Medical Assistant Definition Glenside PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Glenside Pennsylvania

Glenside PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Glenside PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You might decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Glenside PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Glenside 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 tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Glenside PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally 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 community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Glenside PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Glenside PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Glenside PA medical employers simply will not hire 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 be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Glenside PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Glenside PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to explore when assessing programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the school 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 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Glenside PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose 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. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Glenside PA area healthcare providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Glenside healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Finding that first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Glenside PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Glenside PA, make certain 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 internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Glenside Pennsylvania?

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

Glenside, Pennsylvania

Glenside is a census-designated place (CDP) bordering Northwest Philadelphia in Abington, and Cheltenham townships, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,384 at the 2010 census on a land area of only 1.3 square miles. The Glenside station is one of the busiest in the SEPTA system. Glenside is located about 6 miles from Center City Philadelphia.

Glenside is bordered to the South by Wyncote, the East by Jenkintown, West by Laverock and Cheltenham twp section of North Hills, and to the North by the Abington twp neighborhoods of North Hills, Ardsley, Roslyn, and Abington.

Glenside is split into two townships: Abington Township, and Cheltenham Township, with the latter being where the majority of Glenside is located, including the United States Post Office, Glenside Library, and Glenside Memorial Hall.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Course Glenside PA

Glenside PA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays 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 choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Definition. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Glenside PA.