How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Houghton Michigan
Once you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Houghton MI, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Houghton MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
While 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Courses
In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Houghton MI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational 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 frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have 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 additional 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 also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Houghton MI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Houghton MI medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to attain, 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 researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Houghton MI with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when researching schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Houghton MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn 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 of course you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing 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 Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Houghton MI area medical providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Houghton medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Houghton MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large 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 likely to offer increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Houghton MI, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Houghton Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Houghton MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Houghton, Michigan
Houghton (/ˈhoʊtən/) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat of Houghton County.[8] It has been listed as one of the "100 Best Small Towns in America."[9]
Houghton is sometimes confused with, or thought to be close to, Houghton Lake; the latter is actually located in the state's Lower Peninsula. Due to its location in the northwestern portion of the Upper Peninsula,[10] Houghton is isolated from the state's most populous areas. It is farther to drive from Houghton to Detroit than it is from Detroit to Washington, D.C. It takes fewer hours to travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Chicago, Illinois from Houghton than it does to travel to Detroit.
Native Americans mined copper[12] in and around what would later be Houghton[13] thousands of years before European settlement. "French explorers had noted... [its] existence [in the area] as early as the seventeenth century, [and in] 1772 Alexander Henry had prospected for copper on the Ontonagon River near Victoria."[12] When Horace Greeley said, "Go West, young man" he was referring to the copper rush in "Michigan's western Upper Peninsula."[14]
Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Houghton MI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as 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 Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees. But irrespective 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 choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Houghton MI.
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