How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Bartlett Illinois
Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bartlett IL, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Bartlett IL hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Depending 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 tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and confirming 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
While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Illinois law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Training Programs
Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Bartlett IL health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Bartlett IL area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Bartlett IL medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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). In order to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Bartlett IL with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Bartlett IL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Bartlett IL area health care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Bartlett healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Getting that first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Bartlett IL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bartlett IL, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bartlett Illinois?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bartlett IL area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Bartlett, Illinois
In its earliest times, the Village of Bartlett, Illinois was served as a hunting and camping ground for the Cherokee, Miami, Potawatomi, and Ottawa Indians. Throughout the past, the Northwest Territory, Virginia, Indiana, Spain, France and England had staked their claim for Bartlett. However, the territory was owned by a man named Luther Bartlett. Luther and Sophia Bartlett had decided that a station stop would be beneficial for their town and townspeople. In 1873, Bartlett gave a monetary contribution and half of his 40-acre woodlot towards the construction for a train depot, which is why the town is named after Luther Bartlett . A petition for incorporation was filed in Springfield on February 11, 1891. The village was incorporated on June 21, 1892. Due to a rush of new residents in the early 80's, Bartlett is now commonly referred to as HT USA (Hog Town USA).[5]
According to the 2010 census, Bartlett has a total area of 15.866 square miles (41.09 km2), of which 15.63 square miles (40.48 km2) (or 98.51%) is land and 0.236 square miles (0.61 km2) (or 1.49%) is water.[6]
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 36,706 people, 12,179 households, and 9,986 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,477.9 people per square mile (956.9/km²). There were 12,356 housing units at an average density of 834.1 per square mile (322.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 87.23% White, 1.98% African American, 0.14% Native American, 7.82% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.51% of the population.
Select the Right Medical Assistant College Bartlett IL
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certify Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided 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 Bartlett IL.
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