Medical Assistant Study Stratford WI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Stratford Wisconsin

Stratford WI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stratford WI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have provided several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Stratford WI nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Stratford WI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Wisconsin law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Stratford WI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often 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 Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Stratford WI There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Stratford WI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Stratford WI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Stratford WI medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Stratford WI with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Stratford WI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn 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. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Stratford WI area medical providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Stratford medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Stratford WI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? 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 select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Stratford WI, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stratford Wisconsin?

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

Stratford, Wisconsin

Stratford is located at 44°48′7″N 90°4′26″W / 44.80194°N 90.07389°W / 44.80194; -90.07389 (44.801971, -90.073829).[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 5.35 square miles (13.86 km2), of which, 5.31 square miles (13.75 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,578 people, 666 households, and 433 families residing in the village. The population density was 297.2 inhabitants per square mile (114.7/km2). There were 713 housing units at an average density of 134.3 per square mile (51.9/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.5% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 666 households of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant College Stratford WI

Stratford WI medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Study. 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 in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Stratford WI.