Medical Assistant Community College Traverse City MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Traverse City Michigan

Traverse City MI medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Traverse City MI, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Traverse City MI nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Traverse City MI clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Michigan law, some elect to specialize in a particular 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 Courses

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Traverse City MI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Traverse City MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Traverse City MI area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Traverse City MI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained 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). In order to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Traverse City MI medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, 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 process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Traverse City MI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Traverse City MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, 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 evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Traverse City MI area health care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Traverse City healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Landing that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Traverse City MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Traverse City MI, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol 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 Traverse City Michigan?

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

Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse City (/ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti/ or locally /ˈtrævər.sɪti/) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County,[6] although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse City micropolitan area.

The Traverse City area is the largest producer of tart cherries in the United States.[7] Near the time of cherry harvest, the city hosts the annual week-long National Cherry Festival in the first full week of July, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors annually.[8] The surrounding countryside also produces grapes, and is one of the centers of wine production in the Midwest.[9]Tourism, both summer and winter, is another key industry. The Traverse City area features varied natural attractions, including freshwater beaches, vineyards, a National Lakeshore, downhill skiing areas, and numerous forests.[10] In 2009, TripAdvisor named Traverse City the number two small town travel destination in the United States.[11] In 2012, the city was listed among the 10 best places to retire in the country by U.S. News & World Report.[12]

Before European colonists and the Northwest Territory, Traverse City was occupied by the Ojibwe and Ottawa people. Many locations in the Michigan area used to have native names. Traverse City was called "wequetong" which means "at the head of the bay" This area was an Indian camp near what is now Clinch Park in downtown Traverse City. Over time, this camp was slowly abandoned.[13]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Traverse City MI

Traverse City MI medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. But regardless 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 selecting the right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Traverse City MI.