Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs Louisville KY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Louisville Kentucky

Louisville KY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Louisville KY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few 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 role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Louisville KY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Louisville KY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may 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
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Kentucky law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Louisville KY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, 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 attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Louisville KY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who might 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 working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Louisville KY area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Louisville KY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Louisville KY medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Louisville KY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies 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 one of these agencies, 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 normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Louisville KY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering 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. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Louisville KY area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Louisville medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Louisville KY 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 health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Louisville KY, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Louisville Kentucky?

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

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville (/ˈluːəvəl/ ( listen) LOO-ə-vəl, /ˈluːivɪl/ ( listen) LOO-ee-vil, /ˈlʊvəl/ ( listen) LUUV-əl) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 29th most-populous city in the United States.[d][5] It is one of two cities in Kentucky designated as first-class, the other being Lexington, the state's second-largest city.[e] Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County.

Louisville was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark, making it one of the oldest cities west of the Appalachian Mountains. It is named after King Louis XVI of France. Sited beside the Falls of the Ohio, the only major obstruction to river traffic between the upper Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico, the settlement first grew as a portage site. It was the founding city of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which grew into a 6,000-mile (9,700 km) system across 13 states. Today, the city is known as the home of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), the University of Louisville and its Louisville Cardinals athletic teams, Louisville Slugger baseball bats, and three of Kentucky's six Fortune 500 companies.[12] Its main airport is also the site of United Parcel Service's worldwide air hub.

Since 2003, Louisville's borders have been the same as those of Jefferson County, after a city-county merger.[13] The official name of this consolidated city-county government is the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government,[14] abbreviated to Louisville Metro.[15] Despite the merger and renaming, the term "Jefferson County" continues to be used in some contexts in reference to Louisville Metro, particularly including the incorporated cities outside the "balance" which make up Louisville proper. The city's total consolidated population as of the 2017 census estimate was 771,158.[4] However, the balance total of 621,349[5] excludes other incorporated places and semiautonomous towns within the county and is the population listed in most sources and national rankings.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Course Louisville KY

Louisville KY medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal 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 appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Louisville KY.