Medical Assistant Training Online Hatfield PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Hatfield Pennsylvania

Hatfield PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hatfield PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some 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 responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hatfield PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Hatfield PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. 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
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Hatfield PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hatfield PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good option for those 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 alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Hatfield PA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Hatfield PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, 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 Hatfield PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending 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 beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Hatfield PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should explore when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations 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 organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Hatfield PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Hatfield PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Hatfield medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Hatfield PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

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

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hatfield Pennsylvania?

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

Hatfield, Pennsylvania

Hatfield is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,290 at the time of the 2010 census. It is part of the North Penn Valley region that is centered around the borough of Lansdale. The borough is surrounded by Hatfield Township.

As of the 2010 census, the borough was 66.6% White, 4.1% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 23.5% Asian, and 2.9% were two or more races. 6.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry [7]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,605 people, 1,106 households, and 650 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,102.7 people per square mile (1,596.5/km2). There were 1,139 housing units at an average density of 1,793.9 per square mile (698.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.19% White, 1.77% African American, 0.31% Native American, 12.05% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Hatfield PA

Hatfield PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the right 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 need to get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of 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, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training Online. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Hatfield PA.