Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Courses Clarkesville GA 30523

Medical Assistant Schools With Financial Aid Clarkesville GA

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Clarkesville Georgia

Clarkesville GA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Clarkesville GA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each 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 type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Clarkesville GA nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Clarkesville GA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and filing claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Providing general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Georgia 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Clarkesville GA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one 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 alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Clarkesville GAThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Clarkesville GA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Clarkesville GA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps 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 examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Clarkesville GA medical assistant programsBefore you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Clarkesville GA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when researching programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction 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 accepted organizations 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 organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Clarkesville GA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Clarkesville GA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Clarkesville medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Getting that initial job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Clarkesville GA area and ask 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 health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Clarkesville GA, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Clarkesville Georgia?

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

Clarkesville, Georgia

Clarkesville is located in central Habersham County at 34°36′38″N 83°31′30″W / 34.61056°N 83.52500°W / 34.61056; -83.52500 (34.610521, -83.525056),[7] on the south side of the Soquee River, a southwest-flowing tributary of the Chattahoochee River. It is 4 miles (6 km) north of Demorest, 15 miles (24 km) east of Cleveland, 13 miles (21 km) west of Toccoa, and 13 miles southwest of Tallulah Falls.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.49 square miles (6.45 km2), of which 2.46 square miles (6.37 km2) are land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2), or 1.20%, are water.[4]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,248 people, 580 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 670.6 people per square mile (259.1/km²). There were 639 housing units at an average density of 343.3 per square mile (132.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.06% White, 7.77% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Clarkesville GA

Clarkesville GA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if 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 acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools With Financial Aid. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Clarkesville GA.

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