Registered Medical Assistant Exam Clive IA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Clive Iowa

Clive IA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Clive IA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Clive IA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Clive IA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Iowa law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain 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 Courses

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Clive IA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Clive IA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Clive IA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Clive IA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Clive IA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Clive IA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Clive IA 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 ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Clive IA area medical providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Clive healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Clive IA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Clive IA, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Clive Iowa?

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

Clive, Iowa

Clive is a city in Dallas and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census the population is at 15,447. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clive is known for its Greenbelt Park and trail system running through the community. Clive serves as the axis of the western Des Moines suburbs, being between Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines along the major transportation corridors of I-35, I-80 and I-235. The City of Urbandale is to the north to northwest, the City of West Des Moines is to the southeast to southwest, the City of Waukee in Dallas County is to the west.

In its early days, Clive was a coal mining town and a railroad shipping point along the St. Louis – Des Moines Northern Railway. The railroad depot, which dates back from 1882, has been restored while the neighboring Swanson House, dating back from 1911, serves as the headquarters for the Clive Historical Society.[8]

After incorporation in 1956, Clive has served as a mostly residential suburb of Des Moines, and the city has grown in both land area and population since that time. Most of Clive's businesses are along 86th Street, Hickman Road (which forms most of the boundary with Urbandale), and University Avenue (which forms the boundary with West Des Moines). Clive has been part of the West Des Moines School District since 1962;[6] the portion of Clive that is in Dallas County is part of the Waukee School District.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant School Clive IA

Clive IA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Exam. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Clive IA.