Medical Assistant Associate Degree Oshkosh WI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Oshkosh Wisconsin

Oshkosh WI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Oshkosh WI, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Oshkosh WI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Oshkosh WI hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending 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 tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Wisconsin law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Oshkosh WI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to technical 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 usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Oshkosh WI There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Oshkosh WI area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Oshkosh WI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. 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, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty 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 offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Oshkosh WI medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Oshkosh WI with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Oshkosh WI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Oshkosh WI area health care providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Oshkosh health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Oshkosh WI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

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 prone to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Oshkosh WI, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out 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 Oshkosh Wisconsin?

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

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States, located where the Fox River enters Lake Winnebago from the west. The population was 66,083 at the 2010 census. The city is located adjacent to and partially within the Town of Oshkosh.

Oshkosh was named for Menominee Chief Oshkosh, whose name meant "claw"[5] (cf. Ojibwe oshkanzh, "the claw").[6] Although the fur trade attracted the first European settlers to the area as early as 1818, it never became a major player in the fur trade. Soon after 1830, much of the trade moved west, as there had been over-trapping in the region.

The establishment and growth of the lumber industry in the area spurred development of Oshkosh. Already designated as the county seat, Oshkosh was incorporated as a city in 1853. It had a population of nearly 2,800.[7]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Oshkosh WI

Oshkosh WI medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is 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 info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Associate Degree. But regardless of the type 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 ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Oshkosh WI.