Medical Assistant School Online Accredited Kimberton PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Kimberton Pennsylvania

Kimberton PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kimberton PA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most potential 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 cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might want to research some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each 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 credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Kimberton PA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Kimberton PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out 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 Programs

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Kimberton 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 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually 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 ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Kimberton PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Kimberton PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Kimberton PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among 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 sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Kimberton PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Kimberton PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to look at when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Kimberton PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Kimberton PA area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Kimberton healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Kimberton PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Kimberton PA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Kimberton Pennsylvania?

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

M. C. Richards

Mary Caroline Richards (July 13, 1916, Weiser, Idaho – September 10, 1999, Kimberton, Pennsylvania) was an American poet, potter, and writer best known for her book Centering: in Pottery, Poetry and the Person.[1] Educated at Reed College, in Portland, Oregon, and at the University of California at Berkeley, she taught English at the Central Washington College of Education and the University of Chicago, but in 1945 became a faculty member of the experimental Black Mountain College in North Carolina where she continued to teach until the end of the summer session in 1951.[2] It was her teaching experience and growth as an artist while at Black Mountain College that prepared the foundation for most of her work in life, both as an educator and creator. Later in life, she discovered the work of Rudolf Steiner and lived the last part of her life at a Camphill Village in Kimberton, PA. In 1985, while living at the Kimberton Camphill Village she began teaching workshops with Matthew Fox at the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, CA during the winter months. Mary Caroline Richards died in 1999 in Kimberton, PA.[1]

M.C. Richards was born in Weiser, Idaho on July 13, 1916. As an infant her family moved to Portland, Oregon where she spent the early part of her life. In 1935 she attended high school at the Oregon Episcopal School (then called St. Helen's Hall Junior College). She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Reed College in Portland, in Literature and Languages. In 1939 she earned her MA in English from the University of California at Berkeley and in 1942 earned her PhD also from University of California at Berkeley, with a concentration in English and linguistics. In 1943 she taught English at the Central Washington College of Education in Ellensburg, Washington and married Vernon Young (marriage later dissolved). From there she taught briefly at the University of California at Berkeley and at the University of Chicago,[3] but became disillusioned with the traditional academic environment. While teaching at the University of Chicago, she met the social scientist Albert William Levi Jr., and they were married in 1945 (their marriage was later dissolved while teaching at Black Mountain College).

At Black Mountain College, M.C. Richards was one of the most popular teachers with the students.[5] She grouped her courses under the general heading of "Reading and Writing" while including important elements such as literary criticism, creative writing, and dramatic literature.[6] It was here that she began to make the transition from the academic career for which she had been trained and moved into taking a more creative approach in her teaching methods.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Kimberton PA

Kimberton PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Online Accredited. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Kimberton PA.