Certified Medical Assistant Duties Austell GA

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Austell Georgia

Austell GA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Austell GA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest 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 as well. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Austell GA nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Austell GA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and filing claims
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Georgia 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Austell GA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route 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 designed 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 two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Austell GAThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent option for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Austell GA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Austell GA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Austell GA medical assistant programsBefore you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to determine 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 decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Austell GA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the school 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 must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Austell GA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop 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 looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get 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 take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Austell GA area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Austell healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that initial job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Austell GA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher 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 large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Austell GA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Austell Georgia?

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

Austell, Georgia

The area that is now Austell was frequented by game hunters and trappers on their way to the area's salt licks. These early visitors claimed the area's waters had medicinal properties. It soon became a destination for therapeutic healing, leading to the founding of a town known as Salt Springs. As immigration increased and demand for land near the spring grew, G. O. Mozely donated and subdivided 40 acres (16 ha) of his land, enhancing the loose settlement with a street plan. Later, the spring was renamed Lithia Springs due to the water containing lithium carbonate, and the neighboring city of Lithia Springs was founded in 1882. In 1888, the lithia spring water was bottled and sold under the commercial name Bowden Lithia Spring Water.[5] The historic lithia spring water is still bottled and sold under the name brand Lithia Spring Water. Georgia Pacific, now a division of Southern Railway, chose the town of Austell to be a station depot, being the dividing point for the major Birmingham and Chattanooga railway lines.[6]

Austell was incorporated in 1885.[7] The town is named for General Alfred Austell (1814–1881), founder of the Atlanta National Bank (later Wachovia), in recognition of his efforts to bring major railways to the South.[8] Austell is buried in an elaborate Gothic Revival-style mausoleum at the highest point in Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery.

Austell is located along the southern border of Cobb County at 33°48′57″N 84°38′10″W / 33.81583°N 84.63611°W / 33.81583; -84.63611 (33.815905, −84.636242).[10] A small portion of the city extends south into Douglas County. It is bordered by Lithia Springs to the south and Mableton to the east. The city of Powder Springs is 4 miles (6 km) to the northwest. U.S. Route 78 passes through the city, leading east 15 miles (24 km) to downtown Atlanta and west 8 miles (13 km) to Douglasville.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Austell GA

Austell GA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in 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 pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to 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 certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Duties. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan 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 compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Austell GA.

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