Medical Assistant Programs Near Me Redan GA

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Redan Georgia

Redan GA medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Redan GA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask all 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 offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Redan GA nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Redan GA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
  • Setting and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Georgia law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available 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 most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Redan GA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Redan GAThere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Redan GA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Redan GA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered 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 Redan GA medical assistant programsBefore you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Redan GA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many 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 comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Redan GA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’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 example, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically 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, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Redan GA area healthcare providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Redan medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Finding that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Redan GA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during 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 convenient, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Redan GA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Redan Georgia?

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

Redan, Georgia

Redan is a census-designated place (CDP) in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 33,015.[3] It is a predominantly African American community in eastern DeKalb County, and is a suburb of Atlanta.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 33,841 people, 11,748 households, and 8,517 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,542.0 people per square mile (1,368.2/km²). There were 12,106 housing units at an average density of 1,267.1/sq mi (489.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 5.68% White, 91.27% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

There were 11,748 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 24.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.35.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Redan GA

Redan GA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, 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 Medical Assistant Programs Near Me. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to 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 Redan GA.

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