Medical Assistant Course Plymouth Meeting PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Plymouth Meeting Pennsylvania

Plymouth Meeting PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Plymouth Meeting PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Plymouth Meeting PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Plymouth Meeting PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options 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

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Plymouth Meeting PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed 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 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Plymouth Meeting PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Plymouth Meeting PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Plymouth Meeting PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among 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). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Plymouth Meeting PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which kind of credential you would like 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 process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Plymouth Meeting 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 assessing schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain 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. Second, if you plan on becoming 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Plymouth Meeting PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn 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. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Plymouth Meeting PA area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Plymouth Meeting health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Plymouth Meeting PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent 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 might be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Plymouth Meeting PA, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might 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 Plymouth Meeting Pennsylvania?

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

Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania

The population of Plymouth Meeting was 6,177 in the 2010 census. Plymouth Meeting is home to the Colonial School District, the recently renovated Plymouth Meeting Mall and several large office parks and shopping centers. It was home to IKEA's U.S. headquarters.[3] The confluence of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276), the Blue Route (I-476) and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-476) at the Mid-County Interchange occur in Plymouth Meeting. This interchange contributes to regional commerce and was a major driver for business and retail development.

The area was originally settled by members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, who built the Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse in 1708. They sailed from Devonshire, England, on the ship Desire, arriving in Philadelphia on June 23, 1686. The settlement takes its name from the founders' hometown of Plymouth in Devon.

During the Revolutionary War, in May 1778, the Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse served as a temporary military hospital. General George Washington, then at Valley Forge, learned that a British force intended to seize the area and cut off movement of the Continental Army. He sent the Marquis de Lafayette and 2,100 troops to counter. They camped around the meetinghouse on the night before the May 19 Battle of Barren Hill. The next morning the British arrived with a massive force of 16,000, and tried to cut off any escape route. Lafayette instead took advantage of the Americans' knowledge of local roads, and escaped with minimal casualties.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Course Plymouth Meeting PA

Plymouth Meeting PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Course. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Plymouth Meeting PA.