Medical Assistant Associate Degree Washington PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Washington Pennsylvania

Washington PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Washington PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may decide to research 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 finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Washington PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their function is ensure that the Washington PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any activity 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Washington PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Washington PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Washington PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Washington PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Washington PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Washington PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Washington PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare 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 ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

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

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that very first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Washington PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide 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 throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Washington PA, make certain that those times are available. 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 clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Washington Pennsylvania?

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

Washington County, Pennsylvania

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 207,820.[1] Its county seat is Washington.[2] The county was created on March 28, 1781, from part of Westmoreland County. The city and county were both named after American Revolutionary War leader George Washington, who eventually became the first President of the United States.

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 202,897 people, 81,130 households, and 56,060 families residing in the county. The population density was 237 people per square mile (91/km²). There were 87,267 housing units at an average density of 102 per square mile (39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.27% White, 3.26% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.3% were of German, 17.2% Italian, 10.6% Irish, 8.6% English, 7.9% Polish and 6.2% American ancestry.

There were 81,130 households out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Course Washington PA

Washington PA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Associate Degree. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Washington PA.