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How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near High Point North Carolina

High Point NC medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near High Point NC, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with High Point NC nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is to make sure that the High Point NC clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under North Carolina law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Courses

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of High Point NC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to finish, some 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 alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational 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 clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in High Point NC There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to go to 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 pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in High Point NC area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible High Point NC medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask High Point NC medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide 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 choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to High Point NC with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential High Point NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in 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. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with High Point NC area medical providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the High Point healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the High Point NC area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near High Point NC, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, find out 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 High Point North Carolina?

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

High Point, North Carolina

High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state of North Carolina. Most of the city is located in Guilford County, with portions spilling into neighboring Randolph, Davidson, and Forsyth counties. High Point is North Carolina's only city that extends into four counties. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 104,371,[4] with an estimated population of 108,629 in 2014.[5] High Point is currently the ninth-largest municipality in North Carolina, and the 259th largest city in America.

High Point is known for its furniture, textiles, and bus manufacturing. The city is sometimes referred to as the "Home Furnishings Capital of the World". The city's official slogan is "North Carolina's International City" due to the semi-annual High Point Furniture Market that attracts 100,000 exhibitors and buyers from around the world.

Among the first Europeans to settle Guilford County were English Quakers and German immigrants. High Point was located at the highest point of the 1856 North Carolina Railroad between Charlotte and Goldsboro where it intersected the 1852 Great Western Plank Road. Its central location and transportation allowed for the delivery of raw materials like cotton and lumber and processed goods in and out of the city and contributed to its early growth. Settled before 1750, High Point was incorporated in 1859. Before it became a major manufacturing center, the most important industries were tobacco, woodworking and textiles. The first of many High Point furniture factories was opened in 1889.[6]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant School High Point NC

High Point NC medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Top Medical Assistant Programs. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in High Point NC.