How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Big Lake Texas
Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Big Lake TX, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting 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 Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Big Lake TX hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying basic support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Texas 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training
In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Big Lake TX health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, 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 obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often 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
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Big Lake TX area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Big Lake TX medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing 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 Big Lake TX with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Big Lake TX employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Big Lake TX area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Big Lake medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that very first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Big Lake TX area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? 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 furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Big Lake TX, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Big Lake Texas?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Big Lake TX area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Big Lake, Texas
The city takes its name from a dry lake, a unique dryland plains geographic feature situated atop the divide between the Rio Grande and Colorado River watersheds, located less than two miles south of the city, through which St Hwy 137 passes. The dry lake, with no outlet, is over two sections in size, making it the largest in Texas; it holds water temporarily and only after high runoff rain events, being used for grazing the remainder of the time. Though seasonal and temporal, the 'big playa lake', in wet periods, is significant in a semi-arid, drought-frequented environment and has been utilized regularly as a food and water resource by man and animal, alike, since prehistoric times.
Started as a small ranching community in the late 1880s, Big Lake owes its original existence to the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, which passed through the area in 1912 as it was extended from Sherwood, west of San Angelo, to Girvin and beyond the Pecos River. The growth from the railroad, coupled with that from the Santa Rita discovery well in 1923, allowed it, in 1925, to take over the position of county seat from Stiles, a pioneer ranching community established in 1894 on Centrailia Draw, approximately 20 miles to the north. The main highway through the area, US 67, was extended through the region in 1934, on the way to a termination in Presidio. The city's current existence is based on agriculture (some farming, but mostly ranching) and oil and gas service and production throughout the area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all of it land. Big Lake was served by the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, and continues to be served by successor Texas Pacifico Transportation.
Choose the Right Medical Assistant Course Big Lake TX
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Schools. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Big Lake TX.
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