How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Pittsford Michigan
Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Pittsford MI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many prospective students start by checking out 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 as well. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their function is ensure that the Pittsford MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Michigan law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Training
Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Pittsford MI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created 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 typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical 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 healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Pittsford MI area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Pittsford MI medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Pittsford MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when researching programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Pittsford MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Pittsford MI area health care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Pittsford health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Finding that first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Pittsford MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just 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 choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Pittsford MI, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Pittsford Michigan?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Pittsford MI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Pittsford Township, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.6 square miles (92 km2), of which 35.5 square miles (92 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.42%) is water.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,600 people, 574 households, and 455 families residing in the township. The population density was 45.1 per square mile (17.4/km²). There were 611 housing units at an average density of 17.2 per square mile (6.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.50% White, 0.25% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.75% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
There were 574 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.09.
Select the Best Medical Assistant Program Pittsford MI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information 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 upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Pittsford MI.
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