Classes Needed For Medical Assistant Essington PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Essington Pennsylvania

Essington PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Essington PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have provided several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Essington PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Essington PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Essington PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 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 normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with technical 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 classes. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Essington PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Essington PA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Essington PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty 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.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Essington PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Essington PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Essington PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Essington PA area medical care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Essington medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Essington PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator 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 increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Essington PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Essington Pennsylvania?

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

Pennsylvania Route 291

Pennsylvania Route 291 (PA 291) is an east–west route in Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 13 (US 13) in Trainer, Delaware County east to Interstate 76 (I-76) in South Philadelphia near the Walt Whitman Bridge and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Except for a short 1-mile (1.6 km) section between US 13 and the Chester/Trainer line, PA 291 is mostly a four-lane highway. It runs parallel to the Delaware River. The route passes through industrial areas near the river in Delaware County, serving Chester, Eddystone, Essington, and Lester. PA 291 enters Philadelphia near the Philadelphia International Airport, at which point it has an interchange with I-95. The route crosses the Schuylkill River on the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge and continues along Penrose Avenue to I-76.

PA 291 was first designated by 1928 along an unpaved road between PA 420 in Prospect Park and PA 191. The route was extended west to US 13 in Eddystone by 1930 on a paved road. PA 291 was realigned to run from US 13 in Trainer to PA 420 in Essington by 1940. The route was extended to US 1/US 13/US 30/US 611 at Broad Street and Spring Garden Street north of Center City Philadelphia by 1950. By 1960, PA 291 was realigned from Essington Avenue and Passyunk Avenue to Penrose Avenue and Broad Street. In the 1960s, the northern terminus was moved to US 30 and US 611 at Vine Street. In the 1970s, the north end was cut back to PA 611 at Philadelphia City Hall. A freeway was proposed along the PA 291 corridor between I-95 and I-76 from 1950 until the 1970s, when it was cancelled due to funding issues. The northern terminus was moved to its current location by 1989, with an extended PA 611 replacing PA 291 on Broad Street. Around 2000, the route was rebuilt as a five-lane road in Chester. PA 291 was realigned further to the west to bypass the Philadelphia International Airport in 2006.

PA 291 begins at an intersection with US 13 near Delta Air Lines' Trainer Refinery in the borough of Trainer in Delaware County, heading southeast on two-lane undivided Price Street. The road passes between homes to the northeast and industrial areas to the southwest. The route makes a sharp curve to the northeast and becomes 2nd Street, crossing into the city of Chester and passing through urban residential and industrial areas. PA 291 continues northeast and becomes a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane as it passes more urban development and empty lots. The route comes to ramps that provide access from the eastbound direction of US 322 and to the westbound direction of US 322 just northwest of where that route crosses the Delaware River on the Commodore Barry Bridge. The road passes under the western approach of the Commodore Barry Bridge carrying US 322.[2][3]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Essington PA

Essington PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Classes Needed For Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Essington PA.