Become A Certified Medical Assistant Haines AK

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Haines Alaska

Haines AK medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Haines AK, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all 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 type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Haines AK nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Haines AK clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run efficiently. Depending 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 providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Alaska law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Programs

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Haines AK health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Haines AKThere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Haines AK area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Haines AK medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Haines AK medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Haines AK with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when researching programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure 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. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Haines AK employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, ask 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 evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain 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 broader education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Haines AK area healthcare providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Haines health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing that very first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Haines AK area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Haines AK, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Haines Alaska?

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

Haines, Alaska

Haines (Tlingit: Deishú) is a census-designated place located in Haines Borough, Alaska, United States. It is in the northern part of the Alaska Panhandle, near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.[2]

The area around present-day Haines was called Dtehshuh or "end of the trail" by the Chilkat group of Tlingit. It received this name because they could portage (carry) their canoes from the trail they used to trade with the interior, which began at the outlet of the Chilkat River, to Dtehshuh and save 20 miles (32 km) of rowing around the Chilkat Peninsula.

The first European, George Dickinson, an agent for the North West Trading Company, settled at Dtehshuh in 1879. In 1881, the Chilkat asked Sheldon Jackson to send missionaries to the area. Samuel Hall Young, a Presbyterian minister, was sent. Jackson built the Chilkat Mission and school at Dtehshuh in 1881, on land given to the church by the Chilkat. The Mission was renamed "Haines" in 1884 in honor of Francina E. Haines, the chairwoman of the committee that raised funds for its construction.[4]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Haines AK

Haines AK medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Become A Certified Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Haines AK.

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