Medical Assistant Technician Bremerton WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Bremerton Washington

Bremerton WA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bremerton WA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Bremerton WA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Bremerton WA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties 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 samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Washington law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Training

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bremerton WA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created 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 normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bremerton WA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Bremerton WA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Bremerton WA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Bremerton WA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions 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 restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Bremerton WA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should examine when assessing programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Bremerton WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need 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 methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational 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 Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Bremerton WA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Bremerton healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Getting that first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Bremerton WA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Bremerton WA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bremerton Washington?

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

Bremerton, Washington

Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 40,500 at the 2016 State Estimate,[3] making it the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap. Bremerton is connected to Downtown Seattle by two ferries: a 60-minute ferry that carries both vehicles and walk-on passengers, and a 28-minute fast ferry that carries passengers and a limited number of bicycles.

Bremerton, the largest city in Kitsap County, is located directly west of Seattle across the Puget Sound on the Kitsap Peninsula. It is bounded on the southeast and east by Sinclair Inlet and the strait of Port Orchard respectively. The city is divided by the Port Washington Narrows, a strait spanned by two bridges which connect the eastern and western sides of the city. The part of the city northeast of the narrows is referred to as East Bremerton. The city's southern border is contiguous with Mason County and includes Bremerton National Airport.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.29 square miles (83.63 km2), of which, 28.41 square miles (73.58 km2) is land and 3.88 square miles (10.05 km2) is water.[1]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Bremerton WA

Bremerton WA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technician. 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 in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bremerton WA.