How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Frankfort Michigan
Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Frankfort MI, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their function is to make sure that the Frankfort MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Supplying basic support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Courses
In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Frankfort MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element involving 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 similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Frankfort MI area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the right option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Frankfort MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative 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 Colleges
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Frankfort MI with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive 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 either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Frankfort MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passage 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 programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Frankfort MI area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Frankfort healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Finding that very first job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Frankfort MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Frankfort MI, verify 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 may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Frankfort Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Frankfort MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Frankfort, Michigan
Frankfort is a city in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,286 at the 2010 census. The elevation of Frankfort is 600 ft (180 m) above sea level. The city is situated with Lake Michigan to the west, Lake Betsie, formed by the Betsie River before flowing into Lake Michigan, on the south and Crystal Lake Township to the north and east. The city is on M-22 just north of Elberta. M-115 has its western terminus in the city. The Frankfort North Breakwater Lighthouse is at the end of the northern breakwater in Lake Michigan.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,286 people, 601 households, and 328 families residing in the city. The population density was 925.2 inhabitants per square mile (357.2/km2). There were 942 housing units at an average density of 677.7 per square mile (261.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 1.1% African American, 2.0% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.
There were 601 households of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.4% were non-families. 41.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.63.
Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Frankfort MI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Schools Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Frankfort MI.
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