Medical Assistant Associate Degree Rocklin CA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Rocklin California

Rocklin CA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Rocklin CA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable 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 take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some 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 role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Rocklin CA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Rocklin CA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under California law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Rocklin CA 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 basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive 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 element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Rocklin CA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Rocklin CA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the best option for you. With 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 earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Rocklin CA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably 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, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Rocklin CA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, 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. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Rocklin CA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to examine when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the college you select 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 intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Rocklin CA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must 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 example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Rocklin CA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Rocklin health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Rocklin CA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Rocklin CA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Rocklin California?

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

Rocklin, California

Rocklin is a city in Placer County, California located approximately 22 miles (35 km) from Sacramento, California, and about 6.1 miles (9.8 km) northeast of Roseville in the Sacramento metropolitan area. Besides Roseville, it shares borders with Granite Bay, Loomis and Lincoln. As of the 2010 census, Rocklin's population was 56,974.

Prior to the California Gold Rush the Nisenan Maidu occupied both permanent villages and temporary summer shelters along the rivers and streams which miners sifted, sluiced, dredged and dammed to remove the gold.[6] Explorer Jedediah Smith and a large party of American fur trappers crossed the Sacramento Valley in late April, 1827. The group saw many Maidu villages along the river banks.[6] Deprived of traditional foodstuffs, homesites and hunting grounds by the emigrants, the Nisenan were among the earliest California Indian tribes to disappear.[6]

During the 1850s, miners sluiced streams and rivers including Secret Ravine which runs through Rocklin. The piles of dredger tailings is still obvious today, between Roseville and Loomis southeast of Interstate 80.[7] Secret Ravine at the area now at the intersection of Ruhkala Road and Pacific Street was later mined for granite, some of which was used as the base course of the California Capitol Building in Sacramento, although the earliest recorded use of the rock was for Fort Mason at San Francisco in 1855.[8] The granite was hauled out by ox carts before the arrival of the railroad many years later.[8]

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Rocklin CA

Rocklin CA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper 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 life long career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, 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 Associate Degree. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Rocklin CA.