How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Kerens Texas
Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kerens TX, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” 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 Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Kerens TX clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based 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 support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions 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 tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying general support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Texas law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain 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
In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Kerens TX health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical 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 related field.
Medical Assistant Online Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Kerens TX area medical 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 may be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Kerens TX medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Kerens TX with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to look at when researching schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Kerens TX employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating 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 just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get 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 choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Kerens TX area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Kerens medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Kerens TX area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide 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 during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Kerens TX, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Kerens Texas?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Kerens TX area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Kerens, Texas
Kerens was established in 1881 when the St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas was built through the county, according to the Texas Handbook of History, and was named for Judge R. C. Kerens of St. Louis. The railroad bypassed the nearby settlement of Wadeville, and within a short time all of the businesses from Wadeville moved to the new town. By the mid-1890s, the handbook said, the town had three cotton gin-mills, four grocery stores, two hotels, two drug stores, a wagonmaker, and a weekly newspaper named the Navarro Blade.[6][7]
Big Tex, the giant icon of the State Fair of Texas, had his beginnings in Kerens.[1] In 1949, residents built a 49-foot-tall (15 m) Santa Claus constructed from iron drill casing and papier mache to help encourage holiday sales. In 1951, State Fair president R. L. Thornton purchased Santa's components for $750 and had Dallas artist Jack Bridges transform them into a cowboy for the annual fair.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,681 people, 682 households, and 448 families residing in the city. The population density was 720.4 people per square mile (278.6/km²). There were 750 housing units at an average density of 321.4 per square mile (124.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.14% White, 22.13% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 5.77% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.61% of the population.
Pick the Best Medical Assistant Training Kerens TX
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Exam. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Kerens TX.
More Medical Locations in Texas
Business Results 1 - 10 of 3
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 