Medical Assistant Schools Cloverdale CA

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Cloverdale California

Cloverdale CA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Cloverdale CA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may want to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Cloverdale CA nursing home patientThe function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Cloverdale CA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties 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 doctors
  • Giving general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under California law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain 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 Programs

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Cloverdale CA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way 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 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to 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 classes. They frequently have a practical element requiring 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Cloverdale CAThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Cloverdale CA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Cloverdale CA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Cloverdale CA medical assistant programsBefore you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Cloverdale CA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should examine when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Cloverdale CA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 about 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Cloverdale CA area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Cloverdale healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that initial job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Cloverdale CA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Cloverdale CA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all 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 issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Cloverdale California?

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

Cloverdale, California

Cloverdale is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States. The San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad reached Cloverdale in 1872. The Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California is headquartered here. The population was 8,618 at the 2010 census.

Cloverdale began as an early stagecoach stop, known as Markleville, on the Rancho Rincon de Musalacon Mexican grant. In 1856, R.B. Markle and W.J. Miller bought 759 acres (3.1 km2), which included the present site of the town, from Johnson Horrell. In 1859, James Abram Kleiser bought Markle's interest, and the town was laid out. The town was incorporated when the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad arrived in 1872. By 1878, the railroad service provided three trains a day between Cloverdale and Ferries of San Francisco Bay.[7]

In 1881, Jules Leroux and Armand Dehay established a colony south of Cloverdale named "Icaria Speranza", based on the French Utopian movement, the Icarians. The settlement ended in 1886 and today, there is a marker south of town where the schoolhouse was located.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Cloverdale CA

Cloverdale CA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Cloverdale CA.

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