Medical Assistant Curriculum Galena Park TX - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Galena Park Texas

Galena Park TX medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Galena Park TX, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might want to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Galena Park TX nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Galena Park TX clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Texas law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Education

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Galena Park TX health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one 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 option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element involving 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Galena Park TX There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Galena Park TX area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the best option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Galena Park TX medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Galena Park TX medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Galena Park TX with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Galena Park TX employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Galena Park TX area healthcare providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Galena Park medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Galena Park TX area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Galena Park TX, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Galena Park Texas?

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

Galena Park, Texas

Issac Batterson and his family settled in the area in 1833; it was a part of the Ezekiel Thomas Survey.[4] The area of Galena Park began as the settlement of Clinton in 1835.[5] The center of what would become Galena Park was a 1,000-acre (400 ha) tract that Batterson purchased from the estate of Ezekiel Thomas.[4] The settlement originally served as a farming and ranching community but in the 1880s transformed into a railroad center along the new Port of Houston. With the coming of the petrochemical industry in the early 1900s, Clinton again transformed into a refinery center.[5]

Clinton attempted to establish a post office in 1935, but the request was denied as another Clinton, Texas had established the name. The settlement's name was changed to Galena Park after the Galena Signal Oil Company of Texas, which built the first refinery there. Galena Park's original name survives today as the name of a major street in the city, Clinton Drive.[5] Because of the 1935 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Galena Park's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated.[6] By the late 1930s Houston was growing as a port, so Galena Park expanded. Since the 1940s area residents considered the city to be a part of Greater Houston.[5]

The economy of Galena Park began to suffer in the early 1980s, when cranes used to haul ship cargo were reduced; prior to the early 1980s a team of workers who took up to one week to load cargo off of a ship stayed in the port city and contributed to its local economy, but the new technology lead to ships unloading all cargo in less than one day.[7] The 1980s also hit Galena Park's economy with all the layoffs from the steel mills.[citation needed] The economy further decreased after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when sea port administrators tightened security rules that governed whether sailors could leave ships docked at port.[7]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Galena Park TX

Galena Park TX medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing 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 a recognized 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 Curriculum. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Galena Park TX.