How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Addison Michigan
Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Addison MI, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Addison MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Education
Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Addison MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Addison MI area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the ideal 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 Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Addison MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Addison MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should explore when researching schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Addison MI 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 colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, find out 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 evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Addison MI area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Addison healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Finding that initial job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Addison MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Addison MI, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Addison Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Addison MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Addison, Michigan
Addison is a village in Lenawee County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 605 at the 2010 census. The village is located on the boundary between Rollin Township on the south and Woodstock Township on the north.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.00 square mile (2.59 km2), of which 0.96 square miles (2.49 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[1]
In 1834, when John Talbot settled along a winding creek in the infancy of southeast Michigan's history, the area was a vast forest, dotted with clear blue lakes and occupied by the Potawatomi. With the raising of a simple grist mill along Bean Creek around December 1835, Addison's history was started, operating under the settlement name “Manetue.”[6]
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Course Addison MI
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in 6 Month Program For Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Addison MI.
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