Become A Certified Medical Assistant Riverdale MD - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Riverdale Maryland

Riverdale MD medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Riverdale MD, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most future 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Riverdale MD nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Riverdale MD hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Maryland law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Riverdale MD health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to complete, some 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 alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Riverdale MD There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good option for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Riverdale MD area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Riverdale MD medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Riverdale MD medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Riverdale MD with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Riverdale MD employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Riverdale MD area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Riverdale health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that initial job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Riverdale 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 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 indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Riverdale MD, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Riverdale Maryland?

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

Riverdale Park, Maryland

Riverdale Park, formerly known and often referred to as Riverdale, Maryland is a semi-urban town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, a suburb in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.[5] The population was 6,956 as of 2010.[6]

Riverdale Park and the neighboring community of West Riverdale developed in the late 19th century as streetcar suburbs in central Prince George’s County. The town is located approximately seven miles northeast of downtown Washington, D.C., and is bounded to the north by East-West Highway. The area is also bisected by the heavily traveled Baltimore Avenue (U.S. Route 1). The city of College Park is located to the north, the town of University Park to the east across Baltimore Avenue, and Hyattsville is located to the south and southwest.

The area was first developed in 1801 when a Belgian aristocrat, Henri Joseph Stier, purchased 800 acres situated between two tributaries of the Anacostia River, known as the Paint and Northwest branches. Stier and his family moved to the United States several years earlier to escape the French Revolution (1788–1789). Upon purchase, he named his holdings Riversdale, and began constructing his residence that same year. The mansion was modeled after the Stier family’s Belgian home, Chateau du Mick, and when completed in 1807, the building stood as a two-story stuccoed-brick dwelling in the style of late Georgian architecture.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Riverdale MD

Riverdale MD medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. 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 Become A Certified Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Riverdale MD.