How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Marinette Wisconsin
Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Marinette WI, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Marinette WI clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities 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
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Wisconsin law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Marinette WI 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 essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good choice for those who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Marinette WI area medical 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 best choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Marinette WI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Marinette WI 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 considerations that you need to explore when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Marinette WI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start 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 obviously you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Marinette WI area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Marinette health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Getting that initial job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Marinette WI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication 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 teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to experience 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 school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Marinette WI, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Marinette Wisconsin?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Marinette WI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Marinette, Wisconsin
Marinette is a city in and the county seat of Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States.[6] It is located on the south bank of the Menominee River, at its mouth at Green Bay, part of Lake Michigan; to the north is Stephenson Island (Wisconsin), part of the city preserved as park.[7] During the lumbering boom of the late 19th century, Marinette became the tenth-largest city in Wisconsin in 1900, with its peak population of 16,195.
Marinette is the principal city of the Marinette, Wisconsin–Michigan Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Marinette County, Wisconsin and Menominee County, Michigan. The population was 10,968 at the 2010 census. Menominee, Michigan is across the river to the north, and the cities are connected by three bridges. Menominee and Marinette are sometimes described as "twin cities" of the Menominee River.
The town and county were named Marinette after Marie Antoinette Chevalier (1793, Langlade County, Wisconsin – 1865, Green Bay, Wisconsin),[8][9][10] an influential Métis woman who ran a trading post near the mouth of the Menominee River. Of Menominee and French Canadian ancestry, she came to be known as "Queen Marinette."[11] Her father was Bertrand Chevalier, a British trader of French Canadian ancestry, who was involved with an early trading post at Green Bay. Her mother was Lucy, the daughter of Menominee chief, Wauba-Shish (Great Marten).
Select the Right Medical Assistant School Marinette WI
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health 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 such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in 9 Month Medical Assistant Program. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Marinette WI.
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