How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Berlin Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Berlin PA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Berlin PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Programs
In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Berlin PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 related field.
Medical Assistant Online Programs
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for those who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Berlin PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Berlin PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Berlin PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must explore when researching programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Berlin PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out 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 want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn 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 assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Berlin PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Berlin health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Berlin PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Berlin PA, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Berlin Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Berlin PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Berlin, Pennsylvania
Berlin, a borough located approximately 75 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,192 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The town's major celebration each fall concerns the Whiskey Rebellion in the 1790s, although in recent years residents also commemorate the termination of Flight 93 in nearby Shanksville in 2001. The Berlin Fife and Drum Corps is one of the oldest such bands in North America. Snyder of Berlin potato chips are made in town, which also hosts Center Rock, Inc., a drilling-equipment manufacturer. Farming and coal mining have long been important in the area.
Immigrants (especially those from Germany) began settling the area before the American Revolutionary War, and the surrounding Brothersvalley Township was incorporated in 1771. Further settlement occurred by Revolutionary War veterans, so the borough was laid out in 1784 and formally incorporated on February 7, 1833.
Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Berlin PA
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning 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 prior to making your selection. There are so many 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 certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in 9 Month Medical Assistant Program. But regardless of the kind 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 evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Berlin PA.
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