Medical Assistant Community College Bangor PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Bangor Pennsylvania

Bangor PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bangor PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the colleges 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 offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Bangor PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Bangor PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size 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 nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Programs

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Bangor PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Bangor PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Bangor PA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education might be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Bangor PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps 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 have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Bangor PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Bangor PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Bangor PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn 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 evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting that first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Bangor PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator 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 furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to experience 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 college you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bangor PA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask 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 Bangor Pennsylvania?

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

Bangor, Pennsylvania

Bangor is a borough located in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, 32 miles (51 km) north of Allentown, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt. It had a population of 5,273 according to the 2010 census.

The borough was settled about 1760 and first incorporated in 1875. The founder and first Chief Burgess of Bangor was Robert M. Jones, an emigrant from Bangor, Wales. He was the prime mover in the establishment of the slate industry in Northampton County. Slate quarries pepper the area, but only a few are still functioning. A life-sized statue of him, dedicated on September 24, 1914, remains in the town center.[4]

Indeed, if one visits Bangor, Wales it is clearly visible that the Welsh heritage made its way to Bangor, Pennsylvania, whose stone walls, rectangular gardens, and lovely flowers and greenery mirror those of its Welsh namesake. Around Bangor one can also see piles of slate residue and shale reminiscent of the area around Bethesda, Wales.[5]

Select the Right Medical Assistant College Bangor PA

Bangor PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Bangor PA.