Medical Assistant School Time Harbor Springs MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Harbor Springs Michigan

Harbor Springs MI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Harbor Springs MI, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You might want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Harbor Springs MI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Harbor Springs MI clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying 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 examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Programs

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Harbor Springs MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed 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 normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Harbor Springs MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Harbor Springs MI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed 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 mandate, but is an excellent option for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Harbor Springs MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded 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 graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Harbor Springs MI medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Harbor Springs MI with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Harbor Springs MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’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. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Harbor Springs MI area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Harbor Springs medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that very first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Harbor Springs MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program 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 large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication 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 furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Harbor Springs MI, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Harbor Springs Michigan?

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

Harbor Springs, Michigan

Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on the Harbor Point peninsula, which shelters the deepest natural harbor on the Great Lakes. M-119 connects with US 31 7 miles (11 km) east and south at Bay View, and Petoskey, which is 4 miles (6.4 km) away on the south side of the harbor.

The area is known for its historic summer resorts, such as Wequetonsing, which was founded by Illinois businessmen and lawyers Henry Stryker, III, and Henry Brigham McClure. They were both connected with the Jacob Bunn industrial dynasty of Illinois.

The European-American settlement started with a mission by French Catholic Jesuits; they called this area L'Arbre Croche, meaning Crooked Tree. In 1847, L'Arbre Croche had the largest concentration of Native Americans in Michigan.[6] French traders renamed the area Petit Traverse, or Little Traverse, when they arrived in the area. After more settlers came to the area from the eastern United States, they changed the name of the village to Harbor Springs, incorporating it in 1880.

Select the Right Medical Assistant College Harbor Springs MI

Harbor Springs MI medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Time. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Harbor Springs MI.