Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Training Brentwood MD 20722

Medical Assistant Near Me Brentwood MD

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Brentwood Maryland

Brentwood MD medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Brentwood MD, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right 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 lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Brentwood MD nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the Brentwood MD hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maryland law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Brentwood MD health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually 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 prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied 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 Brentwood MDThere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent option for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can 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 carried out in Brentwood MD area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Brentwood MD medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded 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 be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Brentwood MD medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Brentwood MD with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Brentwood MD employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Brentwood MD area healthcare providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Brentwood health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that initial job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Brentwood MD area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Brentwood MD, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Brentwood Maryland?

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

Brentwood, Maryland

Brentwood is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.[5] The population was 3,046 at the 2010 census.[6] Brentwood is less than 1-mile (1.6 km) away from Washington, D.C. The municipality of Brentwood is located just outside the northeast boundary of the District of Columbia and surrounded by the communities of Mount Rainier, Cottage City, North Brentwood, and the nearby Hyattsville. Along the Route 1 Corridor, Brentwood is part of the Gateway Arts District.

The town was originally incorporated in 1922 and is named after the Brentwood estate built in 1817 by Robert Brent in Northeast Washington, DC.[7] The town was developed beginning in the 1890s around the Highland Station of the Washington Branch of the B & O Railroad and the Columbia and Maryland Railway. Brentwood was created by Wallace A. Bartlett, a Civil War veteran, former foreman for the Government Printing Office, Patent Office examiner, and inventor originally from Warsaw, New York. Captain Bartlett lived in Washington, D.C. until 1887, when he purchased 206 acres (0.83 km2) of farmland from Benjamin Holliday, which abutted the Highland subdivision. Bartlett built a farmhouse for his family on the land and, with two partners J. Lee Adams and Samuel J. Mills, formed the Holladay Land and Improvement Company.[8][9][10] Captain Bartlett died in 1908.[7]

In 1891, the Company platted a residential subdivision called "Holladay Company's Addition to Highland" on 80 acres (320,000 m2) of the Bartlett Farm. The lots were approximately 40 feet (12 m) by 100 feet (30 m) and were arranged around an irregular grid of streets. The lots in the northern part of the subdivision, which eventually would become North Brentwood, were smaller and were subject to flooding from a mill race. These lots were less expensive, and Bartlett encouraged their purchase by African-American families with whom he was indirectly associated from his command of U.S. Colored Troops in the Civil War. The more expensive lots to the south were purchased by white working-class families, many of whom were employed as federal government clerks. Seven additional houses were built by 1896. In 1899 Bartlett purchased the Fenwick family farm which was located to the west of the Holladay Company's Addition to Highland. With two new partners, J. Baker and Dr. Sigmund A. Czarra, Bartlett began the Brentwood Company. The 95-acre (380,000 m2) area was surveyed and platted in 1899.[11] The Holladay Addition homes represented a typical cross-section of housing styles popular in the late-19th century, including I-houses, vernacular houses with Queen Anne detailing, Four-squares, and front-gable houses.[11]

Pick the Best Medical Assistant School Brentwood MD

Brentwood MD medical assistant studentIt’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Near Me. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Brentwood MD.

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