Ophthalmic Medical Assistant Hershey PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Hershey Pennsylvania

Hershey PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hershey PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Hershey PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Hershey PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Hershey PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hershey PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Hershey PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Hershey PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order 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. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Hershey PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Hershey PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should examine when researching schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Hershey PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Hershey PA area medical providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Hershey medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Hershey PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Hershey PA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hershey Pennsylvania?

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

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hershey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. Hershey's chocolates are made in Hershey, which was founded by candy magnate Milton S. Hershey.

The community is located 14 miles (23 km) east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg−Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality, and all its municipal services are provided by Derry Township. The population was 14,257 at the 2010 census.[2]

Hershey is located in southeastern Dauphin County, in the center and eastern parts of Derry Township. It is bordered to the east by Palmdale (also in Derry Township) and by Campbelltown (in South Londonderry Township, Lebanon County). To the west is the borough of Hummelstown. Over half the population of Derry Township is within the Hershey CDP.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Hershey PA

Hershey PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges 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, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Ophthalmic Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hershey PA.