How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Greensboro Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Greensboro PA, it’s time to select a college 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 start by researching 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Greensboro PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support 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 potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs
Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Greensboro PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Courses
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Greensboro PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Greensboro PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Greensboro PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Greensboro PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select 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 closer to one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Greensboro PA area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Greensboro healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Finding that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Greensboro PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Greensboro PA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that will 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 responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Greensboro Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Greensboro PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Greensboro, Pennsylvania
Greensboro is located in southeastern Greene County at 39°47′34″N 79°54′44″W / 39.79278°N 79.91222°W / 39.79278; -79.91222 (39.792911, -79.912087).[4] It is situated on the west bank of the Monongahela River, opposite New Geneva and the mouth of George's Creek. It is bordered by Monongahela Township in Greene County to the north and west, and by Nicholson Township in Fayette County to the south and east, across the Monongahela. The county and township border follows the center of the river. The closest road bridges over the river are the Masontown Bridge on Pennsylvania Route 21, 8 miles (13 km) north of Greensboro by road, and the Albert Gallatin Memorial Bridge on Pennsylvania Route 88 at Point Marion, 6 miles (10 km) south of Greensboro.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.15 square miles (0.38 km2), of which 0.11 square miles (0.28 km2) are land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 26.06%, are water.[3]
Like much of the region, Greensboro can trace its roots back to Native American settlement, to the Mingo tribes of the Northern Iroquois. What was to later become Greensboro was first known to the Mingo as "Delight", so named in recognition of the rich farmland that stretched along the banks of the Monongahela River. As early as 1752, settlers from the east and south began to stake their claims in the lands along the Monongahela. The first white settler of Delight was explorer-trader John Badolet, who was a close friend of John Minor. Minor was the leader of the first group to settle in the area presently known as Mapletown, to the northwest of Greensboro in Monongahela Township.
Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Greensboro PA
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper 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 get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Become A Medical Assistant In 6 Weeks. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Greensboro PA.
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