How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Stambaugh Michigan
Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stambaugh MI, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their function is to make sure that the Stambaugh MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Michigan law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Programs
Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Stambaugh MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine 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 usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good alternative for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Stambaugh MI area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the best option for you. Between 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 stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Stambaugh MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Stambaugh MI with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to examine when researching programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Stambaugh MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select 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 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Stambaugh MI area medical providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Stambaugh health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that initial job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Stambaugh MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Stambaugh MI, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stambaugh Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Stambaugh MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Stambaugh, Michigan
Effective July 1, 2000, the city of Stambaugh and the village of Mineral Hills were both consolidated with the city of Iron River. The city was adjacent to Stambaugh Township, but was administratively autonomous.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,243 people, 587 households, and 338 families residing in the city. The population density was 756.5 inhabitants per square mile (292.6/km²). There were 666 housing units at an average density of 405.3 per square mile (156.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.74% White, 2.33% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 587 households out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.80.
Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Stambaugh MI
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant How Long. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Stambaugh MI.
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