What Does A Medical Assistant Do Pleasant Ridge MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Pleasant Ridge Michigan

Pleasant Ridge MI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Pleasant Ridge MI, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of potential 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 location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Pleasant Ridge MI nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Pleasant Ridge MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task 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 Training

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Pleasant Ridge MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Pleasant Ridge MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Pleasant Ridge MI area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Pleasant Ridge MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Pleasant Ridge MI medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Pleasant Ridge MI with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Pleasant Ridge MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Pleasant Ridge MI area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Pleasant Ridge healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that very first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Pleasant Ridge MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent 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 can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program 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 need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Pleasant Ridge MI, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Pleasant Ridge Michigan?

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

Pleasant Ridge, Michigan

Pleasant Ridge is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census,[6] ranking 255th on the list of Michigan municipalities by population.[7]

Pleasant Ridge began with the subdivision of the Mayday farm by Burt Taylor in 1913. It incorporated as a village in 1921 and as a city in 1927.[8] On December 1, 2009, the Pleasant Ridge City Council approved plans for the city's first bar. Pleasant Ridge had previously been a dry community.[9]

One of Pleasant Ridge's most popular landmarks[citation needed] was Hedge's Wigwam, a Native American-themed cafeteria-style restaurant which was located at 10 Mile and Woodward from 1927 until 1967.[citation needed]

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant College Pleasant Ridge MI

Pleasant Ridge MI medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in 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 pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important 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 intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Pleasant Ridge MI.