Medical Assistant Education Lansing MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Lansing Michigan

Lansing MI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lansing MI, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many future students start 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 critical factors also. You may want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included 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 role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Lansing MI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their function is ensure that the Lansing MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may 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 filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Michigan law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Programs

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Lansing MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, a few 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 obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lansing MI There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Lansing MI area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Lansing MI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify 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, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Lansing MI medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Lansing MI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Lansing MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep 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 to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get 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 earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Lansing MI area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Lansing medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that very first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Lansing 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 a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lansing 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 any internships or clinical training that might 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 issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lansing Michigan?

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

Lansing, Michigan

Lansing /ˈlænsɪŋ/ is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2010 Census placed the city's population at 114,297,[7] making it the fifth largest city in Michigan. The population of its Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was 464,036, while the even larger Combined Statistical Area (CSA) population, which includes Shiawassee County, was 534,684. It was named the new state capital of Michigan in 1847, ten years after Michigan became a state.

The Lansing Metropolitan Area, colloquially referred to as "Mid-Michigan", is an important center for educational, cultural, governmental, commercial, and industrial functions. The area is home to two medical schools, one veterinary school, two nursing schools, and two law schools – Michigan State University College of Law and Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. It is the site of the Michigan State Capitol, the state Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, a federal court, the Library of Michigan and Historical Center, and headquarters of four national insurance companies.

Lansing is the only U.S. state capital (among the 47 located in counties) that is not also a county seat. The seat of government of Ingham County is Mason,[8] but the county maintains some offices in Lansing.[9]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Lansing MI

Lansing MI medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision 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 organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Education. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Lansing MI.