Medical Assistant Career Dowagiac MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Dowagiac Michigan

Dowagiac MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dowagiac MI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students start by researching 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, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Dowagiac MI nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Dowagiac MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical 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 working 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
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Michigan law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options available 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 Courses

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Dowagiac MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dowagiac MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Dowagiac MI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Dowagiac MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Dowagiac MI medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Dowagiac MI with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Dowagiac MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Dowagiac MI area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Dowagiac medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Dowagiac MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication 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 offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Dowagiac MI, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dowagiac Michigan?

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

Dowagiac, Michigan

Dowagiac (/dəˈwɑːdʒæk/ də-WAH-jak) is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,879 at the 2010 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Dowagiac is situated at the corner of four townships: Wayne Township to the northeast, LaGrange Township to the southeast, Pokagon Township to the southwest, and Silver Creek Township to the northwest.

Dowagiac was first platted in 1848. It was incorporated as a village in 1863 and as a city in 1877.[7] Dowagiac gained national attention in June 1964 after police began investigating multiple reports of what became known as the Dewey Lake Monster.[8]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Dowagiac MI

Dowagiac MI medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Career. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Dowagiac MI.