Medical Assistant Degree Online Owings MD - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Owings Maryland

Owings MD medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Owings MD, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most potential 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, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Owings MD nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Owings MD clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Maryland law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Owings MD health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, some 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 alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Owings MD There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for those 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 solution for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Owings MD area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed 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 idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Owings MD medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Owings MD medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Owings MD with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Owings MD employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain 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 earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Owings MD area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Owings health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Owings MD area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual 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 teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Owings MD, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Owings Maryland?

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

Owings Mills, Maryland

Owings Mills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 30,622 at the 2010 census.[1] Owings Mills is home to the northern terminus of the Baltimore Metro Subway, and previously housed the Owings Mills Mall until its closure in 2015.[2] It is also home to the Baltimore Ravens' headquarters facility. In 2008, CNNMoney.com named Owings Mills number 49 of the "100 Best Places to Live and Launch." [3]

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 30,622 people and 12,525 households in the CDP. The population density was 3,189.8 people per square mile (1,229.8/km²). There were 13,282 housing units, at an average density of 1,383.5 per square mile (533.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 34.3% White, 51.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 7.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 3.3% some other race, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.0% of the population.

There were 12,525 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were headed by married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34, and the average family size was 3.01.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant School Owings MD

Owings MD medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Online. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Owings MD.