Medical Assistant Externship Page AZ

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Page Arizona

Page AZ medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Page AZ, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You might want to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Page AZ nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Page AZ clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. 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 tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible functions 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 tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Arizona law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Page AZ health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created 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 normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Page AZThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Page AZ area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal 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 Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Page AZ medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Page AZ medical assistant programsPrior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Page AZ with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Page AZ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Page AZ area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Page health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Getting that first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Page AZ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program 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 contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Page AZ, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Page Arizona?

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

Page, Arizona

Unlike other cities in the area, Page was founded in 1957 as a housing community for workers and their families during the construction of nearby Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Its 17-square-mile (44 km2) site was obtained in a land exchange with the Navajo Nation. The city is perched atop Manson Mesa at an elevation of 4,300 feet (1,300 m) above sea level and 600 feet (180 m) above Lake Powell.

After the dam was completed in the 1960s, and was officially incorporated (March 1, 1975), the city grew steadily to today's population of over 7,000. Because of the new roads and bridge built for use during construction, it has become the gateway to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell, attracting more than 3 million visitors per year. Page is also the home of two of the largest electrical generation units in the western United States. Glen Canyon Dam has a 1,288,000-kilowatt capacity when fully online. The other power plant to the southeast is the Navajo Generating Station, a coal-fired steam plant with an output capability of 2,250,000 kilowatts.

Page is located at 36°54′51″N 111°27′35″W / 36.91417°N 111.45972°W / 36.91417; -111.45972 (36.914296, -111.459717).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles (43 km2), of which 16.6 square miles (43 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.12%, is water.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Page AZ

Page AZ medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Externship. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Page AZ.

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