Registered Medical Assistant Exam Mendenhall PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Mendenhall Pennsylvania

Mendenhall PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Mendenhall PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes 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 important issues also. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Mendenhall PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Mendenhall PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered 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 Education

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Mendenhall PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Mendenhall PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent option for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Mendenhall PA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Mendenhall PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Mendenhall PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Mendenhall PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should examine when researching schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Mendenhall PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths 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, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Mendenhall PA area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Mendenhall health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Mendenhall PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical 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 get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before choosing a program to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Mendenhall PA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need 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 because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Mendenhall Pennsylvania?

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

General Society of the War of 1812

The General Society of the War of 1812 is an American non-profit corporation and charitable organization of male descendants of American veterans of the War of 1812. The General Society was founded on January 9, 1854, at the Congress Hall in Philadelphia by Joel B. Sutherland.

Any male person above the age of eighteen (18) years who is a lineal descendant of one who served during the War of 1812, in the army, navy, revenue-marine, or privateer service of the United States, offering proof thereof satisfactory to the State Society to which he may, make application for membership, and who is of good moral character and reputation, may become a member of the Society when approved of by said State Society, under such regulations as it may make for passing upon applications for membership.[1][2] Female persons above the age of 18 who qualify, may apply to the United States Daughters of 1812.

On January 9, 1854 (a day after the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans), a group of over 1,500 War of 1812 veterans from across the United States met in convention at the Congress Hall in Philadelphia, having responded to a call issued by Joel B. Sutherland (1792-1861), a War of 1812 veteran and former Congressman from Philadelphia. Ostensibly called to draft resolutions pertaining to bounty land benefit legislation, the veterans assembled in Philadelphia acknowledged the need for an organization for mutual support and to perpetuate the history of the War of 1812. From this convention, the Society of the War of 1812 was founded and Sutherland was elected its first President. The Society met again in convention a year later in Washington, D.C., where they were received by President Franklin Pierce at the White House and lobbied members of Congress to secure the bounty land legislation, which was passed later in 1855. Sutherland’s goal was to form a division of the Society of the War of 1812 in each state in the union. His vision for the organization was not completed at the time of his death in 1861. Shortly thereafter, the General Society of the War of 1812 began accepting sons and grandsons of Veteran members.[3]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Mendenhall PA

Mendenhall PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper 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 must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Exam. But regardless of the type 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 picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Mendenhall PA.