How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Waynesburg Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Waynesburg PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short 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 Job of Medical Assistants
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Waynesburg PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available 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 Training Courses
Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Waynesburg PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered 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 general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Courses
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Waynesburg PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Waynesburg PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Waynesburg PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when researching schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Waynesburg PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing 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 focused on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure 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 Waynesburg PA area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Waynesburg medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Landing that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Waynesburg PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual 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 instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Waynesburg PA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Waynesburg Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Waynesburg PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
The region around Waynesburg is underlaid with several layers of coking coal, including the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam, the Waynesburg seam, and the Sewickley (Mapletown) seam. The area is also rich with coalbed methane, which is being developed from the underlying Marcellus Shale, the largest domestic natural gas reserve. Early in the 20th century, four large gas compressing stations and a steam shovel factory were located in Waynesburg.
Waynesburg is named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, one of the top lieutenants of George Washington during the Revolutionary War (1776–81). The borough is the location of Waynesburg University, and it is served by the Greene County Airport.
In August 1875 construction began of the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Waynesburg and Washington Railroad, conceived by John Day in 1874 and chartered in 1875.[5] Its passenger service ended in 1929, and conversion to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge followed in 1944 as a wartime measure. Then the railroad was renamed the Waynesburg Secondary Railroad. Regular freight service ended on this line in 1976, though part of it still serves (irregularly) for railroad access to a coal mine.
Choose the Right Medical Assistant School Waynesburg PA
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Externship. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Waynesburg PA.
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