How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Frenchburg Kentucky
Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Frenchburg KY, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Frenchburg KY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based 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 support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Supplying basic support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Kentucky law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Programs
In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Frenchburg KY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Frenchburg KY area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary 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 choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Frenchburg KY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Frenchburg KY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Frenchburg KY 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 colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, ask 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 college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 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 junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Frenchburg KY area medical providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Frenchburg health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Frenchburg KY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates 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 jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on 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 Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Frenchburg KY, 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 also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Frenchburg Kentucky?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Frenchburg KY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Frenchburg, Kentucky
Frenchburg is a home rule-class city in Menifee County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 486 at the 2010 census. It is the seat and only incorporated city in its rural county.[2] It is located at the junction of U.S. Route 460 and Kentucky Route 36. Logging is the primary industry.[3]
Frenchburg was laid out in 1869 to be the county seat of newly formed Menifee County and was named for Robert French, a local lawyer and judge.[4][5] It was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1871.[6]
The area was served by the Foothills Courier newspaper from June 1996 until January 2007. The newspaper was a private, non-affiliated publication, supported by local individuals and businesses. The business failed to financially sustain itself after the death of its editor on October 18, 2006. The Foothills Courier was bought out shortly thereafter by the Menifee County News, an affiliated publication from Carlisle, Kentucky.[citation needed]
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Frenchburg KY
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective 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 get the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon 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 organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Do Medical Assistants Do. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Frenchburg KY.
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