How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Dodgeville Wisconsin
Once you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dodgeville WI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Dodgeville WI hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may 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 medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under Wisconsin law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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
In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Dodgeville WI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics 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 provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. 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 Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning 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 commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Dodgeville WI area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Dodgeville WI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Dodgeville WI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training 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 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Dodgeville WI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design 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 reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Dodgeville WI area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Dodgeville healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Dodgeville WI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Dodgeville WI, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dodgeville Wisconsin?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Dodgeville WI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Dodgeville is a city in and the county seat of Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,693 at the 2010 census, making it the county's most populous city. Dodgeville is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its sister city is Oakham, Rutland, United Kingdom.
In 1827, Henry Dodge, his family, and about 40 miners began what would become the city of Dodgeville.[4] Dodge made a pact with the local Winnebago Indian leaders so he could build a cabin and smelter. The original community had three settlements: "Dodgeville", "Dirty Hollow" and "Minersville".[4] A fourth settlement, Moon Spring, near the intersection of the present Highway 18 bypass and Bennett Road flourished until the cholera epidemic in the early 1850s.
Dodgeville, which was named after Dodge,[5] grew slowly during its early years. It was incorporated as a village in the 1840s.[citation needed] Later a small "war" was fought with Mineral Point over which community would become the seat of Iowa County after Lafayette County was created. At the time, Mineral Point was the seat, because it was centrally located in the 'old' Iowa County that stretched from the Wisconsin River in the north south to the Illinois border.
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Dodgeville WI
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose 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 Schools With Financial Aid. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision 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 rewarding career as a medical assistant in Dodgeville WI.
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