How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Bloomingdale Michigan
Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bloomingdale MI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the Bloomingdale MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions 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 giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities 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 specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Michigan law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Education
In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Bloomingdale MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a 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 option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Bloomingdale MI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Bloomingdale MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Bloomingdale MI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Bloomingdale MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Bloomingdale MI area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Bloomingdale health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that very first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Bloomingdale MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bloomingdale MI, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will 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 emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bloomingdale Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bloomingdale MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Bloomingdale Line
The Bloomingdale Line was a 2.7-mile (4.3 km) elevated railroad running east-west on the northwest side of Chicago. In 2015, the City of Chicago converted it into an elevated greenway called The Bloomingdale Trail, which forms the backbone of the larger parks and trail network called The 606. It is the longest linear park in the Western Hemisphere[citation needed]. This elevated park passes through the Chicago neighborhoods of Logan Square, Humboldt Park, and West Town.
The Bloomingdale Line was constructed in 1873 by the Chicago and Pacific Railroad Company as part of the 36-mile (58 km) Elgin subdivision from Halsted Street in Chicago to the suburb of Elgin, Illinois. It was soon absorbed by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway (also known as the Milwaukee Road), first via a 999-year lease in 1880 and later with a fee simple deed conveyance to the same in 1900. As a result of mergers and acquisitions, it became part of the Soo Line Railroad, a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which had owned the right-of-way. The City of Chicago purchased the right-of-way from Canadian Pacific Railway in January 2013.
The railroad was elevated approximately twenty feet in the 1910s as result of a city ordinance aimed at reducing pedestrian fatalities at grade crossings. The line had been a street running railway within Bloomingdale Avenue, an east-west street running at 1800 north; creating the embankment reduced Bloomingdale Avenue's width in some cases, rendering it an alleyway in some portions. Steel-reinforced concrete embankment walls line the right-of-way and there are 38 viaducts built into the railroad to accommodate cross traffic.
Select the Right Medical Assistant College Bloomingdale MI
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Years Of School. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Bloomingdale MI.
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