How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Dover Minnesota
Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dover MN, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Most potential students begin 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 important factors as well. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Duties of Medical Assistants
The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Dover MN clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Minnesota law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Programs
Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Dover MN health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to complete, a few 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 option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Courses
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Dover MN area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the right option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Dover MN medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. 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 exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Dover MN with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Dover MN employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools 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 fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Dover MN area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Dover health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Dover MN area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high 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 broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller 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 practical, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Dover MN, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dover Minnesota?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Dover MN area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Dover, Minnesota
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 735 people, 261 households, and 200 families residing in the city. The population density was 735.0 inhabitants per square mile (283.8/km2). There were 282 housing units at an average density of 282.0 per square mile (108.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.6% White, 0.4% Asian, 3.0% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population.
There were 261 households of which 49.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.4% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.23.
The median age in the city was 29.7 years. 34% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 37.1% were from 25 to 44; 19% were from 45 to 64; and 4.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.
Pick the Best Medical Assistant Course Dover MN
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Class Requirements. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 picking the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Dover MN.
More Medical Locations in Minnesota
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
102 Reviews 