Clinical Medical Assistant Schools Cleveland GA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Cleveland Georgia

Cleveland GA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Cleveland GA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most prospective students start by researching 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” 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 available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Cleveland GA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their function is to make sure that the Cleveland GA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential functions 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 doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Georgia law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options available 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

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Cleveland GA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to complete, 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 attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical 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 involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied 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 Cleveland GA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent option for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Cleveland GA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Cleveland GA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Cleveland GA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Cleveland GA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College 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 education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Cleveland 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 design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to 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 example, then naturally you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Cleveland GA area health care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Cleveland medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Cleveland GA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Cleveland GA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Cleveland Georgia?

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

Cleveland, Georgia

Cleveland is a city in White County, Georgia, United States, located ninety miles northeast of Atlanta. Its population was 3,410 at the 2010 census (up from 1,907 in 2000). It is the county seat of White County.[4]

Cleveland was founded in 1857 as the seat of newly formed White County. It was incorporated as a town in 1870 and as a city in 1949.[6] It was named for General Benjamin Cleveland, a War of 1812 figure and grandson of Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, a Revolutionary War figure.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,907 people, 729 households, and 468 families residing in the city. The population density was 602.7 people per square mile (233.0/km²). There were 808 housing units at an average density of 255.4 per square mile (98.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.58% White, 10.70% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Cleveland GA

Cleveland GA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective 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 need to get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Schools. But irrespective 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Cleveland GA.