How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Herndon Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Herndon PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Herndon PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific 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 Education
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Herndon PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent alternative for students 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 solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Herndon PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Herndon PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Herndon PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when researching programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Herndon PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally 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 school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Herndon PA area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Herndon health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Landing that initial job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Herndon PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to experience 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 working full time, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Herndon PA, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Herndon Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Herndon PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Ty Herndon
Boyd Tyrone Herndon[1] (born May 2, 1962) is an American country music singer. After signing to Epic Records in 1995, Herndon made his debut with his number one single, "What Mattered Most", followed by the release of his first album, also entitled What Mattered Most (1995). The album was followed by the release of his second album, Living in a Moment (1996), which produced his second number one country hit, with the album's title track.
Herndon released three more albums for Epic: Big Hopes (1998), Steam (1999), and This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits (2000). He recorded a Christmas album in 2002 for the Riviera label, followed by his fifth studio album, Right About Now (2007) and a second Christmas compilation for the Titan Pyramid label; his sixth studio release, Journey On, followed in 2010.
Herndon has charted a total of 17 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. This figure includes three number ones: "What Mattered Most", "Living in a Moment" and "It Must Be Love", as well as four additional top ten hits: "I Want My Goodbye Back", "Loved Too Much", "A Man Holding On (To a Woman Letting Go)" and "Hands of a Working Man."
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant School Herndon PA
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering 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 certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as 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 Certified Medical Assistant Certification. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Herndon PA.
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