Clinical Medical Assistant Programs Santa Rosa CA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Santa Rosa California

Santa Rosa CA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Santa Rosa CA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most future students begin 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 issues as well. You may choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Santa Rosa CA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Santa Rosa CA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. 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 responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under California law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Santa Rosa CA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed 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 offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Santa Rosa CA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Santa Rosa CA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain 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 a good idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Santa Rosa CA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Santa Rosa CA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Santa Rosa CA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Santa Rosa CA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Santa Rosa CA area medical providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Santa Rosa health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that initial job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Santa Rosa CA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Santa Rosa CA, verify that those times are available. You may 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 will be required. Also, find out 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 Santa Rosa California?

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

Santa Rosa, California

Santa Rosa (lit. Spanish for "Saint Rose") is a city in and the county seat of Sonoma County, in California's Wine Country.[10] Its estimated 2016 population was 175,155.[11] Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Redwood Empire, Wine Country and the North Bay; the fifth most populous city in the San Francisco Bay Area after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont; and the 28th most populous city in California.

Santa Rosa was founded in 1833 and named after Saint Rose of Lima. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Santa Rosa Plain was home to a strong and populous tribe of Pomo natives known as the Bitakomtara. The Bitakomtara controlled the area closely, barring passage to others until permission was arranged. Those who entered without permission were subject to harsh penalties. The tribe gathered at ceremonial times on Santa Rosa Creek near present-day Spring Lake Regional Park. Upon the arrival of Europeans, the Pomos were decimated by smallpox brought from Europe, and by the eradication efforts of Anglo settlers. By 1900 the Pomo population had decreased by 95%.[12]

The first known permanent European settlement of Santa Rosa was the homestead of the Carrillo family, in-laws to Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who settled the Sonoma pueblo and Petaluma area. In the 1830s, during the Mexican period, the family of María López de Carrillo built an adobe house on their Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa land grant, just east of what later became downtown Santa Rosa. Allegedly, however, by the 1820s, before the Carrillos built their adobe in the 1830s, Spanish and Mexican settlers from nearby Sonoma and other settlements to the south raised livestock in the area and slaughtered animals at the fork of the Santa Rosa Creek and Matanzas Creek, near the intersection of modern-day Santa Rosa Avenue and Sonoma Avenue. This is supposedly the origin of the name of Matanzas Creek as, because of its use as a slaughtering place, the confluence came to be called La Matanza.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Santa Rosa CA

Santa Rosa CA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue 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 schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the type 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 picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Santa Rosa CA.