National Registered Certified Medical Assistant Garland TX - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Garland Texas

Garland TX medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Garland TX, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many future students start by evaluating 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 very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all 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 type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Garland TX nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Garland TX hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many 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 instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Texas law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Courses

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Garland TX health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Garland TX There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Garland TX area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Garland TX medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Garland TX medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Garland TX with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, 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 must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Garland 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 create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program focused on 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 one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Garland TX area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Garland healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Garland TX area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Garland TX, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Garland Texas?

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

Garland, Texas

Garland is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a large city located northeast of Dallas and is a part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is located almost entirely within Dallas County, except a small portion located in Collin and Rockwall Counties.[5][6] As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 226,876, making it the 87th-most populous city in the United States of America and the 12th-most populous city in the state of Texas. Garland is second only to the City of Dallas in Dallas County by population and has easy access to downtown Dallas via public transportation including two Dart Blue line stations and buses.

In 2008, Garland was ranked #67 on CNN and Money magazine's list of the "Top 100 Places to Live".[7] As of 2014 the city was considered the 6th "Best City for Working Parents".[8] In 2014 Garland was ranked the 7th best City for saving money. This ranked Garland 2nd best in Texas.[9] In 2015, Garland was listed #17 overall and #5 best mid-sized city to purchase a home for "First-Time Home Buyers".[10] In 2015, Garland was labeled the 8th "Best Run City in America".[11] Move.org rated Garland as the "8th best city in America to raise a family".[12] In 2017 Garland was named the "2nd best City in Texas and 17th overall for jobs".[13] Smartasset ranked Garland as the "3rd best City for living the American Dream in 2017".[14] In 2018, Garland will have the "5th highest employment growth in the country".[15]

Immigrants began arriving in the Peters colony area around 1850, but a community was not created until 1874. Two communities sprang up in the area: Embree, named for the physician K. H. Embree, and Duck Creek, named for the local creek of the same name. A rivalry between the two towns ensued as the area began to grow around the Santa Fe Railroad depot. Eventually, to settle a dispute regarding which town should have the local post office, Dallas County Judge Thomas A. Nash asked visiting Congressman Joe Abbott to move the post office between the two towns. The move was completed in 1887. The new location was named Garland after U.S. Attorney General Augustus Hill Garland. Soon after, the towns of Embree and Duck Creek were combined, and the three areas combined to form the city of Garland, which was incorporated in 1891. By 1904, the town had a population of 819 people.[2]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Garland TX

Garland TX medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the right 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 must get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in National Registered Certified Medical Assistant. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Garland TX.