Medical Assistant Schools Near Me Camp Hill PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Camp Hill Pennsylvania

Camp Hill PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Camp Hill PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some 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 role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Camp Hill PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Camp Hill PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers 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 responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect 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 Courses

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Camp Hill PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Camp Hill PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for students 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 option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Camp Hill PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Camp Hill PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly 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 thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Camp Hill PA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Camp Hill PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training 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 accepted 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Camp Hill PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths 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, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Camp Hill PA area medical providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Camp Hill medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Camp Hill PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can 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 offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a school to see 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 college while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Camp Hill PA, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Camp Hill Pennsylvania?

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

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Camp Hill is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA, 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,888 at the 2010 census.[3] There are many large corporations based in nearby East Pennsboro Township and Wormleysburg that use the Camp Hill postal address, including the Rite Aid Corporation, Harsco Corporation, and Gannett Fleming.

Camp Hill is located in eastern Cumberland County at 40°14′28″N 76°55′34″W / 40.24111°N 76.92611°W / 40.24111; -76.92611 (40.241089, -76.926202).[4] It is bordered to the east by the borough of Lemoyne, to the south by the Lower Allen census-designated place within Lower Allen Township, to the west by Hampden Township, and to the north by East Pennsboro Township.

U.S. Routes 11 and 15 run through the western and northern sides of the borough, while Pennsylvania Route 581, the Capital Beltway, passes through the southern side, intersecting US 11/15 at Exits 5A/5B. Downtown Harrisburg, the state capital, is 3 miles (5 km) northeast of the center of Camp Hill, via either the Market Street Bridge or the M. Harvey Taylor Bridge across the Susquehanna River.

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Camp Hill PA

Camp Hill PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools Near Me. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Camp Hill PA.