9 Month Medical Assistant Program Collierville TN - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Collierville Tennessee

Collierville TN medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Collierville TN, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest 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, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may want to research some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Collierville TN nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Collierville TN clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type 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 professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Tennessee law, some elect 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Collierville TN health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to finish, a few 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 attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical 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 practical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Collierville TN There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Collierville TN area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Collierville TN medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Collierville TN medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Collierville TN with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Collierville TN employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Collierville TN area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Collierville health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that initial job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Collierville TN area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Collierville TN, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Collierville Tennessee?

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

Collierville, Tennessee

Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. The town had a population of 43,965 at the 2010 census,[6] making it the state's largest town by population in that Census.

Collierville is a town of large houses and considerable retail expansion. Smaller, older houses are still found in the heart of Collierville, mainly between Byhalia Road and Collierville-Arlington on the east and west and Shelton and Highway 72 on the north and south. Some industry, notably Pepsi and Carrier, still dots the areas located south of Poplar Avenue.

Collierville is home to the Avenue at Carriage Crossing, an 800,000+ sq ft shopping center which opened in October 2005. Baptist Hospital, Collierville, serves the medical needs of the town's residents. Collierville will become part of the Interstate 69 highway plan integrating Bill Morris Parkway (SR 385) as Interstate 269, part of this USDOT project linking Canada and Mexico with the United States.

Choose the Best Medical Assistant School Collierville TN

Collierville TN medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you select 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 9 Month Medical Assistant Program. But regardless of the type 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 provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Collierville TN.