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How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Douglassville Pennsylvania

Douglassville PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Douglassville PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Douglassville PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their function is ensure that the Douglassville PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type 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 nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Douglassville PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Douglassville PA There are a number of 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 work 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 added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Douglassville PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Douglassville 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 respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate 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 provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Douglassville PA medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Douglassville PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies 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 examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Douglassville PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting 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 about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Douglassville PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Douglassville healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Getting that first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Douglassville PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Douglassville PA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Douglassville Pennsylvania?

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

Douglassville, Pennsylvania

Douglassville is a census-designated place (CDP)[3] in Amity Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Douglassville is situated along U.S. Route 422 and Pennsylvania Route 724. Developments include the Amity Gardens subdivision, the West Ridge subdivision, the Briarwood subdivision, and the High Meadow[4] subdivision. Douglassville also includes Cider Mill and the Woods Edge subdivision along Pennsylvania Route 562. As of the 2010 census the population of the CDP was 448 residents.[5] Douglassville is Exchange 385 in area code 610.

Swedish pioneers were the first European settlers in present Berks County on land granted by William Penn. Swedish Lutheran Minister Andreas Rudman secured an order from William Penn on October 21, 1701 setting aside 10,000 acres (40 km2) up the Schuylkill, near Manatawny Creek, for members of his congregation. The boundaries of Amity Township are almost identical to the boundaries of the original area known as Swedes' tract. Morlatton Village, an early settlement which became part of what is now Douglassville, was Berks County's first settlement site along the Schuylkill River. The settlement later became the location of Old St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church or Old Swedes, founded in 1720 as the oldest church in Berks County. The site also included the Mounce Jones House, built by Swedish settlers in 1716. The house is the oldest documented dwelling in Berks County.[6][7]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant School Douglassville PA

Douglassville PA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in CMA Medical Assistant. But regardless 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Douglassville PA.