How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Lockwood Missouri
Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lockwood MO, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Lockwood MO clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. 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 health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Missouri law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered 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
Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Lockwood MO health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to finish, some 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 acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive 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 component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have the 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 working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Lockwood MO area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Lockwood MO medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify 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. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Lockwood MO with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Lockwood MO employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Lockwood MO area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Lockwood medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Lockwood MO area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will get throughout 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 possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lockwood MO, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lockwood Missouri?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Lockwood MO area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Lockwood, Missouri
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 936 people, 381 households, and 244 families residing in the city. The population density was 964.9 inhabitants per square mile (372.5/km2). There were 451 housing units at an average density of 464.9 per square mile (179.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.6% White, 0.3% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 381 households of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.0% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93.
The median age in the city was 43.9 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.6% were from 45 to 64; and 24.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Lockwood MO
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re objective 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 need to acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Summer Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Lockwood MO.
More Medical Locations in Missouri
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
1 Reviews 
5 Reviews 