Medical Assistant Accreditation Athens GA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Athens Georgia

Athens GA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Athens GA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? A number of potential students begin by researching 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Athens GA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Athens GA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. 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 giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Georgia law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Athens GA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Athens GA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Athens GA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical 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 graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Athens GA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Athens GA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Athens GA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Athens GA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Athens GA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Athens medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Athens GA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Athens GA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Athens Georgia?

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

Athens, Georgia

Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city–county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about 70 mi (113 km) northeast of downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship public university and a Tier I research institution, is in the city and contributed to its initial growth. In 1991, after a vote the preceding year, the original City of Athens abandoned its charter to form a unified government with Clarke County, referred to jointly as Athens–Clarke County.[4] As of 2017[update], the U.S. Census Bureau's estimated population of the consolidated city-county (all of Clarke County except Winterville and a portion of Bogart) was 125,691; the entire county including Winterville and Bogart had a population of 127,064.[5] Athens is the sixth-largest city in Georgia, and the principal city of the Athens metropolitan area,[6] which had a 2017 estimated population of 209,271, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.[7] It is a component of the larger Atlanta–Athens–Clarke County–Sandy Springs Combined Statistical Area, a trading area.[8] The city is dominated by a pervasive student culture and music scene centered on downtown Athens, next to the University of Georgia's North Campus.[9] Major music acts associated with Athens include numerous alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., the B-52's, Widespread Panic, Neutral Milk Hotel and the Indigo Girls.

In the late 18th century, a trading settlement on the banks of the Oconee River called Cedar Shoals stood where Athens is today. On January 27, 1785, the Georgia General Assembly granted a charter by Abraham Baldwin for the University of Georgia as the first state-supported university. Sixteen years later, in 1801, a committee from the university's board of trustees selected a site for the university on a hill above Cedar Shoals, in what was then Jackson County. On July 25, John Milledge, one of the trustees and later governor of Georgia, bought 633 acres (256 ha) from Daniel Easley and donated it to the university. Milledge named the surrounding area Athens after the city that was home to the Platonic Academy of Plato and Aristotle in Greece.[10]

The first buildings on the University of Georgia campus were made from logs. The town grew as lots adjacent to the college were sold to raise money for the additional construction of the school. By the time the first class graduated from the university in 1804, Athens consisted of three homes, three stores, and a few other buildings facing Front Street, now known as Broad Street. Completed in 1806 and named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College was the first permanent structure of the University of Georgia and of the city of Athens. This brick building is now known as Old College.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Athens GA

Athens GA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin 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 such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Accreditation. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Athens GA.