Best School For Medical Assistant Kings Bay GA

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Kings Bay Georgia

Kings Bay GA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kings Bay GA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative 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 relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Kings Bay GA nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Kings Bay GA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Georgia law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Courses

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Kings Bay GA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, 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 alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Kings Bay GAThere are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent option for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Kings Bay GA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Kings Bay GA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Kings Bay GA medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending 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, some prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Kings Bay GA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must look at when researching programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Kings Bay GA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must learn 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 obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Kings Bay GA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Kings Bay health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Kings Bay GA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent 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 indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Kings Bay GA, make sure 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 will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Kings Bay Georgia?

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

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy located adjacent to the town of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, on the North River in southeastern Georgia, and 38 miles (61 km) from Jacksonville, Florida. The Submarine Base is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarines armed with Trident missile nuclear weapons. This submarine base covers about 16,000 acres (6,400 hectares) of land, of which 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) are protected wetlands.

Early in the 19th century, much of what is now the submarine base was the site of several plantations, including Cherry Point, Harmony Hall, New Canaan, Marianna and Kings Bay. Beginning in the 1790s, Thomas King built a plantation along the bay. John Houston McIntosh built a considerably larger plantation known as New Canaan, where he grew cotton and sugar cane.

The plantation system declined following the Civil War, and the land was broken up into smaller holdings. No residents were paid the going rate for the land that was used to build the submarine base.[citation needed] One land owner was paid four thousand dollars for 62 acres of deep water land. Such residents harvested shrimp, fish and other seafood, and trapped and hunted to supplement small-scale farming of corn, sugar and other vegetables.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant School Kings Bay GA

Kings Bay GA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. 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 covered in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Best School For Medical Assistant. But regardless 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 supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Kings Bay GA.

More Medical Locations in Georgia

  • Medical Assistant Course Cost Zebulon GA
  • Become A Certified Medical Assistant Winder GA
  • Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me Jefferson GA
  • Best Colleges For Medical Assistant Bremen GA
  • Medical Assistant Requirements Rochelle GA
  • What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do Cairo GA
  • Clinical Medical Assistant Training Moultrie GA
  • How Long Does It Take To Become A Medical Assistant Donalsonville GA
  • Medical Assistant Duties Darien GA
  • Pediatric Medical Assistant Enigma GA
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 10

    Quality Life Center
    1 Reviews
    Phone:
    941510 Old Nassauville Rd, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

    Barnabas Center
    1 Reviews
    Community Service/Non-Profit, Medical Centers
    Phone:
    1303 Jasmine St, Ste 101, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

    Baptist Primary Care
    3 Reviews
    Family Practice
    Phone:
    11 Lofton Square Blvd, Yulee, FL 32097

    Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute Rehab - Nassau
    2 Reviews
    Physical Therapy, Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation Center
    Phone:
    1348 18th St S, Ste 320a, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

    McGrath E William MD
    1 Reviews
    Obstetricians & Gynecologists
    Phone:
    11513 N Main St, Jacksonville, FL 32218

    Amelia Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine
    9 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Medical Centers
    Phone:
    96279 Brady Point Rd, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

    Park Avenue Dermatology
    4 Reviews
    Dermatologists
    Phone:
    15255 Max Leggett Pkwy, Ste 5100, Jacksonville, FL 32218

    Devane Phillip Todd MD
    2 Reviews
    Internal Medicine
    Phone:
    1250 S 18th St, Ste 202, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

    CareSpot Urgent Care
    4 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Doctors, Diagnostic Services
    Phone:
    2032 Dunn Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32218

    Amelia Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine
    3 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Medical Centers
    Phone:
    510 Airport Center Dr, Suites 108-110, Ste 108- 110, Jacksonville, FL 32218