Medical Assistant Curriculum Key West FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Key West Florida

Key West FL medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Key West FL, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Key West FL nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is to make sure that the Key West FL clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Florida law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Key West FL health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically 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 alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Key West FL There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have the 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 attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Key West FL area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Key West FL medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Key West FL medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Key West 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 must explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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 organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Key West FL 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 schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program concentrating 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 just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Key West FL area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Key West healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Key West FL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Key West FL, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Key West Florida?

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

Key West

Key West (Spanish: Cayo Hueso) is an island and city in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent. The city lies at the southernmost end of U.S. Route 1, the longest north-south road in the United States. Key West is the southernmost city in the contiguous United States and the westernmost island connected by highway in the Florida Keys. The island is about 4 miles (6.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, with a total land mass of 4.2 square miles (11 km2).[5]Duval Street, its main street, is 1.1 miles (1.8 km) in length in its 14-block-long crossing from the Gulf of Mexico to the Straits of Florida and the Atlantic Ocean. Key West is about 95 miles (153 km) north of Cuba at their closest points.[6][7]

The city is the county seat of Monroe County.[8] The city boundaries include the island of Key West and all or part of several nearby islands: Sigsbee Park, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island. The total land area of the city is 5.6 square miles (14.5 km2).[1] Key West is the southern terminus of U.S. Route 1, State Road A1A, the East Coast Greenway and, before 1935, the Florida East Coast Railway.

Key West is 129 miles (208 km) southwest of Miami by air,[9] about 160 miles (260 km) by car, and 106 miles (171 km) north-northeast of Havana.[10] Key West is a port of call for many passenger cruise ships.[11] The Key West International Airport provides airline service. Naval Air Station Key West is an important year round training site for naval aviation due to the tropical weather, which is also the reason Key West was chosen as the Winter White House of President Harry S. Truman. The central business district is located along Duval Street and includes much of the northwestern corner of the island. The official city motto is "One Human Family."

Pick the Right Medical Assistant School Key West FL

Key West FL medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective 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 right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Curriculum. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Key West FL.