How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near North East Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near North East PA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many 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 location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the North East PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific 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 Education
In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many North East PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 related field.
Medical Assistant Online Courses
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in North East PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible North East PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to North East PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must look at when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 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 normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential North East PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges 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 enroll in a program targeting 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 means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with North East PA area medical providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the North East healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Landing that first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the North East PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near North East PA, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 North East Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the North East PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
North East, Pennsylvania
North East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States, 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Erie in the northernmost part of the state; so named because it was in the county's northeastern corner. Fruit growing was an early economic endeavor, and is still to this day, as this is a popular area especially for cherries and grapes. There is an annual Cherry Festival in the summer and an annual Wine Country Harvest Festival in the fall. It contains one junior college, Mercyhurst North East. The population was 4,294 at the 2010 census,[4] down from 4,601 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the northernmost town in Pennsylvania. The name "North East" is not a misnomer, even though the borough is located in extreme northwestern Pennsylvania, it received it name for its northeastern-most location within Erie County.
As part of the Erie Triangle, it was only in 1792 that the locale was legally established as part of Pennsylvania. However, North East did not receive its first settler until 1794, still several years before the county (Erie) and township (North East) were organized. Originally the North East Township was called "Lower Greenfield" being downstream from Greenfield Township. The first road was built in 1797 from present day Freeport at the mouth of Sixteenmile Creek to present day Colt Station now in Greenfield Township. That road was extended in 1798 to where French Creek forks (present day Wattsburg).[6] In 1798 the first school was formed.[5][7] In 1800 a road from the village of North East to Wattsburg was opened, it paralleled, but ran east of, the first one from Freeport.[8] In 1801 the first church was organized, it was Presbyterian.[7]
North East is located in northeastern Erie County at 42°12′48″N 79°50′1″W / 42.21333°N 79.83361°W / 42.21333; -79.83361 (42.213385, -79.833711).[11] It is surrounded by North East Township.
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program North East PA
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish 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 need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in North East PA.
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