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How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near New Brighton Pennsylvania

New Brighton PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near New Brighton PA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should 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 type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with New Brighton PA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the New Brighton PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of New Brighton PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two 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 classes. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in New Brighton PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in New Brighton PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible New Brighton PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask New Brighton PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, 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 comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to New Brighton PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential New Brighton 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 develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges 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 targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive 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 opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with New Brighton PA area medical providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the New Brighton health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing that first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the New Brighton PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near New Brighton PA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near New Brighton Pennsylvania?

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

New Brighton, Pennsylvania

New Brighton is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Beaver River 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Pittsburgh. There are deposits of coal and clay in the vicinity. In the past, New Brighton had industries in included pottery, bricks, sewer pipe, glass, flour, twine, lead kegs, refrigerators, bath tubs, wall paper, steel castings, nails, rivets, and wire. The borough is served by the New Brighton Area School District.[7]

New Brighton is located near the center of Beaver County along the east bank of the Beaver River. It is bordered to the north by Daugherty Township, to the east by Pulaski Township, and to the southeast by Rochester Township. To the west, across the Beaver River, are (from north to south) Beaver Falls, Patterson Heights, Patterson Township, and Fallston.

Pennsylvania Routes 18 and 65 run through the center of the borough as Third Avenue. To the south, the concurrent highways run to Rochester on the Ohio River; to the north, PA-18 crosses the Beaver River into Beaver Falls, while PA-65 turns northeast and leads to Ellwood City.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Program New Brighton PA

New Brighton PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you choose 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 Medical Assistant Night Classes. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in New Brighton PA.