Medical Assistant Degree Kent City MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Kent City Michigan

Kent City MI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kent City MI, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Most potential students start by researching 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 very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Kent City MI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Kent City MI clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run 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 responsible for providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Kent City 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 essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Kent City MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Kent City MI area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Kent City MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Kent City MI medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Kent City MI with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Kent City MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Kent City MI area medical providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Kent City healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Kent City MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Kent City MI, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, 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 might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Kent City Michigan?

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

Kent City, Michigan

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,057 people, 373 households, and 268 families residing in the village. The population density was 800.8 inhabitants per square mile (309.2/km2). There were 407 housing units at an average density of 308.3 per square mile (119.0/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 88.8% White, 0.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 7.7% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.8% of the population.

There were 373 households of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.33.

The median age in the village was 30.6 years. 30.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 7.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Kent City MI

Kent City MI medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Kent City MI.