How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Franklinton Louisiana
Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Franklinton LA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might decide to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Franklinton LA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties 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
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Louisiana law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Programs
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Franklinton LA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally 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 option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare 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 Programs
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Franklinton LA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve 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 a good option for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Franklinton LA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Franklinton LA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Franklinton LA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Franklinton LA area health care providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Franklinton healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Landing that first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Franklinton LA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Franklinton LA, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Franklinton Louisiana?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Franklinton LA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Franklinton, Louisiana
Franklinton is a town in and the parish seat of Washington Parish, Louisiana, United States.[3] The population was 3,657 at the 2000 census. The elevation is an average of 155 feet (47 m) above sea level.
A Franklinton physician, Jerry Thomas, represented Washington Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988–1999. He was elected to the District 12 seat in the state senate, serving from 1999-2004. He had succeeded Phil Short of Covington, who resigned. Prior to his state service, Dr. Thomas was the Washington Parish coroner from 1980-1988.
Franklinton was founded in 1819, originally under the name of Franklin. It was designated as the parish seat of government on February 10, 1821, two years after the parish was carved out from St. Tammany Parish.
Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Franklinton LA
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether 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 obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Certification. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Franklinton LA.
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