Medical Assistant Night School Angier NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Angier North Carolina

Angier NC medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Angier NC, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges 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 training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Angier NC nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Angier NC clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under North Carolina law, some prefer 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Angier NC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Angier NC There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Angier NC area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Angier NC medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Angier NC medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Angier NC with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should examine when researching programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Angier NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Angier NC area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Angier health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Angier NC area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just 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 school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Angier NC, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Angier North Carolina?

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

Angier, North Carolina

Angier is a town in the Black River Township of Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,350 at the 2010 census[4] and estimated as of 2016 to be 5,096.[1] Angier is a part of the Dunn Micropolitan Area, which is also a part of the greater Raleigh–Durham–Cary Combined Statistical Area (CSA) as defined by the United States Census Bureau.

Angier is located in northern Harnett County at 35° 30’31" North, 78° 44’15" West (35.508587, -78.737487).[6] A small portion of the town is in Wake County to the north. North Carolina Highway 55 (Raleigh Street) passes through the center of town, leading north 7 miles (11 km) to Fuquay-Varina and south 14 miles (23 km) to Erwin. Raleigh, the state capital, is 22 miles (35 km) to the north via NC-55 and U.S. Route 401. North Carolina Highway 210 (Depot Street) crosses Highway 55 in the center of Angier, leading east 10 miles (16 km) to Interstate 40 and southwest 9 miles (14 km) to Lillington, the Harnett county seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Angier has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.6 km2), of which 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2) are land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.18%, are water.[4]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant College Angier NC

Angier NC medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin 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 before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged 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 Night School. But regardless of the kind 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 picking the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Angier NC.