How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Bangor Michigan
Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bangor MI, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Many future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Bangor MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Giving general support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Michigan law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 Programs
In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bangor MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (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 usually take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical 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
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Bangor MI area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Bangor MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained 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 exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bangor MI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Bangor MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain 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 programs sponsor internship programs with Bangor MI area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Bangor health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Bangor MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout 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 monitor a couple of classes before selecting a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere 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 working full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bangor MI, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bangor Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bangor MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Bangor, Michigan
Bangor is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,885 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the northeast corner of Bangor Township, but is politically independent.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,885 people, 707 households, and 464 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,030.1 inhabitants per square mile (397.7/km2). There were 835 housing units at an average density of 456.3 per square mile (176.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.9% White, 11.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 8.6% from other races, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.4% of the population.
There were 707 households of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.23.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Bangor MI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized 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 CMA Medical Assistant. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bangor MI.
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