Ophthalmic Medical Assistant Southfield MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Southfield Michigan

Southfield MI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Southfield MI, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate 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 as well. You might want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Southfield MI nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Southfield MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn 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

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Southfield MI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed 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 two year programs provided at junior and community 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 classes. They frequently 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 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Southfield MI There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent alternative for individuals 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 choice 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 costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Southfield MI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Southfield MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably 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 exam, a candidate must have graduated 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 offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Southfield MI medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Southfield MI with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Southfield MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, 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 shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Southfield MI area medical providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Southfield medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Southfield MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high 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 wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Southfield MI, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Southfield Michigan?

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

Southfield, Michigan

Southfield is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 71,739.[6] A part of Metro Detroit's upscale office market, the city's marque is a cluster of five golden skyscrapers – known as the "Golden Triangle" – that form the contemporary 2,200,000 square feet (204,400 m2) Southfield Town Center office complex with a Westin Hotel and a conference center. In addition, a 33-story luxury residential high-rise is separate from the complex. To the west, near the confluence of I-696/Reuther Freeway and M-10/Lodge Freeway, is the American Center.

Southfield was surveyed in 1817 according to the plan by Michigan territorial governor Lewis Cass.[7] The first settlers came from nearby Birmingham and Royal Oak, Michigan, as well as the states of New York and Vermont. The area that would become Southfield was settled by John Daniels in 1823. Among the founders were the Heth, Stephens, Harmon, McClelland and Thompson families.

Town 1 north, 10 east was first organized as Ossewa Township on July 12, 1830, but the name was changed seventeen days later to Southfield Township.[7] The township took its name from its location in the "south fields" of Bloomfield Township. A US post office was established in 1833 and the first town hall built in 1873.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Program Southfield MI

Southfield MI medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Ophthalmic Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan 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 evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Southfield MI.