Medical Assistant Skills Portersville PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Portersville Pennsylvania

Portersville PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Portersville PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Most prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Portersville PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Portersville PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Portersville PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to 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 courses. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Portersville PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Portersville PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary 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 idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Portersville PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected 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 graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Portersville PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating 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 from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Portersville PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in 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 school 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 finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Portersville PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Portersville PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Portersville healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Portersville PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Portersville PA, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Portersville Pennsylvania?

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

Portersville, Pennsylvania

Portersville is located near the western border of Butler County at 40°55′31″N 80°8′39″W / 40.92528°N 80.14417°W / 40.92528; -80.14417 (40.925285, -80.144229).[4] It is surrounded by Muddy Creek Township, though the borough's western border comes within 660 feet (200 m) of the Lawrence County line.

U.S. Route 19, Perry Highway, passes through the center of the borough, leading north 22 miles (35 km) to Mercer and south 9.5 miles (15.3 km) to Zelienople. Interstate 79 passes just east of the borough, with access from Exit 96 (PA 488). I-79 leads south 38 miles (61 km) to Pittsburgh and north 90 miles (140 km) to Erie. Moraine State Park, situated around Lake Arthur, is a short distance east of I-79. Portersville lies between the cities of Butler 15 miles (24 km) east and New Castle 14 miles (23 km) to the west.

Portersville has a small police force, an ambulance service, and a volunteer fire department. The Ambulance Service, Portersville EMS, and the Volunteer Fire Department, Portersville/Muddy Creek Township Volunteer Fire Department cover the Portersville area to include Muddy Creek Township, parts of Perry Township in Lawrence County, parts of Slippery Rock Township in Lawrence County, as well as Parts of Franklin Township in Butler County.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Portersville PA

Portersville PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Skills. But regardless 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Portersville PA.