How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Greenfield Missouri
Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Greenfield MO, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You might decide to look into 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 colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is ensure that the Greenfield MO hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based 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 providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few 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 tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Missouri law, some choose 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 Education
Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Greenfield MO health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice 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 solution for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Greenfield MO area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Greenfield MO medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Greenfield MO 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 examine when researching schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education 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 accepted agencies 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 qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Greenfield MO employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Greenfield MO area health care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Greenfield healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Greenfield MO area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Greenfield MO, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Greenfield Missouri?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Greenfield MO area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Greenfield, Missouri
The Greenfield square is lined with buildings built in the 1880s out of bricks made in the Greenfield Brickyard. The Greenfield Opera House Building, which opened in 1888, is known as the "Jewel of the Square" and is still used for the summer productions of the Dade County Community Theater. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with the Washington Hotel.[9]
Greenfield is located at 37°24′55″N 93°50′34″W / 37.41528°N 93.84278°W / 37.41528; -93.84278 (37.415340, -93.842781).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.14 square miles (2.95 km2), all of it land.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,371 people, 600 households, and 336 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,202.6 inhabitants per square mile (464.3/km2). There were 709 housing units at an average density of 621.9 per square mile (240.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.6% White, 0.8% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.
Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Greenfield MO
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health 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 prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, 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 Registered Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan 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 so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Greenfield MO.
More Medical Locations in Missouri
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
5 Reviews 