Top Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Oakdale TN 37829 Archives

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Oakdale Tennessee

Oakdale TN medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Oakdale TN, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might want to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Oakdale TN nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Oakdale TN hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Depending 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 providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Tennessee law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Oakdale TN health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element involving 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 Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Oakdale TN There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Oakdale TN area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Oakdale TN medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Oakdale TN medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Oakdale TN with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when evaluating programs. To help 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 School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, 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, many potential Oakdale TN employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain 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 choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Oakdale TN area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Oakdale medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that initial job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Oakdale TN area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide 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 receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on 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 have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Oakdale TN, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Oakdale Tennessee?

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

Oakdale, Tennessee

Oakdale was originally known as "Honeycutt" after an early settler, Allen Honeycutt. In the 1880s, the Cincinnati Southern Railway, which connected Chattanooga and Cincinnati, was built through the area, intersecting the vast system of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad (later the Southern Railway) at Emory Gap near Harriman. Allen Honeycutt donated land to the railroad for construction of a switching point. In 1892, the name of the town was changed to "Oakdale" after a nearby mining operation.[4][5]

The stretch of the Cincinnati Southern from Oakdale to Somerset, Kentucky, involves steep grades that were too difficult for normal late-19th and early-20th century steam-powered locomotives, so a railyard was set up at Oakdale where trains were modified to allow them to make the trek north.[6] By the early 1900s, Oakdale had developed into an important railroad town, with a bank, five general stores, a drugstore, a hardware store, three schools, two churches, six secret societies, and a newspaper.[7] The railroad also erected a large hotel, the Babahatchie Inn ("Babahatchie" was the original name of the Emory River), in 1880, and rebuilt it after it burned in 1892.[4] In 1905, this hotel was converted into one of the nation's largest YMCA facilities,[8] with 1,500 beds and its own library and clinic.[9] Oakdale initially incorporated in 1887, though the state repealed its charter in 1895. It incorporated again in 1911.[4]

The advent of diesel locomotives, which could handle the steep grades without modifications, eliminated the need for the Oakdale railyard, and the town declined in the mid-20th century.[6] A park and tennis courts were built in the 1970s, and a new SR 299 bridge over the Emory was completed in 1999.[5]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Oakdale TN

Oakdale TN medical assistant student It’s important to start 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 need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Curriculum. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Oakdale TN.