Medical Assistant Information Aston PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Aston Pennsylvania

Aston PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Aston PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may 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 prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Aston PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Aston PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties 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 instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can 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 choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Aston PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to finish, a few 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 option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Aston PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good option for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Aston PA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Aston PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Aston PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Aston PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must look at when researching schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Aston PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, 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 college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Aston PA area medical care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Aston health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Aston PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Aston PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Aston Pennsylvania?

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

Aston Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Aston was first settled in 1682 as a municipality and was incorporated as a township in 1688 (one of the first townships in Pennsylvania). Prior to 1687, Aston was known as Northley.[3] Edward Carter, who was the constable of the township, changed the name from Northley to Aston in remembrance of his old home of Aston in Oxfordshire, England.[4]

In 1906, Aston became a first class township. The current boundaries of Aston were established in 1945 when the northwestern portion of the township seceded to form the borough of Chester Heights.[5][6]

In colonial times, Concord Road was the main road between Chadds Ford on Brandywine Creek and Chester, Pennsylvania. The Seven Stars Inn, located at Concord Road's "Five Points" intersection, served as overnight quarters for British General Cornwallis on September 13, 1777, two days after the Battle of the Brandywine as British forces slowly pursued George Washington's army.[7]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Aston PA

Aston PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Information. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Aston PA.