Medical Assistant Programs Staley NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Staley North Carolina

Staley NC medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Staley NC, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the schools 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 Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Staley NC nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Staley NC hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under North Carolina law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices offered 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 Education

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Staley NC health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Staley NC There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good choice for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Staley NC area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Staley NC medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably 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, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Staley NC medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Staley NC with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Staley NC employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Staley NC area health care providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Staley healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Finding that first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Staley NC area and find out 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 healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Staley NC, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, 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 Staley North Carolina?

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

Staley, North Carolina

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 347 people, 125 households, and 98 families residing in the town. The population density was 285.9 people per square mile (110.7/km²). There were 136 housing units at an average density of 112.1 per square mile (43.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 82.42% White, 6.34% African American, 2.31% Native American, 5.76% from other races, and 3.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.09% of the population.

There were 125 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Program Staley NC

Staley NC medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether 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 need to get the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless 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, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Staley NC.