Certified Medical Assistant Course Key Largo FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Key Largo Florida

Key Largo FL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Key Largo FL, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Most prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Key Largo FL nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Key Largo FL hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may 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 health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible responsibilities 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 instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Florida law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Key Largo FL health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Key Largo FL There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Key Largo FL area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Key Largo FL medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Key Largo FL medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Key Largo FL with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when researching programs. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Key Largo FL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Key Largo FL area medical providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Key Largo healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that initial job can 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 Key Largo FL 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 healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts 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 likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Key Largo FL, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Key Largo Florida?

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

Key Largo

Key Largo (Spanish: Cayo Largo) is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and is the largest section of the Keys, at 33 miles (53 km) long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the Keys connected by U.S. Highway 1 (the Overseas Highway). Its earlier Spanish name was Cayo Largo,[1] meaning long islet.

Key Largo is connected to the mainland in Miami-Dade County by two routes. The first route is The Overseas Highway, which is U.S. Highway 1 that enters Key Largo at Jewfish Creek near the middle of the island and turns southwest. The second route is Card Sound Road, which connects to the northern part of Key Largo at Card Sound Bridge and runs southeastward to connect with County Road 905, which runs southwest and joins U.S. 1 at about mile marker 106. These routes originate at Florida City on the mainland.

Key Largo is a popular tourist destination and calls itself the "Diving Capital of the World" because the living coral reef a few miles offshore attracts thousands of scuba divers and sport-fishing enthusiasts.[2]

Select the Best Medical Assistant College Key Largo FL

Key Largo FL medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Course. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Key Largo FL.