How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Coralville Iowa
Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Coralville IA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in 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 location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their function is ensure that the Coralville IA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions 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 providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Iowa law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Courses
In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Coralville IA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Coralville IA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Coralville IA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Coralville IA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to look at when researching programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Coralville IA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Coralville IA area healthcare providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Coralville medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Coralville IA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college 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 large network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a program 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 school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Coralville IA, verify 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 may 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 responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Coralville Iowa?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Coralville IA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Coralville, Iowa
Coralville incorporated as a city in June first, 1857. The city's name comes from the fossils that are found in the limestone along the Iowa River. In 1864 Louis Agassiz, a Harvard University zoologist, gave a lecture at the nearby University of Iowa titled “The Coral Reefs of Iowa City”.[4] During the lecture he presented local samples of fossilized Devonian period coral.[1] The lecture was well received and helped raise public interest in the local fossils. In 1866, more corals were discovered at the site of a new mill, inspiring the citizens of the area to name the settlement "Coralville".[5] The first mill at Coralville was built in 1844, and in the years that followed, a number of mills were powered by the Coralville mill dam along the Iowa River,[2] but all of the mills had closed by 1900, except for a low-head hydroelectric plant that remained in operation until the mid 20th century.
Coralville is also the location where some 1300 Mormon immigrants stopped to make camp in their migration of 1856 after having traveled west by rail to Iowa City, which was the westernmost rail terminus at the time. They built handcarts out of native woods during their encampment so that an adult could haul a 600–700 pound load and cover about 15 miles per day on foot in their continuing trek to Salt Lake City. A historical marker commemorating the Mormon Handcart Brigade was erected in 1936 by the Iowa Society DAR, with members of the Pilgrim Chapter present. Originally placed just south of 5th Street and west of 10th Street, it was moved in 1998 to S. T. Morrison Park and rededicated by the Nathaniel Fellows Chapter, placed near the entrance and pond. Today, the Mormon Handcart Park and Nature Preserve commemorates the site. There is also a street, Mormon Trek Blvd, named for the Mormons who went through that area.
After World War II Coralville began to grow as many university students began to make their homes there. It had only 433 people in 1940, but by 1970 Coralville's population had jumped to 6,130.[6] The construction of Interstate 80 in the 1960s brought several motels, fast-food restaurants, and gas stations to Coralville.
Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Coralville IA
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Colleges. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Coralville IA.
More Medical Locations in Iowa
Business Results 1 - 10 of 4
4 Reviews 
7 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
1 Reviews 