Medical Assistant Years Of School Newtown Square PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Newtown Square Pennsylvania

Newtown Square PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Newtown Square PA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Newtown Square PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Newtown Square PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Based 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 providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some 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
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Newtown Square PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a 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 obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Newtown Square PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible 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, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Newtown Square PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Newtown Square PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Newtown Square PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Newtown Square PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must look at when assessing programs. 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 final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Newtown Square PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally 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. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Newtown Square PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Newtown Square medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Getting that first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Newtown Square PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to see 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 working full time, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Newtown Square PA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Newtown Square Pennsylvania?

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

Newtown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania

The first mention of the township was in 1684, when Thomas Norbury and John Humphrey were appointed collectors of the "Levie for the cort house and Prison for ye Township of Newtowne".[4] Newtown Square was the name used for the townstead with the majority of early settlers being Welshmen. These Welsh "Friends" (Quakers) needed a road to facilitate their journey to meeting, the only established road at the time being Newtown Street Road, which ran north and south. As such, in 1687, an east-west road was laid out (Goshen Road) so the Friends could attend either Goshen or the Haverford Friends Meeting. By 1696, these friends had become numerous enough to hold their own meeting in Newtown and continued to meet in a private home until the completion of the Newtown Square Friends Meetinghouse in 1711. In the 18th century, Newtown was basically a farming community. Blacksmith and wheelwright shops emerged on the main arteries to service horse and buggy travelers. Taverns and inns were also opened to accommodate local patrons as well as drovers taking their livestock to the markets in Philadelphia.

During the Revolutionary War, Newtown township was visited several times by foraging parties of the British Army. On Goshen Road, west of Newtown Square, were the outpost and headquarters of General Potter.[5]

During the 19th century a number of mills sprang up along Crum Creek (the western border) and Darby Creek (in the northeast corner of the Township). These included saw mills, paper mills, shingle mills, and a woolen factory. In the Darby Creek area a number of tenement houses were built as well as a general store to service the needs of the mill workers.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Newtown Square PA

Newtown Square PA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Years Of School. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan 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 in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Newtown Square PA.