What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree Miami FL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Miami Florida

Miami FL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Miami FL, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean 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 factors also. You may decide to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges 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 available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Miami FL nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is to make sure that the Miami FL hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Florida law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Education

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Miami FL health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine 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 two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Miami FL There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have time to go to 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 earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Miami FL area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Miami FL medical employers just will not hire 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) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Miami FL medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Miami FL with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should explore when researching programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, 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 need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Miami FL employers will not hire 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 prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs 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 focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Miami FL area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Miami health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Miami FL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms 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 Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Miami FL, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Miami Florida?

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

Miami

Miami (/maɪˈæmi/; MY-am-EE; Spanish pronunciation: [miˈami]), officially the City of Miami, is the cultural, economic, and financial center of South Florida. Miami is the seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida. It covers an area of about 56.6 square miles (147 km2), between the Florida Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay on the east, making it the sixth most densely populated large US city. The Miami metropolitan area, is home to 6.1 million people and the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the nation.[8] Miami's metro area is the second-most populous metropolis in the southeastern United States and fourth-largest urban area in the U.S.[9][10]

Miami is a major center, and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade.[11][12] In 2012, Miami was classified as an "Alpha−" level world city in the World Cities Study Group's inventory.[13] In 2010, Miami ranked seventh in the United States and 33rd among global cities in terms of business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement.[14][15] In 2008, Forbes magazine ranked Miami "America's Cleanest City", for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets, and citywide recycling programs.[16] According to a 2009 UBS study of 73 world cities, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States, and the world's seventh-richest city in terms of purchasing power.[17] Miami is nicknamed the "Capital of Latin America"[1] and is the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality.[18]

Miami has the third tallest skyline in the U.S. with over 300 high-rises. Downtown Miami has one of the largest concentrations of international banks in the United States, and is home to many large national and international companies.[19][20] The Civic Center is a major center for hospitals, research institutes, medical centers, and biotechnology industries. For more than two decades, the Port of Miami, known as the "Cruise Capital of the World", has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world. It accommodates some of the world's largest cruise ships and operations, and is the busiest port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines.[21][22] Metropolitan Miami is also a major tourism hub in the southeastern U.S. for international visitors, ranking number two in the country after New York City.[23]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant School Miami FL

Miami FL medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Miami FL.