Medical Assistant School Time Seattle WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Seattle Washington

Seattle WA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Seattle WA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Seattle WA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Seattle WA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. 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 giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Washington law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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 Training Programs

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Seattle 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 essentially 2 options offered 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 a 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 normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Seattle WA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good alternative for those who may not have 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 working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Seattle WA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

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. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Seattle WA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Seattle WA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, 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. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Seattle WA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Seattle WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Seattle WA area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Seattle health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Seattle WA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates 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 positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Seattle WA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 Seattle Washington?

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

Seattle

Seattle (/siˈætəl/ ( listen) see-AT-əl) is a seaport city on the west coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With an estimated 730,000 residents as of 2018[update], Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. According to U.S. Census data released in 2018, the Seattle metropolitan area’s population stands at 3.87 million, and ranks as the 15th largest in the United States.[9] In July 2013, it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States[10] and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1%.[11] In July 2016, Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city, with a 3.1% annual growth rate.[12] Seattle is the northernmost large city in the contiguous United States.

The city is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canada–United States border. A major gateway for trade with Asia, Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling as of 2015[update].[13]

The Seattle area was inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers.[14]Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers, subsequently known as the Denny Party, arrived from Illinois via Portland, Oregon, on the schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13, 1851.[15] The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay and named "Seattle" in 1852, in honor of Chief Si'ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes.

Select the Best Medical Assistant College Seattle WA

Seattle WA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Time. But irrespective 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Seattle WA.