What Do Medical Assistants Do Lacey WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Lacey Washington

Lacey WA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lacey WA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Lacey WA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Lacey WA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers 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 tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Washington law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Lacey WA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often 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

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lacey WA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work 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 expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Lacey WA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training might be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Lacey WA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Lacey WA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Lacey WA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Lacey WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Lacey WA area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Lacey medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Finding that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Lacey WA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive 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 couple of classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lacey WA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lacey Washington?

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

Lacey, Washington

Lacey was originally called Woodland after settlers Isaac and Catherine Wood, who claimed land there in 1853.[7] By 1891, the town of Woodland had a large enough population to apply for a post office. The request was denied because there was already a town called Woodland on the Columbia River. The name Lacey was chosen for the new post office application, presumably after O. C. Lacey, the local Justice of the Peace.[8] The small settlements of Woodland and Chambers Prairie consolidated into Lacey in the 1950s. The city of Lacey was not officially incorporated until 1966.[9] At the time, the main industries were cattle, milk, forest products, and retail. Lacey became a commuter town for Olympia, Fort Lewis[10] and to some extent, Tacoma; in recent years, however, business developments, community groups, and population growth have led Lacey to develop into a city in its own right.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.51 square miles (42.76 km2), of which, 16.06 square miles (41.60 km2) is land and 0.45 square miles (1.17 km2) is water.[3]

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $46,848, and the median income for a family was $54,923. Males had a median income of $41,053 versus $32,497 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,224. About 7.1% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Program Lacey WA

Lacey WA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate 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 information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, 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 What Do Medical Assistants Do. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lacey WA.