Medical Assistant Community College Dover PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Dover Pennsylvania

Dover PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dover PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Dover PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Dover PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions 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 giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Dover PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dover PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent option for students who may not have time to attend 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 earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Dover PA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education might be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Dover PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. 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 exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Dover PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Dover PA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when researching schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Dover PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Dover PA area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Dover health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Dover PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Dover PA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still 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 because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dover Pennsylvania?

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

Dover, Pennsylvania

Dover is located in York County at 40°0′14″N 76°50′58″W / 40.00389°N 76.84944°W / 40.00389; -76.84944 (40.003846, -76.849397),[5] 5 miles (8 km) northwest of the county seat of York. The borough is entirely surrounded by Dover Township.

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 1,815 people, 770 households, and 489 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,623.6 people per square mile (1,401.6/km2). There were 790 housing units at an average density of 1,577.2 per square mile (610.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.47% White, 1.05% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.72% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.

There were 770 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Course Dover PA

Dover PA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Dover PA.