Certified Medical Assistant Career Bryn Mawr PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Bryn Mawr Pennsylvania

Bryn Mawr PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bryn Mawr PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bryn Mawr PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Bryn Mawr PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 tasked with providing 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 responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Bryn Mawr PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component involving 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

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bryn Mawr PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Bryn Mawr PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the right option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Bryn Mawr PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of 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). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Bryn Mawr PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bryn Mawr PA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become 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 qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Bryn Mawr 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 colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Bryn Mawr PA area healthcare providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Bryn Mawr medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Bryn Mawr PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bryn Mawr PA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bryn Mawr Pennsylvania?

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

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Bryn Mawr (pronounced /ˌbrɪnˈmɑːr/;[1] from Welsh for "Big hill") is a census-designated place (CDP) located across Radnor and Haverford Townships in Delaware County, Pennsylvania and Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue (US-30) and the border with Delaware County. Bryn Mawr is located toward the center of what is known as the Main Line, a group of affluent Philadelphia suburban villages stretching from the city limits to Malvern. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 3,779. Bryn Mawr is home to Bryn Mawr College.

Until 1869 and the coming of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line, the town, located in the old Welsh Tract, was known as Humphreysville. The town was renamed by railroad agent William H. Wilson after he acquired on behalf of the railroad the 283 acres (1.15 km2) that now compose Bryn Mawr.[citation needed]

In 1893, the first hospital, Bryn Mawr Hospital, was built on the Main Line by Dr. George Gerhard.[4]Glenays, a historic home dating to 1859, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[5]

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Bryn Mawr PA

Bryn Mawr PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right information 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 addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Career. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Bryn Mawr PA.