How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Foster City Michigan
Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Foster City MI, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the schools 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 credentials and training that are offered.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Foster City MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Providing basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Programs
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Foster City MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Courses
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for those who may not have 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 certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Foster City MI area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Foster City MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, 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 procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Foster City MI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Foster City MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select 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 methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma 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 elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Foster City MI area medical providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Foster City healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Foster City MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during 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 choosing a school to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Foster City MI, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will 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 responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Foster City Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Foster City MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Breen Township, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 88.3 square miles (229 km2), of which, 87.9 square miles (228 km2) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) of it (0.46%) is water.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 479 people, 201 households, and 144 families residing in the township. The population density was 5.5 per square mile (2.1/km²). There were 431 housing units at an average density of 4.9 per square mile (1.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.49% White, 0.42% Asian, and 2.09% from two or more races. 27.8% were of Swedish, 18.2% French, 15.4% German, 6.3% French Canadian and 5.8% Belgian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 201 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.86.
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Foster City MI
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin 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 information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools 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 sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Information. 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 supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Foster City MI.
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