Medical Assistant Education Requirements Ringgold PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Ringgold Pennsylvania

Ringgold PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ringgold PA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most future 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 location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Ringgold PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Ringgold PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities 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 facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn 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

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Ringgold PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with 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 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Ringgold PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra 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 also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Ringgold PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some potential Ringgold PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Ringgold PA medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Ringgold PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Ringgold PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create 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 reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, 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 assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Ringgold PA area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Ringgold healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Ringgold PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Ringgold PA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out 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 Ringgold Pennsylvania?

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

Faith Ringgold

Faith Ringgold was born the youngest of three children on October 8, 1930, in Harlem Hospital, New York City.[2]:24 Her parents, Andrew Louis Jones and Willi Posey Jones, descended from working-class families displaced by the Great Migration.[2]:24 As her mother was a fashion designer and father an avid storyteller, Ringgold was raised in an environment that encouraged her creativity. After the Harlem Renaissance, Ringgold’s childhood home in Harlem was left with a vibrant and thriving arts scene. Figures such as Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes lived just around the corner from her home.[2]:27 Her childhood friend, Sonny Rollins, who would later become a prominent jazz musician, often visited her family and practiced his saxophone at their parties.[2]:28 Because of her chronic asthma, Ringold explored visual art as a major pastime through the support of her mother, often experimenting with crayons as a young girl.[2]:24 In a statement she later made about her youth, she said, “I grew up in Harlem during the Great Depression. This did not mean I was poor and oppressed. We were protected from oppression and surrounded by a loving family.”.[2]:24 With all of these influences combined, Ringgold’s future artwork was greatly affected by the people, poetry, and music she experienced in her childhood, as well as the racism, sexism, and segregation she dealt with in her everyday life.[2]:9

In 1950, due to pressure from her family, Ringgold enrolled at the City College of New York to major in art, but was forced to major in art education instead because City College only allowed women to be enrolled in certain majors.[3][4]:134 The same year, she also married a jazz pianist named Robert Earl Wallace and had two children (Michele Faith Wallace[5] and Barbara Faith Wallace). However, because of his heroin addiction, they separated four years later.[6]:54 In the meantime, she studied with artists Robert Gwathmey, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, and was introduced to printmaker Robert Blackburn, with whom she would collaborate on a series of prints 30 years later.[2]:29

In 1955, Ringgold received her bachelor's degree from City College and soon afterward taught in the New York City public school system.[7] In 1959, she received her master's degree from City College and left with her mother and daughters on her first trip to Europe.[7] While travelling abroad in Paris, Florence, and Rome, Ringgold visited many museums, including the Louvre. This museum in particular inspired her future series of quilt paintings known as the French Collection. This trip was abruptly cut short, however, due to the untimely death of her brother in 1961. Faith Ringgold, her mother, and her daughters all returned to the US for his funeral.[6]:141 She married Burdette Ringgold on May 19, 1962.[7]

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Course Ringgold PA

Ringgold PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the right 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 must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Education Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Ringgold PA.