How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Ionia Michigan
Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ionia MI, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many future students start 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Ionia MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. 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 giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Michigan law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Education
In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Ionia MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Classes
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for individuals who may not have 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 degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Ionia MI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the best option 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 boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Ionia MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Ionia MI with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee 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 accepted agencies 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Ionia MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on 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. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select 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 one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Ionia MI area healthcare providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Ionia health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Ionia MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal 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 teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Ionia MI, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Ionia Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Ionia MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Ionia, Michigan
Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States.[6] The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July (ending on the last Saturday of July and beginning 10 days previous) it hosts what is said to be the world's largest free-admission fair. The city is mostly within Ionia Township, with small portion extending into Easton Township and Berlin Township, but is politically autonomous of the townships.
Before Euro-American migration, this was the location of an Odawa village. The leader of the Odaw here was Cobmoosa. His people planted crops here in 1833 but when Dexter and his associates arrived, they sold these crops to Dexter and relocated to the Flat River. In the 1850s, they were relocated to Oceana County.[7]
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. This region is also prone to dense and heavy fog, along with flooding (sometimes very damaging) due to the Grand River that flows through the city, during the spring. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ionia has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[9]
Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant College Ionia MI
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Does A Medical Assistant Do. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan 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 provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Ionia MI.
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