Medical Assistant Years Of School Wayne MI - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Wayne Michigan

Wayne MI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Wayne MI, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools 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 Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Wayne MI nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is ensure that the Wayne MI hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Michigan law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Training Courses

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Wayne 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 generally two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Wayne MI There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Wayne MI area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the right option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Wayne MI medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly 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 examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Wayne MI medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Wayne MI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should examine when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Wayne MI employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Wayne MI area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Wayne healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Wayne MI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Wayne 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 have to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Wayne Michigan?

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

Wayne, Michigan

Wayne is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan, west of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 17,593. Wayne has a long history of automotive and transportation related manufacturing. Ford Motor Company currently has two plants here; Wayne Stamping & Assembly and the Michigan Assembly Plant, formerly known as the Michigan Truck Plant.

The site of Wayne was crossed by the Sauk Trail, and due to this, the area was visited by Potawatomi and French fur traders for years before permanent settlement. The first settler was George M. Johnson, who built a small log cabin on 80 acres of land in 1824 (a state historical marker can now be found at the site). The cabin served as a tavern for travelers along the trail, by then known as the Chicago Road. The area soon became known as Johnson's Tavern. After a few years, the tavern was sold to Stephen G. Simmons, who continued to operate the business until he murdered his wife while in a drunken rage. Simmons was arrested and taken to Detroit, where he was tried and hanged September 24, 1830. He became the last person to be executed in Michigan, as the territory abolished capital punishment shortly thereafter.

In 1832, Ezra Derby bought the tavern and land from the Simmons heirs and began establishing a settlement. Derby built a sawmill, store, mill, blacksmith shop and the first frame dwelling for himself. In 1834, a plat was recorded in Detroit with lots and a town square under the name Derby's Corners. In 1836, the name of the settlement was changed to Wayne, in honor of Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne. Soon a small hamlet began to develop, which was accelerated by the arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad in 1838. The Chicago Road that ran through Wayne was paved with oak logs in 1850, becoming the Detroit and Saline Plank Road. In 1867 it was changed to its current name of Michigan Avenue. In 1869, Wayne was incorporated as a village with a population of about 800 people. (In 1960 Wayne officially became a city.)

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Wayne MI

Wayne MI medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Years Of School. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Wayne MI.