Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Port Richey FL

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Port Richey Florida

Port Richey FL medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Port Richey 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 subsequently enroll in the right one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate 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 factors as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Port Richey FL nursing home patientThe role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Port Richey FL hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and filing claims
  • Scheduling and verifying appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Port Richey FL health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied 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 Port Richey FLThere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for individuals who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Port Richey FL area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Port Richey FL medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably 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. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Port Richey FL medical assistant programsBefore you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Port Richey FL with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Port Richey FL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are considering 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 focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Port Richey FL area healthcare providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Port Richey health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Port Richey 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 signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Port Richey FL, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that may 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 responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Port Richey Florida?

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

New Port Richey, Florida

By 1914 the area around Orange Lake was being called "new Port Richey" and the older part of Port Richey was called "old Port Richey." In 1915 a separate post office was established for the residents of the southern part of Port Richey. The post office was named New Port Richey, and the name became official. The first postmaster was Gerben DeVries. The growth of the city came about after George Sims purchased the Port Richey Land Company. He built a home in New Port Richey in 1916.

The first Chasco Fiesta was held in 1922 to raise money for the local library. The event was revived in 1947 and has been held annually since then. It includes a large street parade and a boat parade on successive Saturdays.

The first act of the city council was to accept Enchantment Park as a gift from George Sims. The park was renamed Sims Park. The main attractions of the city were the park, the Pithlachascotee River, and Orange Lake.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Port Richey FL

Port Richey FL medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Clinical Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Port Richey FL.

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