How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Petoskey Michigan
Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Petoskey MI, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have provided several questions that you should 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Petoskey MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare 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 giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Michigan law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Education
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Petoskey MI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational 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 often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Petoskey MI area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Petoskey MI medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Petoskey MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Petoskey MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Petoskey MI area medical care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Petoskey medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Petoskey MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers 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 likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Petoskey MI, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Petoskey Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Petoskey MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was estimated at approximately close to 5,670 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County.[8]
The Little Traverse Bay area was long inhabited by indigenous peoples, including the Odawa people. The name "Petoskey" is said to mean "where the light shines through the clouds" in the language of the Odawa. However it is more likely that the town was named for the Joseph Petoskey family of Poland. The original Petoskey family posterity still reside in the town. Yet the romantic myth that the town was named for the Odawa chief is good for tourism. After the 1836 Treaty of Washington, Odawa Chief Ignatius Petosega (1787–1885) took the opportunity to purchase lands near the Bear River. Petosega's father was Antoine Carre, a French Canadian fur trader and his mother was Odawa.[10]
By the 1850s, several religious groups had established missions near the Little Traverse Bay. A Mormon offshoot had been based at Beaver Island, the Jesuit missionaries had been based at L'arbor Croche and Michilimackinac, with a Catholic presence in Harbor Springs, then known as "Little Traverse".[11] Andrew Porter, a Presbyterian missionary, arrived at the village of Bear River (as it was then called) in 1852.[12][13]
Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Petoskey MI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Certification. 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, 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 subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Petoskey MI.
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