How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Silverton Texas
Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Silverton TX, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes 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 factors as well. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools 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 type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Silverton TX clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run 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 tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying general support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Texas law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Programs
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Silverton TX health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, 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 alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Courses
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Silverton TX area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Silverton TX medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Silverton TX with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when researching schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the program you choose 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 must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Silverton TX employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Silverton TX area health care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Silverton medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Silverton TX area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Silverton 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 also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Silverton Texas?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Silverton TX area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Silverton, Texas
Silverton is located in west-central Briscoe County at 34°28′17″N 101°18′17″W / 34.47139°N 101.30472°W / 34.47139; -101.30472 (34.471256, -101.304749).[5]Texas State Highway 86 passes through the city, leading southeast 17 miles (27 km) to Quitaque and west 27 miles (43 km) to Tulia near Interstate 27. Texas State Highway 207 leads south from Silverton 35 miles (56 km) to Floydada and north 52 miles (84 km) to Claude.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 771 people, 303 households, and 217 families residing in the city. The population density was 766.4 people per square mile (294.7/km²). There were 362 housing units at an average density of 359.8/sq mi (138.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.51% White, 0.52% African American, 0.78% Native American, 15.69% from other races, and 3.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.15% of the population.
There were 303 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.09.
Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Silverton TX
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program 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 practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Schools. But irrespective of the type 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 selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Silverton TX.
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