How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Enfield North Carolina
Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Enfield NC, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You might want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Enfield NC hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under North Carolina law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Courses
In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Enfield NC health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare 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 similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Classes
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Enfield NC area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Enfield NC medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Enfield NC with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Enfield NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs 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 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 ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Enfield NC area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Enfield medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Landing that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Enfield NC area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Enfield NC, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Enfield North Carolina?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Enfield NC area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Enfield, North Carolina
Enfield is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, and was founded in 1740. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town’s population was 2,532, which reflects an increase of almost 8% from the population of 2,347 at the 2000 census. It is the oldest town in Halifax County, and it was once the world’s largest raw peanut market. Enfield is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.
One of the most significant historic events in this small rural town was the Enfield Riots, which helped spark American Independence. The Crown governed the area, and Robert Earl Granville, heir of John Lord Carteret, possessed land rights in the district. The riots were set off by a controversy over corrupt agents, land grants, titles, and the collection of quitrents (which often ended up in Granville’s pocket). A group of Colonists – many of them land owners and office holders from Halifax, Edgecombe and Granville counties - went to Edenton on the night of January 25, 1759, and kidnapped Francis Corbin and a co-agent, Joshua Bodley. Corbin and Bodley were brought to Enfield, where they were thrown in jail for four days and forced to open all land records for public inspection. Corbin returned illegal fees he had collected, but he filed a lawsuit against his abductors after his release.
The suit was eventually dropped, but the Colonial Assembly jailed some of the men who had kidnapped Corbin and Bodley. A group of citizens in Enfield expressed outrage against British tyranny and on May 14, 1759, broke into jail and freed the men. It is thought that the actions of these rioters probably encouraged Willie Jones and the other radical leaders of North Carolina to push for independence from England through the Halifax Resolves of April 12, 1776.
Choose the Best Medical Assistant School Enfield NC
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Enfield NC.
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