Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification Palmerton PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Palmerton Pennsylvania

Palmerton 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 Palmerton PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Palmerton PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their function is to make sure that the Palmerton PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Palmerton PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical 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.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Palmerton PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Palmerton PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Palmerton PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Palmerton PA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Palmerton PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should look at when researching schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Palmerton 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 design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. 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. Second, ask 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 school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Palmerton PA area medical providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Palmerton medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Palmerton PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Palmerton PA, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Palmerton Pennsylvania?

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

Palmerton, Pennsylvania

Palmerton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Coal Region of the state. It is a part of lower Carbon County, which is considered part of the Lehigh Valley. The borough's population was 5,414 at the 2010 census.[3]

Native Americans lived in the area that is now Palmerton for many years. Early European settlers established the villages of Hazard and Little Gap, which were part of Lower Towamensing Township. There was also an Underground Railroad station there. Palmerton was officially incorporated in 1912.

In 1912, the New Jersey Zinc Company located a Zinc smelting operation (now the West Plant) here, in order to take advantage of the anthracite coal being mined just north of Palmerton and the zinc mines in Franklin, New Jersey. The town was named after New Jersey Zinc's then-President, Stephen S. Palmer, though Palmer was reportedly not pleased with having his name on the town.[4]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Palmerton PA

Palmerton PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal 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 need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification. But regardless of the kind 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 provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Palmerton PA.