Medical Assistant Technical School Lecompton KS - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Lecompton Kansas

Lecompton KS medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lecompton KS, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Lecompton KS nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Lecompton KS hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers 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 responsible for giving 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
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Kansas law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Lecompton KS health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lecompton KS There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Lecompton KS area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some potential Lecompton KS medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Lecompton KS medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lecompton KS with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Lecompton KS employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’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. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

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

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Landing that first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Lecompton KS 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 an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lecompton KS, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lecompton Kansas?

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

Lecompton, Kansas

Lecompton was the former territorial capital of Kansas from 1855–61, and during much of the 1850s, the Douglas County seat. During this time, the city played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America, as it was a hotbed of proslavery sentiment. This time period was known as Bleeding Kansas, due to the violence perpetrated by both the pro- and anti-slavery factions in the eastern part of the state.

Lecompton was founded in 1854 and planted on a bluff on the south bank of the Kansas River. It was originally called "Bald Eagle", but the name was changed to Lecompton in honor of Samuel Lecompte, the chief justice of the territorial supreme court.[7] In August 1855, the town became the capital of the Kansas Territory after President James Buchanan appointed Andrew Horatio Reeder as governor and charged him and his officials with establishing government offices in Lecompton.[8] The city soon became a stronghold of pro-slavery politics and southern sympathy, which put it in conflict with nearby Lawrence (which had been founded by Free-Staters from Massachusetts).

In the fall of 1857, a convention met in Constitution Hall and drafted the famous Lecompton Constitution, which would have admitted Kansas as a slave state. The constitution was rejected after intense national debate and was one of the prime topics of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The controversy contributed to the growing dispute soon to erupt in civil war. The Lecompton Constitution failed, in part, because the antislavery party won control of the territorial legislature in the election of 1857. The new legislature met at Constitution Hall and immediately began to abolish the pro-slavery laws of the Bogus Legislature, the territory's lawmakers since July, 1855.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Program Lecompton KS

Lecompton KS medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technical School. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lecompton KS.