How Long Are Medical Assistant Courses Olympia WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Olympia Washington

Olympia WA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Olympia WA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest 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 take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short 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 Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Olympia WA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Olympia WA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties 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 samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Washington 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Olympia WA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Olympia WA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have time to attend 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 degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Olympia WA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Olympia WA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant 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 discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Olympia WA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending 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, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Olympia WA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become 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 agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Olympia WA employers will not hire 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 develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Olympia WA area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Olympia healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Olympia WA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Olympia WA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Olympia Washington?

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

Olympia, Washington

Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County.[6] European settlers claimed the area in 1846, with the Treaty of Medicine Creek initiated in 1854, and the Treaty of Olympia initiated in January 1856.[7] Similar treaties had taken shape across the emerging United States as a tool of European colonization: these documents facilitated often coerced cession of land, originally belonging to indigenous peoples and tribes, to European settlers.

Olympia was incorporated as a town on January 28, 1859, and as a City in 1882.[8] The population was 46,479 as of the 2010 census, making it the 24th largest city in the state. The city borders Lacey to the east and Tumwater to the south. Olympia is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. Olympia is located 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Seattle, the largest city in the state of Washington.

The site of Olympia has been home to Lushootseed-speaking peoples for thousands of years, including Squaxin, Nisqually, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish. The first recorded Europeans came to Olympia in 1792. Peter Puget and a crew from the British Vancouver Expedition are said to have explored the site, but there is insufficient information about whether their voyage was malicious or benign towards Native Americans in the area. In 1846, Edmund Sylvester and Levi Smith jointly claimed the land that now comprises downtown Olympia. In 1851, the U.S. Congress established the Customs District of Puget Sound for Washington Territory and Olympia became the home of the customs house. Its population steadily expanded from Oregon Trail immigrants. In 1850, the town settled on the name Olympia, at the suggestion of local resident Colonel Isaac N. Ebey,[9] due to its view of the Olympic Mountains to the Northwest. The area began to be served by a small fleet of steamboats known as the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant School Olympia WA

Olympia WA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Are Medical Assistant Courses. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Olympia WA.