How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Lewis Run Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lewis Run PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Duties of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Lewis Run PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Giving general support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Lewis Run 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 essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Schools
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Lewis Run PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Lewis Run PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Lewis Run PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must look at when researching schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Lewis Run PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at 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 concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare 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 lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring 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 closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Lewis Run PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Lewis Run medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that very first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Lewis Run PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential 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 Lewis Run PA, make certain that those times are available. You may 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 might be required. Also, 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 Lewis Run Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Lewis Run PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Lewis Run, Pennsylvania
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 577 people, 259 households, and 178 families residing in the borough. The population density was 297.7 people per square mile (114.8/km2). There were 287 housing units at an average density of 148.1 per square mile (57.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.61% White, 0.17% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.17% of the population.
There were 259 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant College Lewis Run PA
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools 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 decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Lewis Run PA.
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