Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Rockford MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Rockford Michigan

Rockford MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Rockford MI, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Rockford MI nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Rockford MI hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Michigan law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Programs

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Rockford 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 basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Rockford MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Rockford MI area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Rockford MI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Rockford MI medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Rockford MI with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, 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 need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Rockford MI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing 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 learn 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 need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Rockford MI area health care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Rockford medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Rockford MI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Rockford MI, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Rockford Michigan?

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

Rockford, Michigan

The Rockford area was first visited and inhabited by Native American cultures, such as the Hopewell, Mascouten, and Ottawa tribes. There have not been archeological finds of Native American settlements in the Rogue River valley, but their trails branched through the area and were noted by early surveyors.

The first important settler of what would become the city of Rockford was Smith Lapham, who had come to Kent County in 1843 after living in Washtenaw County for 18 years. Smith Lapham came to the banks of the Rogue to assist in the completion of a dam and sawmill begun by a William Hunter. Hunter gave Lapham 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land on the east side of the Rogue for his trouble, and Lapham stayed there for the rest of his life. Hunter shortly left the area.

Lapham built his own sawmill on his side of the river, which was completed by 1844. Other settlers soon followed, including John Long, Freeman Burch, and William Thornton. By the fall of 1845, the settlement had about 5 houses. Since the settlement existed largely on land owned or sold by Smith Lapham, it became known as Laphamville. In 1856 it was first platted as Laphamville by William Thornton.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Rockford MI

Rockford MI medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as 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 Certified Clinical Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be 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 ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Rockford MI.