How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Hickory North Carolina
Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hickory NC, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Hickory NC clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying general support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under North Carolina law, some opt 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
Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Hickory NC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 available online also. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Hickory NC area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Hickory NC medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. 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 exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty 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 provided by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Hickory NC with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in 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 school is not accredited by either 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 offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Hickory NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Hickory NC area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Hickory healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Hickory NC area and find out 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 signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Hickory NC, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy 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 Hickory North Carolina?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Hickory NC area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city located primarily in Catawba County, North Carolina, with parts in adjoining Burke and Caldwell counties. The city's population at the 2010 census was 40,010,[4] with an estimated population in 2015 of 40,374. Hickory is the principal city in the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton MSA, in which the population at the 2010 census was 365,497 and is included as part of the Charlotte–Concord Combined Statistical Area.
In the 1850s, under a huge hickory tree, Henry Robinson built a tavern of logs.[citation needed] The city of "Hickory Tavern" co-founded by "Dolph" Shuford,[5] was established in 1863, and the name was eventually changed to the city of Hickory in 1873.[5]
The first train operated in the city of "Hickory Tavern" in 1859. The first lot was sold to Henry Link for $45.00 in 1858. His house is now known as "The 1859 Cafe", a restaurant (closed in 2011).[6] The community of Hickory was the first for many things in North Carolina, including the council-manager form of government it adopted in 1913. Hickory was also one of the first towns to install electric lights in 1888 and a complete sewage system in 1904.[7]
Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Course Hickory NC
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hickory NC.
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