Medical Assistant Prerequisites Bay Shore MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Bay Shore Michigan

Bay Shore MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bay Shore MI, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Most future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several 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 type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Bay Shore MI nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Bay Shore MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Michigan law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Bay Shore MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (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 certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bay Shore MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent choice for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Bay Shore MI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Bay Shore MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained 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). In order 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 offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Bay Shore MI medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bay Shore MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you choose 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 enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Bay Shore MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Bay Shore MI area healthcare providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Bay Shore healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Bay Shore MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bay Shore MI, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bay Shore Michigan?

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

Bay Shore, Michigan

Bay Shore is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located on the boundary between Charlevoix and Emmet counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 754.[3]

Bay Shore is situated on a ridge overlooking Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. US 31 passes through the community, connecting with US 131 at Petoskey 7 miles (11 km) to the east and with M-66 at Charlevoix 10 miles (16 km) to the west. Boyne City is 12 miles (19 km) to the south by county roads.

Bay Shore is primarily within Hayes Township in Charlevoix County and extends partially into Resort Township in Emmet County. The Bay Shore post office, with ZIP code 49711, provides P.O. box service.[4]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Bay Shore MI

Bay Shore MI medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Prerequisites. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bay Shore MI.