Classes Needed For Medical Assistant Silverdale WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Silverdale Washington

Silverdale WA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Silverdale WA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Silverdale WA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Silverdale WA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general 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 specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available 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

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Silverdale WA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive 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 requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Silverdale WA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good option for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Silverdale WA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Silverdale WA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps 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 examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Silverdale WA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Silverdale WA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the college 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 need to 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Silverdale WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Silverdale WA area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Silverdale healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding that very first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Silverdale 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 an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication 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 furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

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

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Silverdale Washington?

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

Silverdale, Washington

Silverdale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kitsap County, Washington, in the United States. The population was 19,204 at the 2010 census. Despite many attempts at incorporation, Silverdale remains an unincorporated community.[citation needed]

Silverdale is on the Kitsap Peninsula, situated ten miles northwest of the city of Bremerton and nine miles south of Poulsbo. Silverdale lies at the north tip of Dyes Inlet, which connects it to Bremerton via Sinclair Inlet and the Pacific Ocean via Puget Sound.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP of Silverdale has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²), of which 6.9 square miles (18.0 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²) is water.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant College Silverdale WA

Silverdale WA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Classes Needed For Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Silverdale WA.