Registered Medical Assistant Phoenixville PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Phoenixville Pennsylvania

Phoenixville PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Phoenixville PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Phoenixville PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Phoenixville PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run 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 tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific 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 Education

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Phoenixville PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually 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 prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate 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 facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Phoenixville PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Phoenixville PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the practical 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 a good option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Phoenixville PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Phoenixville PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Phoenixville PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Phoenixville PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create 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 planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Next, find out 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. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Phoenixville PA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Phoenixville health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Getting that initial job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Phoenixville 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 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 Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Phoenixville PA, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Phoenixville Pennsylvania?

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

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States, 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. It is located in the Philadelphia Metro Area. The population is 16,440 as of the 2010 Census.[4]

Originally called Manavon, Phoenixville was settled in 1732 and incorporated as a borough in 1849. In its industrial heyday early in the twentieth century, it was an important manufacturing center and it was the site of great iron and steel mills such as the Phoenix Iron Works, boiler works, silk mill, underwear and hosiery factories, a match factory, and the famous (and now highly collectible) Etruscan majolica pottery. Like many American towns and cities, Phoenixville owes its growth to its waterways. It is not only situated on the broad Schuylkill River, a historic thoroughfare to Native Americans and early settlers alike, but it is bisected by the fast-flowing French Creek, which was quickly harnessed for water power.

Much of this history was recognized by the creation of the Phoenixville Historic District, the largest National Register of Historic Places site in Chester County. The Black Rock Bridge, Gay Street School, and Schuylkill Navigation Canal, Oakes Reach Section are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Program Phoenixville PA

Phoenixville PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective 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 get the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Phoenixville PA.