Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Yakima WA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Yakima Washington

Yakima WA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Yakima WA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” 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 Yakima WA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Yakima WA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can 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 submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Washington law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Courses

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Yakima WA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Yakima WA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent option for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Yakima WA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Yakima WA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Yakima WA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Yakima WA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Yakima WA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Yakima WA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Yakima medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Yakima WA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the program you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Yakima WA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Yakima Washington?

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

Yakima, Washington

Yakima (/ˈjækɪmɑː/ or /ˈjækɪmə/) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's eleventh-largest city by population. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,067 and a metropolitan population of 243,231.[5] The unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima.[6]

Yakima is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of Mount Rainier in Washington. It is situated in the Yakima Valley, a productive agricultural region noted for apple, wine and hop production. As of 2011, the Yakima Valley produces 77% of all hops grown in the United States.[7] The name Yakima originates from the Yakama Nation Native American tribe, whose reservation is located south of the city.

The Yakama people were the first known inhabitants of the Yakima Valley. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition came to the area and discovered abundant wildlife and rich soil, prompting the settlement of homesteaders.[8] A Catholic Mission was established in Ahtanum, southwest of present-day Yakima, in 1847.[9] The arrival of settlers and their conflicts with the natives resulted in the Yakima War. The U.S. Army established Fort Simcoe in 1856 near present-day White Swan as a response to the uprising. The Yakamas were defeated and forced to relocate to the Yakama Indian Reservation.

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Yakima WA

Yakima WA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. 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, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Clinical Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Yakima WA.