How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Stonewall Oklahoma
Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stonewall OK, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of future students begin by evaluating 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the schools 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Stonewall OK hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Oklahoma law, some elect to specialize in a specific 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 Education
In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Stonewall OK health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good choice for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Stonewall OK area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Stonewall OK medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Stonewall OK with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should look at when researching schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Stonewall OK employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Stonewall OK area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Stonewall healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Stonewall OK area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller 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 convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Stonewall OK, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stonewall Oklahoma?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Stonewall OK area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Stonewall Jackson
Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) served as a Confederate general (1861–1863) during the American Civil War, and became one of the best-known Confederate commanders after General Robert E. Lee.[2] Jackson played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the Eastern Theater of the war until his death, and played a key role in winning many significant battles.
Born in what was then part of Virginia, Jackson received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, served in the U.S. Army during the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848 and distinguished himself at Chapultepec (1847). From 1851 to 1863 he taught at the Virginia Military Institute, where he was unpopular with his students. During this time, he married twice. His first wife died, but his second, Mary Anna Morrison, outlived him by many years. When Virginia seceded from the Union in May 1861 after the attack on Fort Sumter (12 April 1861), Jackson joined the Confederate Army. He distinguished himself commanding a brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run (21 July 1861) the following month, providing crucial reinforcements and beating back a fierce Union assault. In this context Barnard Elliott Bee Jr., allegedly highlighting Jackson's courage and tenacity, compared him to a "stone wall", hence his enduring nickname.
Jackson performed well in the campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley during 1862. Despite an initial defeat due largely to faulty intelligence, through swift and careful maneuvers Jackson was able to defeat three separate Union armies and prevent any of them from reinforcing General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac in its campaign against Richmond. Jackson then quickly moved his three divisions to reinforce General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in defense of Richmond. His performance in the subsequent Seven Days Battles (June–July 1862) against George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac was poor, but did not inhibit Confederate victory in the battles. During the Northern Virginia Campaign that summer, Jackson's troops captured and destroyed an important supply depot for General John Pope's Army of Virginia, and then withstood repeated assaults from Pope's troops at the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862. Jackson's troops played a prominent role in September's Maryland Campaign, capturing the town of Harpers Ferry, a strategic location, and providing a defense of the Confederate Army's left at Antietam on September 17, 1862. At Fredericksburg in December, Jackson's corps buckled but ultimately beat back an assault by the Union Army under Major General Ambrose Burnside.
Choose the Best Medical Assistant Program Stonewall OK
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Info. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Stonewall OK.
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