How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Houghton Lake Michigan

Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Houghton Lake MI, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the Houghton Lake MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

• Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
• Setting and confirming appointments
• Taking vital signs and weighing patients
• Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
• Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
• Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some elect to specialize in a particular 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 licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Houghton Lake MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, 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 usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Houghton Lake MI area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Houghton Lake 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 highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Houghton Lake MI with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to 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 one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Houghton Lake MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

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 exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn 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 assess the quality of a college’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 routes to obtaining 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, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Houghton Lake MI area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Houghton Lake healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Houghton Lake MI area and ask 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 wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Houghton Lake MI, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Houghton Lake Michigan?

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

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Houghton Lake MI

It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Career. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make 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 ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Houghton Lake MI.

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