Medical Assistant Graduation Seahurst WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Seahurst Washington

Seahurst WA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Seahurst WA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Most potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Seahurst WA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Seahurst WA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Washington law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Seahurst WA 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 provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed 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 usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Seahurst WA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent option for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Seahurst WA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Seahurst WA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Seahurst WA medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Seahurst WA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education 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 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Seahurst WA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start 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, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Seahurst WA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Seahurst medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Finding that initial job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Seahurst 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 an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Seahurst WA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Seahurst Washington?

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

Highline Public Schools

Highline Public Schools is a public school system in the State of Washington, headquartered in Burien.[1] As of October 2007, it serves 17,331 students and has 997 teachers. Highline serves the cities of Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac as well as areas of unincorporated King County such as White Center and Boulevard Park.

Highline consists of four main "service areas", Evergreen, Highline, Mount Rainier, and Tyee, which once represented the district's four high schools. Students in the Highline and Mount Rainier service areas generally attend the area's high school; students in the Evergreen and Tyee service areas attend one of the service area's three small schools. Each service area also contains one middle school which acts as a feeder to the area's high school(s). The four service areas are further divided into separate areas corresponding to the district's elementary schools, which also act as feeders to the area's middle school.

The district's current superintendent is Susan Enfield. The school board consists of five members: Bernie Dorsey (Board President), Michael D. Spear (Vice President), Joe Van, Angelica Alvarez and Tyrone Curry Sr.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant College Seahurst WA

Seahurst WA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Graduation. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Seahurst WA.