Medical Assistant Trade Schools Near Me East Pittsburgh PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near East Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

East Pittsburgh PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near East Pittsburgh PA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest 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 critical issues as well. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with East Pittsburgh PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the East Pittsburgh PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options 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

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of East Pittsburgh PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest 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 designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in East Pittsburgh PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in East Pittsburgh PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential East Pittsburgh PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask East Pittsburgh 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 attain, 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 evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to East Pittsburgh PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should look at when assessing programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential East Pittsburgh PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with East Pittsburgh PA area medical providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the East Pittsburgh healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the East Pittsburgh PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work 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 East Pittsburgh PA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near East Pittsburgh Pennsylvania?

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

East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

East Pittsburgh is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of the confluence of the Monongahela and the Allegheny rivers at Pittsburgh. The population in 1900 stood at 2,883, and in 1910, at 5,615. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 1,822,[3] having fallen from 6,079 in 1940. George Westinghouse erected large works there which supplied equipment to the great power plants at Niagara Falls and for the elevated and rapid-transit systems of New York. Nearby, the George Westinghouse Bridge over Turtle Creek is a prominent fixture in the area, which is very near the borough of Braddock.

In 1928, an early demonstration of a new medium was conducted at the Westinghouse laboratories in East Pittsburgh. Eventually, the new medium became known as television. Vladimir Zworykin worked for Westinghouse Electric Corporation at that time. He lived in the borough of Wilkinsburg. The Westinghouse Works became the Research and Business Park "Keystone Commons" in 1989.[4]

The East Pittsburgh School District included Bessemer Avenue Elementary School and East Pittsburgh Junior/Senior High School on Howard Street. East Pittsburgh's school colors were green and white, and its athletic teams were called the Shamrocks.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training East Pittsburgh PA

East Pittsburgh PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Trade Schools Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in East Pittsburgh PA.