What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do Merrimac WI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Merrimac Wisconsin

Merrimac WI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Merrimac WI, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” 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 Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Merrimac WI nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Merrimac WI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Wisconsin law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Training

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Merrimac WI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to complete, 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 offered at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Merrimac WI There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent 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 choice for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Merrimac WI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Merrimac WI medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps 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, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Merrimac WI medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want 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 process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Merrimac WI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Merrimac WI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’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 paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive 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 acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Merrimac WI area medical providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Merrimac medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Merrimac WI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Merrimac WI, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Merrimac Wisconsin?

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

Merrimac, Wisconsin

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.51 square miles (3.91 km2), of which, 0.85 square miles (2.20 km2) of it is land and 0.66 square miles (1.71 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 420 people, 185 households, and 123 families residing in the village. The population density was 494.1 inhabitants per square mile (190.8/km2). There were 257 housing units at an average density of 302.4 per square mile (116.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.9% White, 0.2% African American, 0.7% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 185 households of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.5% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.65.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Merrimac WI

Merrimac WI medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days 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 pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Merrimac WI.