Certified Medical Assistant Course Franklin MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Franklin Michigan

Franklin MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Franklin MI, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Franklin MI nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Franklin MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run successfully. Depending 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 providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Michigan law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Education

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Franklin MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically 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 ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Franklin MI There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced also. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Franklin MI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Franklin MI medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Franklin MI medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Franklin MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following 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 College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Franklin MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’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 generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Franklin MI area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Franklin healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Finding that first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Franklin MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a school to observe 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 college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Franklin MI, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Franklin Michigan?

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

Franklin, Michigan

Franklin is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,150 at the 2010 census.[7] The community is known for large, estate-style homes situated on ravines, as well as its vintage downtown and a nearby cider mill.

The community was founded in 1825 by Elijah Bullock and other settlers, and was named after Benjamin Franklin in 1831.[8] By 1830, a business district formed. The village's collection of essentially original-condition structures is quite unusual in suburban Detroit. The village was incorporated in 1953.[9]

In 1960 a historical marker was erected that reads: "FRANKLIN VILLAGE Founded in 1824-1825, Franklin received its present name in 1828. First postmaster was Dr. Ebenezer Raynale, state legislator and physician. The William Huston store, opened in 1830, was the forerunner of a business center that later included the famous Broughton Wagon Shop, the Van Every Mills, now Ye Olde Cider Mill, several taverns, two distilleries, and two churches. The village also was a station on the Underground Railroad. Franklin still has the appearance and atmosphere of an early Michigan village."

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Training Franklin MI

Franklin MI medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Course. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Franklin MI.