Registered Medical Assistant Certification Lawrenceville GA

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Lawrenceville Georgia

Lawrenceville GA medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lawrenceville GA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating 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 gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Lawrenceville GA nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Lawrenceville GA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and verifying appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Georgia law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options available 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 Education

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Lawrenceville GA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lawrenceville GAThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Lawrenceville GA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Lawrenceville GA 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) provided 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. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Lawrenceville GA medical assistant programsBefore you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lawrenceville GA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should explore when assessing programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Lawrenceville GA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’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 school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Lawrenceville GA area health care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Lawrenceville medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Lawrenceville GA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lawrenceville GA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, 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 Lawrenceville Georgia?

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

Lawrenceville, Georgia

Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States.[4] It is a suburb of Atlanta, located approximately 30 miles (48 km) northeast of downtown. As of the 2010 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 28,546.[5] In 2015, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city population to be 30,493.[6] Lawrenceville has six ZIP codes (30042-30046, 30049), and it is part of the 678/770/404 telephone area code, which is used throughout metropolitan Atlanta.

Lawrenceville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 15, 1821. This makes Lawrenceville the second oldest city in the metropolitan Atlanta area. The city is named after Commodore James Lawrence, commander of the frigate Chesapeake during the War of 1812. Lawrence, a native of New Jersey, is probably best known today for his dying command, "Don't give up the ship!" William Maltbie, the town's first postmaster, suggested the name of "Lawrenceville."

In 1821, a permanent site for the county courthouse was selected and purchased, the four streets bordering the square were laid out along with other streets in the village, and a public well was dug. Major Grace built the first permanent courthouse, a brick structure, in 1823-24 for a cost of $4,000. The courthouse presently on the square was constructed in 1885.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Lawrenceville GA

Lawrenceville GA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Certification. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Lawrenceville GA.

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