Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me Ambridge PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Ambridge Pennsylvania

Ambridge PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ambridge PA, 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 enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Ambridge PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Ambridge PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance 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 possible 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 samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect 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 Programs

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Ambridge PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some 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 acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available 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 courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Ambridge PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Ambridge PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Ambridge PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Ambridge PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Ambridge PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must explore when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations 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 one 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 normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Ambridge PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Ambridge PA area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Ambridge medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that initial 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 interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Ambridge PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator 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 offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Ambridge PA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, 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 might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Ambridge Pennsylvania?

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

Ambridge, Pennsylvania

Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. Incorporated in 1905 as a company town by the American Bridge Company, Ambridge is located 16 miles (25 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River. The population was 7,050 at the 2010 census.

The town is near the location of Legionville, the training camp for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne's Legion of the United States. Wayne's was the first attempt to provide basic training for regular U.S. Army recruits and Legionville was the first facility established expressly for this purpose.

The Harmony Society first settled the area in the early 19th century, founding the village of "Ökonomie" or Economy in 1824. Although initially successful, accumulating significant landholdings, the sect went into decline. By the end of the 19th century, only a few Harmonists remained. The Society was dissolved and its vast real estate holdings sold, much of it to the American Bridge Company, who subsequently enlarged the town and incorporated it as Ambridge in 1905.

Select the Right Medical Assistant College Ambridge PA

Ambridge PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal 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 obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Ambridge PA.