How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Plainview Texas
Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Plainview TX, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Plainview TX clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers 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 facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Programs
In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Plainview TX health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Courses
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for individuals 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 option for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Plainview TX area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Plainview TX medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Plainview TX with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should look at when researching schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Plainview TX employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Plainview TX area health care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Plainview healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Plainview TX area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Plainview TX, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Plainview Texas?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Plainview TX area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Plainview, Texas
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 22,336 people, 7,626 households, and 5,666 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,621.0 inhabitants per square mile (625.9/km2). There were 8,471 housing units at an average density of 614.8/sq mi (237.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 63.21% White, 5.87% African American, 1.13% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 26.53% from other races, and 2.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49.83% of the population.
There were 7,626 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size is 4.
In the city, the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Plainview TX
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Colleges. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Plainview TX.
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