Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program Farrell PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Farrell Pennsylvania

Farrell PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Farrell PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Farrell PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Farrell PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Programs

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Farrell PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Farrell PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Farrell PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Farrell 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) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Farrell PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Farrell PA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Farrell PA employers will not hire 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 create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Farrell PA area health care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Farrell medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Farrell PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical 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 might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Farrell PA, make sure 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 clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Farrell Pennsylvania?

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

Farrell, Pennsylvania

Once dubbed "The Magic City," Farrell sprung up practically overnight when a steel mill was constructed in 1901 on a plain bordering the Shenango River, near Sharon, Pennsylvania, in what was then part of Hickory Township (now Hermitage).

The community was incorporated as the Borough of South Sharon in 1916; its population peaked at over 15,000 in 1920 and its status was elevated to a third-class city in 1932. At that time the residents of the new city elected to take the name of Farrell, after industrialist James A. Farrell.[3] In 1939, artist Virginia Wood Riggs was commissioned to paint the mural Myths of Vulcan and Juno in the towns post office. The mural was painted over in 1966.[4]

The mill, which eventually became known as the Roemer Works of Sharon Steel Corporation, would serve as the community's lifeblood until 1992, when it was liquidated after filing bankruptcy. Many of the assets were sold at auction to Britain-based Caparo Corporation and later to Swiss steelmaker Duferco, which operates the plant today. Farrell was designated a financially distressed municipality in 1987 by the state of Pennsylvania.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Program Farrell PA

Farrell PA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, 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 Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Farrell PA.