How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Freelandville Indiana
Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Freelandville IN, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Many future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is ensure that the Freelandville IN hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions 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 practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Providing basic support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Indiana law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Training
Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Freelandville IN health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical 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 Courses
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have 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 working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be completed in Freelandville IN area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the right option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Freelandville IN medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you would like to attain, 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 comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Freelandville IN with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Freelandville IN employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design 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 for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Freelandville IN area health care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Freelandville health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Getting that very first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Freelandville IN area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Freelandville IN, make certain that those times are offered. You may 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 will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Freelandville Indiana?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Freelandville IN area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Freelandville, Indiana
The first settler of the area was John Widner who came to Knox County in 1798 and in 1804 settled on land two and a half miles northwest of Freelandville. William Polk, uncle of James Polk, settled on land about 2 miles from Widner in 1808. In 1812, Fort Widner was built as protection against the Native Americans during the second war with Great Britain.
Although the area was initially settled by the English, cheap available government land and the aspect of work on the Wabash & Erie Canal brought other immigrants to the area. Freelandville was settled mostly by immigrants from Germany, many from the province of Prussia, in the mid-1800s. The German settlers originally referred to the place as Bethlehem or Kreuzweg, meaning "crossroads". The town was not officially laid out until July 31, 1866, when done so by John Ritterskamp. Residents chose to name the town Freelandsville to honor John F. Freeland,[3] who was a prominent citizen and a local physician.
The first school taught in the area was in 1808, at the home of John Widner. The first school building in Freelandville was built around 1850, before the town was laid out. Due to the rapidly expanding population, a second two-story building was built in 1874.
Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Freelandville IN
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Freelandville IN.
More Medical Locations in Indiana
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
