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Being A Medical Assistant Berea KY

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Berea Kentucky

Berea KY medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have decided to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Berea KY, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools 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 training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Berea KY nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Berea KY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. 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 giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Kentucky law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Berea KY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior 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 training. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Berea KYThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Berea KY area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Berea KY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Berea KY medical assistant programsPrior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Berea KY with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Berea KY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting 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. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Berea KY area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Berea health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting that very first job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Berea KY area and find out 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 medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Berea KY, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Berea Kentucky?

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

Berea, Kentucky

Berea is a home rule-class city[2] in Madison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The town is best known for its art festivals, historic restaurants and buildings, and as the home to Berea College, a private, liberal arts college. The population was 13,561 at the 2010 census. It is one of the fastest-growing towns in Kentucky, having increased by 27.4% since 2000.

In 1850 this area, called the Glade, was a community of scattered farms with a racetrack and citizens sympathetic to emancipation. In 1853, rich and politically ambitious Cassius Marcellus Clay gave Reverend John Gregg Fee a free tract of land in the Glade. With local supporters and other abolitionist missionaries from the American Missionary Association, Fee established two churches (First Christian Church and Union Church), a tiny village, and Berea College. Fee named Berea after a biblical town Berea (today Veria) in Macedonia, northern Greece, where the people "received the Word with all readiness of mind."

Founded in 1855, Berea College was the only interracial and coeducational college in the South for nearly forty years. Its motto is "God has made of one blood all peoples of the Earth,"[4] a paraphrase of Acts 17:26.[5] Reverend Fee modeled it on Oberlin College in Ohio and hoped it would become an academic beacon to Northern students. Pro-slavery supporters expelled Fee and his followers from Berea in 1859, in the aftermath of John Brown's Raid. Fee had delivered an address at the Pilgrim Church in Brooklyn, New York, in the pulpit of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. Fee's remarks were reported in the New York Times, but were misrepresented in the Louisville Courier. Subsequently, everyone at the college was given ten days to leave the state. Most lived in Cincinnati or nearby northern towns for several years, returning for good after the war.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Berea KY

Berea KY medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Being A Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Berea KY.

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