Certified Medical Assistant Lincoln University PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Lincoln University Pennsylvania

Lincoln University PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lincoln University PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Lincoln University PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Lincoln University PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn 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

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Lincoln University PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lincoln University PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Lincoln University PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Lincoln University PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Lincoln University PA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lincoln University PA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Lincoln University PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain 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 acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Lincoln University PA area medical providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Lincoln University health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Lincoln University PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts 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 throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lincoln University PA, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lincoln University Pennsylvania?

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

Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

Lincoln University (LU) is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university.[4] Founded as a private university in 1854, it has been a public institution since 1972. Its main campus is located on 422 acres near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university has a second location in University City, Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides undergraduate and graduate coursework to approximately 2,000 students. The University is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

In his book, Education for Freedom: A History of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, former LU president Dr. Horace Mann Bond noted that "This was the first institution founded anywhere in the world to provide a higher education in the arts and sciences for youth of African descent." While a majority of Lincoln University students are African Americans, the university has a long history of accepting students of other races and nationalities.[5] Women have received degrees since 1953,[5] and made up 60% of undergraduate enrollment in 2015.[6]

In 1854 Rev. John Miller Dickey, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Sarah Emlen Cresson, a Quaker, founded Ashmun Institute, later named Lincoln University, in Hinsonville. They named it after Jehudi Ashmun, a religious leader and social reformer. They founded the school for the education of African Americans, who had few opportunities for higher education.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Lincoln University PA

Lincoln University PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision 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 right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Lincoln University PA.