How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Onaway Michigan
Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Onaway MI, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? A number of future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Onaway MI clinics, hospitals 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 responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Michigan law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses
Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Onaway MI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as 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 classes. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 related field.
Medical Assistant Online Classes
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Onaway MI area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Onaway MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Onaway MI with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction 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 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Onaway MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
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 begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or vocational 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 Available? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Onaway MI area medical providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Onaway medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Onaway 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 healthcare 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 during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Onaway MI, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Onaway Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Onaway MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Onaway, Michigan
Onaway (/ˈɒnəweɪ/) is a city in Presque Isle County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 880 at the 2010 census. Onaway is the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan, and there is a lake sturgeon streamside rearing facility on the nearby Black River, where the fish migrate down to the Cheboygan River and then to Lake Huron.[6]
This farming community received a post office open on October 23, 1882 with civil engineer Thomas E. Shaw as postmaster. This office was name Shaw for him. Arriving in 1886, Merritt Chandler had platted the community under the name of Onaway. Chandler took over as postmaster with it changing its name to Onaway on March 29, 1890. On August 18, 1893, Shaw took back the postmaster position and changed the office's name to Adalaska. Once again, the post office was renamed back to Onaway on November 15, 1897. Onaway was incorporated as a village in 1899.[7] Onaway soon became a city in 1903.[6]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 880 people, 394 households, and 214 families residing in the city. The population density was 560.5 inhabitants per square mile (216.4/km2). There were 495 housing units at an average density of 315.3 per square mile (121.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.7% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.
Choose the Best Medical Assistant College Onaway MI
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged 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 Become A Certified Medical Assistant Fast. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Onaway MI.
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