Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Schools Rainsville AL 35986

Medical Assistant Certification Online Rainsville AL

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Rainsville Alabama

Rainsville AL medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Rainsville AL, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean 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 factors also. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Rainsville AL nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Rainsville AL clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions 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 facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance 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 verifying appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Alabama 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Rainsville AL health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Rainsville ALThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Rainsville AL area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the best option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary 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 an excellent choice for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Rainsville AL medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. 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 apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Rainsville AL medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Rainsville AL with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Rainsville AL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, 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. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get 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 decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Rainsville AL area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Rainsville healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Rainsville AL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Rainsville AL, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Rainsville Alabama?

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

Rainsville, Alabama

Rainsville is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 4,948,[3] up from 4,499 in 2000. Rainsville is located on top of Sand Mountain, a southern extension of the Cumberland Plateau.

An EF5 tornado struck the city on April 27, 2011, leaving 25 fatalities. It initially touched down 10 miles (16 km) to the southwest in Lakeview, causing structural damage to small buildings and snapping trees. It grew in intensity, and the path width increased from around fifty yards to a half a mile, as the rotation entered the Rainsville and Sylvania communities. Damage included houses that were completely removed from foundations and debris scattered for about one mile, trees debarked, and a few mobile homes were destroyed with debris strewn for about a mile downstream. In Sylvania, some of these houses removed from foundations contained anchor bolts and foundation straps.

Rainsville is located northwest of the center of DeKalb County at 34°29′32″N 85°50′43″W / 34.49222°N 85.84528°W / 34.49222; -85.84528 (34.492258, -85.845316).[4] It is bordered to the northeast by Sylvania, to the northwest by Powell, to the southwest by Shiloh, and to the southeast by Pine Ridge.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Program Rainsville AL

Rainsville AL medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, 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 Medical Assistant Certification Online. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Rainsville AL.

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