Category Archives: Georgia

Ophthalmic Medical Assistant Villa Rica GA

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Villa Rica Georgia

Villa Rica GA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Villa Rica GA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask each 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Villa Rica GA nursing home patientThe function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Villa Rica GA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
  • Scheduling and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Georgia law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Villa Rica GA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, some 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 alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Villa Rica GAThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good alternative for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Villa Rica GA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Villa Rica GA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. 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 exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Villa Rica GA medical assistant programsBefore you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Villa Rica GA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Villa Rica GA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select 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 about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Villa Rica GA area medical care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Villa Rica healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Villa Rica GA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Villa Rica GA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask 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 Villa Rica Georgia?

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

Villa Rica, Georgia

Villa Rica /ˌvɪləˈrɪkə/ is a city in Carroll and Douglas counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 4,134 at the 2000 census. By the 2010 census, the population had grown to 13,956,[4] an increase of approximately 238%.

Villa Rica is located in northeastern Carroll County and northwestern Douglas County at 33°43′55″N 84°55′12″W / 33.73194°N 84.92000°W / 33.73194; -84.92000 (33.731909, -84.919982).[5]U.S. Route 78 (Bankhead Highway) passes through the center of the city, leading west 6 miles (10 km) to Temple and east 10 miles (16 km) to Douglasville. Interstate 20 passes through the southern part of the city with access from exits 24 and 26, and leads east 32 miles (51 km) to Atlanta and west 55 miles (89 km) to Oxford, Alabama.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37.3 km2), of which 14.2 square miles (36.9 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 1.04%, is water.[4] Villa Rica sits on the ridgeline that separates the Chattahoochee and the Tallapoosa river basins. Slightly more than half of Villa Rica lies within Carroll County, and the remainder lies within Douglas County.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Villa Rica GA

Villa Rica GA medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, 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 Ophthalmic Medical Assistant. But irrespective 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Villa Rica GA.

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