Medical Assistant Technical School Elizabethtown PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Elizabethtown Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Elizabethtown PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Elizabethtown PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Elizabethtown PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer 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 Education

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Elizabethtown PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Elizabethtown PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially 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 cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Elizabethtown PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Elizabethtown PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly 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 exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Elizabethtown PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Elizabethtown PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction 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 accepted 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Elizabethtown PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine 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 want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

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

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Elizabethtown PA area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Elizabethtown healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Elizabethtown PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high 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 Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Elizabethtown PA, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Elizabethtown Pennsylvania?

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

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania Dutch: Betzischteddel) is a borough in Lancaster County, 21 miles (34 km) southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the 20th century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census, the population of the borough was 11,887.[3] Elizabethtown is commonly referred to in south-central Pennsylvania as "E-Town."[4] This nickname is also used for the local college and high school.

There are two stories about the origin of the town's name. In one version it is named after Elizabeth Reeby, wife of Michael Reeby who sold the first building lots here in about 1795. Another version has it named after the wife of Captain Barnabas Hughes who purchased The Black Bear Tavern in 1750.

The officially accepted history is that, in 1753, Captain Barnabas Hughes acquired land and laid out a town, naming it for his wife, Elizabeth. The early settlers were primarily Scots-Irish and Pennsylvania Dutch.

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Elizabethtown PA

Elizabethtown PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper 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 right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection 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 a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technical School. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Elizabethtown PA.