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Medical Assistant Skills Glasgow KY

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Glasgow Kentucky

Glasgow KY medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Glasgow KY, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You may decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges 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 training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Glasgow KY nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Glasgow KY hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Kentucky law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Programs

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Glasgow KY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Glasgow KYThere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Glasgow KY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Glasgow KY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Glasgow KY medical assistant programsBefore you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you want 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 begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Glasgow KY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to examine when researching programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Glasgow KY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Glasgow KY area medical providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Glasgow medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Glasgow KY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Glasgow KY, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy 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 Glasgow Kentucky?

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

Glasgow, Kentucky

Glasgow is a home rule-class city[2] in Barren County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county.[3] The population was 14,028 at the 2010 U.S. census.[4] The city is well known for its annual Scottish Highland Games. In 2007, Barren County was named the number one rural place to live by The Progressive Farmer magazine.[5] Glasgow is the principal city of the Glasgow micropolitan area, which comprises Barren and Metcalfe counties.

Glasgow is located in central Barren County at 37°0′1″N 85°55′13″W / 37.00028°N 85.92028°W / 37.00028; -85.92028 (37.000375, -85.920229).[6]U.S. Route 31E and U.S. Route 68 intersect at the center of the city, and the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway passes south of downtown, with access from three exits. Bowling Green is 32 miles (51 km) to the west, Mammoth Cave National Park is 21 miles (34 km) to the northwest, Elizabethtown is 55 miles (89 km) to the north, Columbia is 37 miles (60 km) to the east, and Scottsville is 24 miles (39 km) to the southwest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Glasgow has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.2 km2), of which 15.4 square miles (40.0 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.53%, is water.[4]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Glasgow KY

Glasgow KY medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Skills. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Glasgow KY.

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