Medical Assistant Technical School Bloomfield Hills MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Bloomfield Hills Michigan

Bloomfield Hills MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bloomfield Hills MI, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bloomfield Hills MI nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Bloomfield Hills MI clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Michigan law, some choose 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Bloomfield Hills 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 available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive 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 often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bloomfield Hills MI There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Bloomfield Hills MI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Bloomfield Hills MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Bloomfield Hills MI medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from 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 potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Bloomfield Hills MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following 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 many great reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Bloomfield Hills MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Bloomfield Hills MI area medical care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Bloomfield Hills health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Getting that very first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Bloomfield Hills MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school 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 employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bloomfield Hills MI, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bloomfield Hills Michigan?

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

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Bloomfield Hills is a city located in Metro Detroit's northern suburbs in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, 20.2 miles (32.5 km) northwest of downtown Detroit. The city is almost completely surrounded by Bloomfield Township. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869.

On June 28, 1820, Oakland County was divided into two townships: Pontiac Township and Bloomfield Township, the latter covering the southern part of the county that would include West Bloomfield Township, Royal Oak and Southfield. What is now Bloomfield Hills was a farming area until the turn of the 20th century when wealthy Detroit residents bought up the land. The settlement became a village in 1927, and in 1932 residents voted to become a city to avoid being incorporated into growing Birmingham.

In popular culture, Bloomfield Hills was the setting for the 2005 film The Upside of Anger. In the 2002 film 8 Mile, Eminem mentions Cranbrook Kingswood while making fun of "Doc" because he attended Cranbrook, which is not considered cool or impressive in the atmosphere portrayed in the film. Bloomfield Hills is the hometown of the comic book character, Trance. Some scenes in Out of Sight with Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney were filmed at a private residence in Bloomfield Hills. (In the novel by Elmore Leonard on which the film is based, the most prominent street in Bloomfield Hills is described as “Vaughan Road, nothing but money.”[7]) Jimmy Hoffa was last seen at the former Machus Red Fox restaurant in adjacent Bloomfield Township. The novel Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake is set in a private school in Bloomfield.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Bloomfield Hills MI

Bloomfield Hills MI medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technical School. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can 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 Bloomfield Hills MI.