How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Waterford Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Waterford PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Many potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences 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 important issues also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their function is ensure that the Waterford PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions 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 responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Giving basic support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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
Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Waterford PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few 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 acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option 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 attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Waterford PA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Waterford PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Waterford PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must look at when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Waterford PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Waterford PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Waterford healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that initial job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Waterford PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the school you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Waterford PA, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Waterford Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Waterford PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Waterford, Pennsylvania
Waterford is located southeast of the center of Erie County at 41°56′37″N 79°59′2″W / 41.94361°N 79.98389°W / 41.94361; -79.98389 (41.943648, -79.984012).[4]U.S. Route 19 and Pennsylvania Route 97 pass through the borough center as High Street. US 19 leads north 15 miles (24 km) to downtown Erie and south Meadville, while PA 97 leads north 14.5 miles (23.3 km) to Erie by a more easterly route and southeast 8 miles (13 km) to Union City.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Waterford borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.2 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.04 km2), or 1.18%, is water.[3] Lake LeBoeuf lies immediately south of the borough and is part of the French Creek watershed, draining south to the Allegheny River.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,449 people, 558 households, and 409 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,189.3 people per square mile (458.6/km²). There were 590 housing units at an average density of 484.3 per square mile (186.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.76% White, 0.28% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Waterford PA
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to launch 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 before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Definition. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Waterford PA.
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