9 Month Medical Assistant Program Walled Lake MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Walled Lake Michigan

Walled Lake MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Walled Lake MI, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Walled Lake MI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Walled Lake MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run efficiently. Based 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 giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some elect 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 Courses

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Walled Lake 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 two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, a few 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 obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Walled Lake MI There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Walled Lake MI area health care 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 choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Walled Lake MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Walled Lake MI medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Walled Lake MI with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must examine when researching programs. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the program 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 need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 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 available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Walled Lake MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Walled Lake MI area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Walled Lake medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Getting that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Walled Lake MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching environment 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 school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Walled Lake MI, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Walled Lake Michigan?

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

Walled Lake, Michigan

The town's name is said to have been given by the first Euro-American settler, Walter Hewitt, in 1825. Upon his arrival, he noticed what appeared to be a stone wall along the lake's western bank, possibly constructed by earlier Potawatomi Indian tribes.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 6,999 people, 3,347 households, and 1,771 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,210.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,239.6/km2). There were 3,689 housing units at an average density of 1,692.2 per square mile (653.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.7% White, 4.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population.

There were 3,347 households of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.1% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.82.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant College Walled Lake MI

Walled Lake MI medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in 9 Month Medical Assistant Program. But irrespective of the kind 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 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 Walled Lake MI.