Medical Assistant Major Drexel Hill PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Drexel Hill Pennsylvania

Drexel Hill PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Drexel Hill PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Drexel Hill PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their role is to make sure that the Drexel Hill PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can 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
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Drexel Hill PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 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 alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Drexel Hill PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent alternative for individuals 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 pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Drexel Hill PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the best option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Drexel Hill PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Drexel Hill PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Drexel Hill PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below 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 program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education 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 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Drexel Hill PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’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 college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Drexel Hill PA area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Drexel Hill healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Drexel Hill PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication 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 provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Drexel Hill PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Drexel Hill Pennsylvania?

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

Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania

Drexel Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) largely located in Upper Darby, with a small section (Pilgrim Gardens) located in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located 7 miles (11 km) west of Center City, Philadelphia, and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population was 28,043 at the 2010 census,[1] down from 29,364 at the 2000 census.

Drexel Hill is located in the western part of Upper Darby Township at 39°57′00″N 75°18′7″W / 39.95000°N 75.30194°W / 39.95000; -75.30194 (39.949962, -75.301841).[2] The CDP is bordered to the north by Haverford Township, to the east by the Kirklyn, Highland Park, Beverly Hills, and Bywood neighborhoods of Upper Darby, to the southeast by the borough of Lansdowne, to the south by the borough of Clifton Heights and the Westbrook Park neighborhood of Upper Darby, and to the southwest by Springfield Township.[3]Darby Creek forms the southwestern/southern border of the CDP. U.S. Route 1 (Township Line Road) runs through the northwest corner of the CDP and forms most of its northern border with Haverford Township.

The Lower Swedish Cabin on Creek Avenue alongside Darby Creek is possibly the oldest log house in North America. The cabin is believed to have been built by early Swedish settlers who were part of the New Sweden colony. The cabin was most likely built between 1638 and 1655, but the exact year is not known. Log cabin architecture was a major contribution of the colonial Swedes. European settlers from other countries copied this style of housing, and the log cabin became popular all across America.[4]

Select the Best Medical Assistant Course Drexel Hill PA

Drexel Hill PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Major. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend 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 evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Drexel Hill PA.