Medical Assistant Technician Hellertown PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Hellertown Pennsylvania

Hellertown PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hellertown PA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Hellertown PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Hellertown PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities 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 tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices available 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 Courses

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Hellertown 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 essentially two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare 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.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hellertown PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible 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, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Hellertown PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for those who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Hellertown PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hellertown PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Hellertown PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Hellertown PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Hellertown PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, 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 positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program 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 school while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hellertown PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hellertown Pennsylvania?

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

Hellertown, Pennsylvania

Hellertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Hellertown is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, and geographically in the Lehigh Valley's Saucon Valley. The population of Hellertown was 5,898 at the 2010 census.

Pennsylvania Route 412 runs north-south through Hellertown on Main Street, heading north to Bethlehem and south into Bucks County, where it provides access to Pennsylvania Route 611. PA 412 has an interchange with Interstate 78 on the northern edge of Hellertown, which heads west to Allentown and Harrisburg and east to Easton and New York City.[4]

LANTA provides bus service to Hellertown along Route 215, which provides service Monday-Saturday north to Bethlehem and Lehigh Valley International Airport, and Route 105, which provides Sunday service north to Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley Mall.[5]Bieber Transportation Group and Trans-Bridge Lines provide bus service from Hellertown to New York City from a park and ride lot located at the interchange between I-78 and PA 412.[6][7] Hellertown formerly had commuter rail service along SEPTA's Bethlehem Line north to Bethlehem and south to Philadelphia at Hellertown station, but service ended in 1981.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Hellertown PA

Hellertown PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice 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 nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technician. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan 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 in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hellertown PA.