Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees Parkesburg PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Parkesburg Pennsylvania

Parkesburg PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Parkesburg PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist 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 offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Parkesburg PA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Parkesburg PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options available 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 Programs

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Parkesburg PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Parkesburg PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Parkesburg PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical 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 mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Parkesburg PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Parkesburg PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing 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 start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Parkesburg PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Parkesburg 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 schools create their programs to prep 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 interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on 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 methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Parkesburg PA area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Parkesburg health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that very first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Parkesburg PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction 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 face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Parkesburg PA, confirm 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 internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Parkesburg Pennsylvania?

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

Parkesburg, Pennsylvania

Parkesburg was first known as the Fountain Inn, a tavern built ca. 1734. The inn ceased operation as a tavern around 1836 and became Parkesburg's first post office. In 1872, the Pennsylvania legislature authorized the formation of Parkesburg Borough (from Sadsbury Township). The town was named after noted politician John G. Parke. Today, the Fountain Inn is a private residence.

At the 2010 census, the borough was 81.1% non-Hispanic White, 9.0% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 2.1% were two or more races. 7.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry [1].

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 3,373 people, 1,243 households, and 870 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,706.8 people per square mile (1,041.9/km²). There were 1,321 housing units at an average density of 1,060.1 per square mile (408.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 90.93% White, 6.88% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant School Parkesburg PA

Parkesburg PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus 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 subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Parkesburg PA.