How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Washington Michigan
Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Washington MI, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of prospective students begin 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 issues as well. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Washington MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities 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 practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Michigan law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Programs
In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Washington MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Washington MI area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Washington MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Washington MI with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the program you choose is accredited. First, 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 must 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Washington MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Washington MI area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Washington health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that initial job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Washington MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Washington 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 also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Washington Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Washington MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Washington Township, Macomb County, Michigan
Washington Charter Township, located in the outskirts of metro Detroit, is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,139 at the 2010 census. The suburb of Washington Township is bordered by the village of Romeo as well as Ray Township, Shelby Township, and Oakland Township and is 18 miles north of Detroit. The historic Octagon House and Stony Creek Metro Park are popular destinations for visitors.
The Township has a Supervisor-Board style township government with elected supervisor, clerk, treasurer and four trustees. School district serving the Township residents are Romeo Community Schools and Utica Community Schools and Rochester Schools from Oakland County.[9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.8 square miles (95.3 km²), of which 36.0 square miles (93.1 km²) is land and 0.9 square mile (2.2 km²) (2.34%) is water.
Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Training Washington MI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Student. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Washington MI.
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