Medical Assistant Schools Odessa FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Odessa Florida

Odessa FL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Odessa FL, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of potential 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few 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 responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Odessa FL nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Odessa FL hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Florida law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Odessa 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 essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive 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 requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Odessa FL There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option 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 solution for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Odessa FL area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Odessa FL medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 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.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Odessa FL medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Odessa FL with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Odessa FL employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing 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. Second, 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. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get 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 obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Odessa FL area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Odessa medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that very first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Odessa FL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Odessa FL, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Odessa Florida?

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

Odessa, Florida

Odessa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,173 at the 2000 census and more than doubled to 7,267 in 2010.[3] Northwest of Tampa, Odessa had been an area of open spaces, ranching, and horse properties. More recently it has seen many suburban property developments as Tampa's population expands.

Odessa was founded in the 1880s by Peter Demens,[4] a Russian immigrant who established the community through the Orange Belt Railway.[5] Demens also founded St. Petersburg, Florida and named both communities after places he used to go to in his native country.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Census Designated Place lies entirely in Pasco County, Florida, and has a total area of 5.6 square miles (15 km2) of which 5.3 square miles (14 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (6.04%) is water.

Choose the Best Medical Assistant School Odessa FL

Odessa FL medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the right 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 life long career, you need to acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools. But irrespective of the kind 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 supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Odessa FL.