Certified Medical Assistant Duties Curtis Bay MD - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Curtis Bay Maryland

Curtis Bay MD medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Curtis Bay MD, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most 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, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about 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 colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Curtis Bay MD nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Curtis Bay MD hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Maryland 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

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Curtis Bay MD health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Curtis Bay MD There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Curtis Bay MD area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Curtis Bay MD medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Curtis Bay MD medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Curtis Bay MD with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the college you select is accredited. First, 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Curtis Bay MD employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma 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 elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Curtis Bay MD area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Curtis Bay health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that first job can be a challenging undertaking 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 Curtis Bay MD 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 an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness 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 program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Curtis Bay MD, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Curtis Bay Maryland?

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

Maryland Route 173

Maryland Route 173 (MD 173) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Fort Smallwood Road, the state highway runs 13.78 miles (22.18 km) from Fort Smallwood Park near Jacobsville north to MD 2 in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Baltimore. MD 173 connects the beach communities of Riviera Beach and Orchard Beach in northeastern Anne Arundel County and Interstate 695 (I-695) with industrial areas in the Baltimore neighborhoods of Hawkins Point and Curtis Bay, including the United States Coast Guard Yard. MD 173 was mostly constructed in the 1920s and early 1930s. The state highway was put in its modern form with the completion of the bridge over Stony Creek in the late 1940s and expansion to a divided highway between Orchard Beach and Curtis Bay in the late 1970s.

MD 173 begins at the entrance to Fort Smallwood Park northeast of Jacobsville. The state highway heads south as Fort Smallwood Road, a two-lane road that passes by several small beach communities on the Hog Neck peninsula. After intersecting Bayside Beach Road, MD 173 turns southwest and passes along the northern edge of Jacobsville, where the highway meets the northern end of MD 607 (Hog Neck Road). The state highway crosses Rock Creek and meets the northern end of Edwin Raynor Boulevard, where the highway turns north onto a four-lane road with center turn lane. MD 173 passes Northeast Senior High School in Riviera Beach before the highway reduces to a two-lane road with center turn lane at its intersection with Duvall Highway.[1][3]

MD 173 continues north into Riviera Beach. At its intersection with Riviera Drive and Bar Harbor Road, the state highway turns west and crosses Stony Creek on a drawbridge. In Orchard Beach, MD 173 intersects the western end of its old alignment, MD 642 (Greenland Beach Road), then expands to a four-lane road with center turn lane. Passing Cox Creek, the state highway becomes a four-lane divided highway and passes the Herbert A. Wagner Generating Station and the adjacent Brandon Shores Generating Station. MD 173 turns north at Solley Road and passes Marley Neck Boulevard before entering the city of Baltimore.[1][3] Upon entering the Hawkins Point area, the state highway meets Fort Armistead Road, which leads to Fort Armistead Park and an entrance ramp to eastbound I-695 (Baltimore Beltway). MD 173 turns west and its name changes to Hawkins Point Road before the highway intersects Quarantine Road, which leads to a three-quarter diamond interchange with I-695.[2][3]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Curtis Bay MD

Curtis Bay MD medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays 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 an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Duties. But irrespective of the type 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 provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Curtis Bay MD.