What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do Okemos MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Okemos Michigan

Okemos MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Okemos MI, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Okemos MI nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Okemos MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Michigan law, some opt 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 Training

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Okemos 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 essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Okemos MI There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Okemos MI area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Okemos MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Okemos MI medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Okemos MI with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 organizations, 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 often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Okemos MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. 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 interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring 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 one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Okemos MI area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Okemos health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting that first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Okemos MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a college to observe 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 college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Okemos MI, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 Okemos Michigan?

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

Okemos, Michigan

Okemos /ˈoʊkɪməs/ is an unincorporated community in Meridian Charter Township, Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes and does not have any separate legal existence as a municipality. Local government is provided by the township. The population was 21,369 at the 2010 census.[3]

The settlement of Hamilton was founded in 1839 by Freeman Bray as a trading point with the surrounding Ojibwe people and as a farming community. In 1859, one year following the death of Chief John Okemos (on whose treaty lands the community was built), the area was renamed to honor the Native American chief. "Okemos" is from the Ojibwa ogimaa "chief" plus -s, the diminutive, thus "little chief".

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 16.9 square miles (43.8 km2), of which 16.8 square miles (43.4 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.87%, are water.[3]

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant School Okemos MI

Okemos MI medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be 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 subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Okemos MI.