Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs Wyoming PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Wyoming Pennsylvania

Wyoming PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Wyoming PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Wyoming PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Wyoming PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Courses

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Wyoming PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Wyoming PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Wyoming PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Wyoming PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. 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). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Wyoming PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Wyoming PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should explore when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Wyoming PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 take about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Wyoming PA area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Wyoming healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Wyoming 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 an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Wyoming PA, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need 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 work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Wyoming Pennsylvania?

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

Wyoming, Pennsylvania

Wyoming is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Wilkes-Barre (along the Susquehanna River).[3] The population was 3,073 as of the 2010 census.[4]

By the 1700s, the Wyoming Valley was inhabited by several Native American tribes (including the Susquehannock and the Delaware). In the mid-18th century, Connecticut settlers ventured into the valley. These were the first recorded Europeans in the region.[5] In 1768, the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut devised a plan to divide the Wyoming Valley into five townships. Each township was to be divided amongst forty settlers. Wyoming was originally part of Kingston Township.[6]

On June 30, 1778, British (Tory) forces, under the command of Colonel John Butler, arrived in the Wyoming Valley to confront the American settlers. On July 1, the American militia at Fort Wintermute (Wintermoot) and Fort Jenkins (a Patriot stockade in present-day West Pittston) surrendered.[7]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Wyoming PA

Wyoming PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan 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 so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Wyoming PA.