Medical Assistant Training School Grosse Pointe MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Grosse Pointe Michigan

Grosse Pointe MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Grosse Pointe MI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate 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 factors also. You may decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Grosse Pointe MI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Grosse Pointe MI clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. 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 health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Michigan law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Grosse Pointe MI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Grosse Pointe MI There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent alternative 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 earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Grosse Pointe MI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Grosse Pointe MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among 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 take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Grosse Pointe MI medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Grosse Pointe MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when assessing programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the college you choose 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 intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Grosse Pointe MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Grosse Pointe MI area health care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Grosse Pointe healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Grosse Pointe MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Grosse Pointe 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 clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Grosse Pointe Michigan?

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

Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Grosse Pointe is a waterfront city adjacent to Detroit in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The municipality covers just over one square mile and had a population of 5,421 at the 2010 census.[7] It is bordered on the west by Grosse Pointe Park, on the north by Detroit, on the east by Grosse Pointe Farms, and on the south by Lake Saint Clair. Grosse Pointe is about eight miles (13 km) east of downtown Detroit, accessible by Jefferson Avenue or several other cross streets. Grosse Pointe is one of five similarly named municipalities in northeastern Wayne County, and is often called "The City" or Grosse Pointe City.

Together with "The Park" and "The Farms", "the City" comprises part of the southern Pointes, which are older and more densely populated than the northern Pointes (Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores). It became heavily populated between 1910 and 1930 as one of Detroit's first commuter suburbs; in the previous century, Grosse Pointe was home to cottages, resorts, farms, and widely spaced lakefront mansions. Grosse Pointe ("the City"), Grosse Pointe Farms, and Grosse Pointe Park make up the Grosse Pointe South High School district. Downtown Grosse Pointe, along Kercheval Avenue from Neff to Cadieux, nicknamed "The Village," is considered by many to be the central downtown for all five of the Grosse Pointes, although each of them (except Grosse Pointe Shores) has several blocks of retail properties.

Grosse Pointe was incorporated as a village in 1880, but at that time also included what is now Grosse Pointe Farms. The community was divided along its present lines in 1893 over issues of allowing the sale of alcohol. It was incorporated as a city in 1934.[8]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Grosse Pointe MI

Grosse Pointe MI medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in medical 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 prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training School. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Grosse Pointe MI.