Certified Medical Assistant Career Bettendorf IA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Bettendorf Iowa

Bettendorf IA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bettendorf IA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some 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 function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Bettendorf IA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Bettendorf IA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out 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
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Iowa law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 Training Programs

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Bettendorf IA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bettendorf IA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Bettendorf IA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform 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 graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Bettendorf IA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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 apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bettendorf IA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bettendorf IA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to examine when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of 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 extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations 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 one 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 last, as mentioned previously, many potential Bettendorf IA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, find out 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 college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Bettendorf IA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Bettendorf medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Bettendorf IA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small 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 sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bettendorf IA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bettendorf Iowa?

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

Bettendorf, Iowa

Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". It is part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 33,217 at the 2010 census, and was estimated to be 35,505 by July 2015.[4] Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Davenport and the Illinois cities of Moline, East Moline and Rock Island. The Quad Cities has a population estimate of 382,630.[5] In 2011, Bettendorf was named U.S. 95th Best Town by CNNMoney.[6]

Bettendorf lies in the original Wisconsin Territory, which the United States bought from the Sac and Fox Indians after defeating them in the Black Hawk War. The territory was ceded in the Black Hawk Purchase of 1832. The first European-American settlers established a village they called Lilienthal, after an early tavern and dance hall. The village of Gilbert developed alongside Lilienthal in 1858, honoring Elias Gilbert, who platted the original site. At that time, the residents were predominantly German immigrants and worked as farmers, skilled laborers, and small business owners. The two villages eventually combined to become the town of Gilbert.

Circa 1900, the town gave William and Joseph Bettendorf 70 acres (280,000 m2) of riverfront land on the condition that they move their iron wagon business from Davenport to Gilbert. In 1903, the town of 440 citizens petitioned for incorporation, requesting to change the town's name in honor of the brothers whose factory was a major economic influence in the early development of the city.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Bettendorf IA

Bettendorf IA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools 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, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Career. 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Bettendorf IA.