Medical Assistant Night School Greenbelt MD - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Greenbelt Maryland

Greenbelt MD medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Greenbelt MD, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools 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 credentials and training that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Greenbelt MD nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Greenbelt MD hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Maryland law, some choose 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Greenbelt MD health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Greenbelt MD There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Greenbelt MD area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Greenbelt MD medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably 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 examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty 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 offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Greenbelt MD medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Greenbelt MD with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Greenbelt MD 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 schools 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 planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, 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 ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Greenbelt MD area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Greenbelt healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that first job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Greenbelt MD area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before selecting a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Greenbelt MD, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all 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 issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Greenbelt Maryland?

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

Greenbelt, Maryland

Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and a suburb of Washington, D.C..[1][2] Greenbelt is notable for being the first and the largest of the three experimental and controversial New Deal Greenbelt Towns, planned and built by the Federal government of the United States.[6] The cooperative community was conceived in 1935, by Undersecretary of Agriculture Rexford Guy Tugwell,[7][6] who was perceived by some of his contemporaries as having held a collectivist ideology and this was utilized as a source of opposition to the Greenbelt Towns project throughout its short duration.[6] The project came into legal existence in the spring of 1935. On April 8, 1935, the United States Congress passed the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935.[8][7] Under the authority granted to him from this legislation, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order, on May 1, 1935, establishing the United States Resettlement Administration (RA / RRA).[7]

Originally referred to as Maryland Special Project No. 1, the project was officially given the name Greenbelt when the Division of Suburban Resettlement of the Resettlement Administration began construction on January 13, 1936, approximately 8 miles north of Washington, D.C.[6] The complete Greenbelt plans were reviewed at the White House by President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on April 30, 1936. [6]The first tenants, after being selected through a stringent and restrictive application process, moved into the town, which consisted of structures built in the Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Bauhaus architectural styles, on September 30, 1937.[6]

Greenbelt is credited as a historic milestone in urban development, which includes its role as having served as the initial model for the privately constructed suburban Washington, D.C. planned cities of Reston, Virginia and Columbia, Maryland.[6]

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Greenbelt MD

Greenbelt MD medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Night School. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Greenbelt MD.