Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree Horsham PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Horsham Pennsylvania

Horsham PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Horsham PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You may decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Horsham PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Horsham PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical 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:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Training

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Horsham PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 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 normally two year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Horsham PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Horsham PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the right option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Horsham PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered 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. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Horsham PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Horsham PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. First, 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 complete 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Horsham PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Horsham PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Horsham health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that very first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Horsham PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Horsham PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Horsham Pennsylvania?

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

Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Horsham Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, 10 miles north of downtown Philadelphia. The township, incorporated in 1717, is one of the oldest original municipalities in Montgomery County. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a Home Rule Charter since 1975 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code.[4] The population was 26,147 at the 2010 census.

Horsham Township is named after the town of Horsham in Sussex in the South of England. Horsham is one of several townships in Montgomery County whose name and size were determined by master survey lines drawn by William Penn's engineers as they first plotted this part of the colony for sale and settlement. Parallel lines, projected at intervals of a mile and a half and extending in a northwesterly direction from settlements along the Delaware, served not only as base lines for measurement of individual land grants but also as courses for future highways. County Line Road, Horsham Road, and Welsh Road are examples of highways so laid out. The effect of these survey lines upon the development pattern of Eastern Montgomery County is very much in evidence today.

In 1684, the entire township of 17 square miles (44 km2) was made available to individual purchasers. Samuel Carpenter, from the town of Horsham in Sussex, England, after which the township is named, purchased 5,000 acres (20 km2), 4,200 acres (17 km2) within the present boundaries of the township. In 1709, Carpenter, then Treasurer of Pennsylvania, began to sell tracts of land to migrating Quakers. In 1717, Horsham Township was established as a municipal entity by a vote of the people.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant College Horsham PA

Horsham PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Horsham PA.