Medical Assistant Education Requirements Sebring FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Sebring Florida

Sebring FL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Sebring FL, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Sebring FL nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Sebring FL hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate 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 giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some 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
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Florida law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Education

In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Sebring FL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as technical 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 usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Sebring FL There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Sebring FL area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Sebring FL medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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). In order to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Sebring FL medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Sebring FL with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must explore when researching schools. To assist you with that task, 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 Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Sebring FL employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Sebring FL area medical providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Sebring health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Sebring 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 a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Sebring FL, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, 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 Sebring Florida?

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

Sebring, Florida

Sebring (/ˈsiːbrɪŋ/ SEE-bring) is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States, nicknamed "The City on the Circle", in reference to Circle Drive, the center of the Sebring Downtown Historic District.[7] As of the 2010 census the population was 10,491.[3] It is the county seat of Highlands County,[8] and is the principal city of the Sebring Metropolitan Statistical Area.[9]

Sebring is the home of the Sebring International Raceway, created on a former airbase, first used in 1950. It hosted the 1959 Formula One United States Grand Prix, but is currently best known as the host of the 12 Hours of Sebring, an annual WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race. Nearby Highlands Hammock State Park is a popular attraction. Additionally, the house where novelist Rex Beach committed suicide is located on one of Sebring's main lakes, Lake Jackson.

Sebring was founded in 1912. It was named after George E. Sebring, a pottery manufacturer from Ohio who developed the city. He had a unique circular plan as the focal point for the city.[10] It was chartered by the state of Florida in 1913, and was selected as the county seat of Highlands County when the county was created in 1921.[11] The village of Sebring, Ohio, is also named for George E. Sebring (1859–1927) and his family.[12]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Sebring FL

Sebring FL medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Education Requirements. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Sebring FL.