Medical Assistant Training School Kittanning PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Kittanning Pennsylvania

Kittanning PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kittanning PA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of future students begin by evaluating 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Kittanning PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Kittanning PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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 Training Programs

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Kittanning PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine 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 provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component involving 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Kittanning PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Kittanning PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Kittanning PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Kittanning PA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Kittanning PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must 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 schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Kittanning PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest 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 get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Kittanning PA area health care providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Kittanning healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Getting that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Kittanning PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may 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 teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Kittanning PA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Kittanning Pennsylvania?

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

Kittanning, Pennsylvania

Kittanning (/kɪˈtænɪŋ/ pronounced k-TAN-ing) is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[3] It is situated 44 miles (71 km) northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River.

The name is derived from Kithanink,[4] which means 'on the main river' in Lenape or the Delaware language, from kit- 'big' + hane 'mountain river' + -ink (suffix used in place names). "The main river" is a Lenape term for the Allegheny and Ohio combined, which they considered as all one river.[5] The borough and its bridge have been used as a setting for several recent films.

The borough is located on the east bank of the Allegheny River, founded on the site of the eighteenth-century Lenape (Delaware) village of Kittanning at the western end of the Kittanning Path, an ancient Native American path.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Kittanning PA

Kittanning PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training School. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Kittanning PA.