How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Cambridge Springs Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Cambridge Springs PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.
The Duties of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Cambridge Springs PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based 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 tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Education
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Cambridge Springs PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Cambridge Springs PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Cambridge Springs PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Cambridge Springs PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must explore when researching programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Cambridge Springs PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Cambridge Springs PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Cambridge Springs health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Cambridge Springs 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 medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Cambridge Springs PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Cambridge Springs Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Cambridge Springs PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania
In the late 19th century, Cambridgeboro was known for its mineral springs. The discovery of the springs eventually led to renaming the borough to Cambridge Springs on April 1, 1897.[6] It was a resort town featuring a variety of hotels including the Rider Hotel, which burned down in 1931. The last of these hotels, the Riverside Inn, burned down on May 2, 2017, and had been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Cambridge Springs Bridge and Amos Kelly House.[7]
In 1904, the Rider Hotel in Cambridge Springs was the site of a famous chess tournament won by Frank Marshall ahead of World Champion Emanuel Lasker and fourteen other players. A variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined opening played several times there is today known as the Cambridge Springs Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 Qa5 in algebraic notation).
From 1912 to 1987 it was home to Alliance College. In 1912 United States President William Howard Taft traveled to Cambridge Springs for the dedication. The site of the college is now occupied by State Correctional Institution – Cambridge Springs, a minimum-security prison.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Program Cambridge Springs PA
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools 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 choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Job Description. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Cambridge Springs PA.
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