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How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Kensington Maryland

Kensington MD medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kensington MD, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few 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 Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Kensington MD nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Kensington MD hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Based 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 nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Maryland law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available 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 Training Courses

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Kensington MD health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Kensington MD There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Kensington MD area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Kensington MD medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Kensington MD medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Kensington MD with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Kensington MD employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask 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 assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Kensington MD area healthcare providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Kensington healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Kensington MD area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Kensington MD, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask 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 Kensington Maryland?

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

Kensington, Maryland

The area around the Rock Creek basin where Kensington is located was primarily agricultural until 1873, when the B&O Railroad completed the Metropolitan Branch which traversed Montgomery County. A community arose where the new railroad line intersected the old Rockville-to-Bladensburg road. This early settlement was first known as Knowles Station. In the early 1890s, Washington, D.C. developer Brainard Warner began purchasing land parcels to build a planned Victorian community, complete with church, library and a local newspaper. Fascinated by a recent trip to London, Warner named his subdivision Kensington Park, the 10th and largest subdivision in the area which became the Town of Kensington. Upon incorporation in 1894, Warner convinced the Mayor and Council to name the town Kensington.[5] The historic core of Kensington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as the Kensington Historic District in 1980.[6]

Originally a farming community at Knowles Station, Kensington developed into a summer refuge for Washington, D.C., residents wishing to escape the capital's humid summers. As years passed and its residents increasingly remained year round, Kensington evolved into a commuter suburb. The large southernmost section originally mapped out by Warner remains largely unchanged since inception, and is a historically preserved zone. Indeed, the only major changes in the town's basic layout have been the bridging over of the original railroad crossing in 1937, and the extension and widening of Connecticut Avenue, the town's main thoroughfare, in 1957.

In March 1975, Kensington gained attention regionally due to the disappearance of Sheila and Katherine Lyon. The sisters walked to Wheaton Plaza, a local shopping mall where they were seen by witnesses including their brother. However, they never returned home and the case remains unsolved.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Course Kensington MD

Kensington MD medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized 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 Medical Assistant Online. But regardless 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 in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Kensington MD.