo Beach after the San Pablo River.[8] In 1885, the San Pablo Diego Beach Land Co. sold town lots ranging from $50 to $100 each along with 5 to 10 acres (2.0 to 4.0 ha) lots from $10 to $20 per acre within 3 miles (4.8 km) of the new seaside resort "Pablo Beach".[9] In September 1892, work on the wagon road to Pablo Beach (Atlantic Boulevard) was begun.[10] The first resort hotel called the Murray Hall Hotel was established in mid 1886 but on August 7, 1890 it was destroyed in a fire.[11] By 1900 the railway company began to have financial difficulties and Henry Flagler took over as part of his Florida East Coast Railway. In late 1900 the railway was changed to standard gauge and was extended to Mayport.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Training Jacksonville Beach FL

Jacksonville Beach FL medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Trade School. But regardless of the kind 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 supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Jacksonville Beach FL.