How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near New Enterprise Pennsylvania
Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near New Enterprise PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest 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 factors also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” 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 Role of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the New Enterprise PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Programs
Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many New Enterprise PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created 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 typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Courses
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option for those who might not have time to go to 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 pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in New Enterprise PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential New Enterprise PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to New Enterprise PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the school 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. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective New Enterprise 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 colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with New Enterprise PA area healthcare providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the New Enterprise healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the New Enterprise PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction 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 convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near New Enterprise PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near New Enterprise Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the New Enterprise PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Piper PA-31 Navajo
The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engined aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also license-built in a number of Latin American countries.[4][5] Targeted at small-scale cargo and feeder liner operations and the corporate market, the aircraft was a success. It continues to prove a popular choice, but due to greatly decreased demand across the general aviation sector in the 1980s, production of the PA-31 ceased in 1984.
At the request of company founder William T. Piper, Piper began development of a six- to eight-seat twin-engined corporate and commuter transport aircraft in 1962 under the project name Inca.[2][6] The type, now designated the PA-31 and looking like a scaled-up Twin Comanche, was officially announced in late 1964 after its first flight on 30 September that year.[1][6] It was a low-wing monoplane with a conventional tail, powered by two 310 hp (231 kW) Lycoming TIO-540-A turbocharged engines in so-called "tiger shark" cowlings, a feature shared with the Twin Comanche and also the PA-23 Aztec.[6][7][8] As testing proceeded two cabin windows were added to each side of the fuselage and the engines moved further forward.[8][9] The PA-31, now named "Navajo" after a Native American tribe, was not certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) until 24 February 1966, and deliveries did not begin until the following year, after the type was recertified in mid-1966 with an increase in maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) from 6,200 lb (2,812 kg) to 6,500 lb (2,948 kg).[2][10]
The PA-31-300 was the next model, certified by the FAA in June 1967.[10] This model was the only one of the PA-31 series not to have turbocharged engines. A pair of 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming IO-540-M1A5 engines were fitted to the PA-31-300, driving two-bladed propellers.[10] Following the introduction of the PA-31-300 the turbocharged model began to be known unofficially as the PA-31-310. The PA-31-300 was only produced in 1968 and 1969 and had the smallest production total for any PA-31 series model, with only 14 aircraft built.[2][11]
Choose the Right Medical Assistant School New Enterprise PA
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, such as 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 Medical Assistant Certification Online Schools. 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in New Enterprise PA.
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