How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Mifflin Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Mifflin PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of future students start by evaluating 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, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all 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 offered.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Mifflin PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses
In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Mifflin PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical 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 practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often 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
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Mifflin PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Mifflin PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Mifflin PA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Mifflin PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools 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 concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Mifflin PA area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Mifflin healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Landing that first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Mifflin PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Mifflin PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Mifflin Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Mifflin PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census.[4] It is named after Thomas Mifflin, 1st Governor of Pennsylvania, signer of the United States Constitution, and 1st Quartermaster General of the United States Army.[5]
Although the borough is heavily residential, it is home to one of America's oldest traditional amusement parks, Kennywood Park. Other employers include advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology research and development facility, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory; monorail manufacturer Bombardier; US Steel's Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant; Community College of Allegheny County's South Campus; and the Allegheny County Airport.[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37 km2), of which 14.2 square miles (37 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 1.80%, is water. The landscape is largely hilly and wooded, and the borough's eastern boundary is contiguous with the Monongahela River three separate times. Much of the original landscape has been altered as a result of the historic dumping of steel mill byproducts such as slag and fly ash.
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Mifflin PA
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays 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 choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Career. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Mifflin PA.
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