How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Moorhead Minnesota
Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Moorhead MN, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is ensure that the Moorhead MN clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run successfully. 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 nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Minnesota law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses
Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Moorhead MN health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Moorhead MN area healthcare 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 ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Moorhead MN medical employers just 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) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty 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.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Moorhead MN with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Moorhead MN employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Moorhead MN area healthcare providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Moorhead healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Moorhead MN area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Moorhead MN, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask 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 Moorhead Minnesota?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Moorhead MN area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 42,005 according to the 2015 United States Census estimates.[5] It is the county seat of Clay County.[6]
Moorhead was platted in 1871. The city was named for William Garroway Moorhead (1811–1895), an official of the Northern Pacific railroad.[7] Moorhead is bordered on the west by the Red River of the North and the city of Fargo, North Dakota. On the east, Moorhead is bordered by Dilworth, Minnesota. Moorhead, along with its twin city of Fargo, North Dakota, as well as adjacent West Fargo, form the core of the Fargo–Moorhead metropolitan area, which has a 2010 population of around 208,777 residents.
Moorhead is located adjacent to the Red River in the Red River Valley. The land around the Fargo–Moorhead area is some of the flattest and richest (for agricultural uses) in the world. This is because it lies on the lake bed of glacial Lake Agassiz, which drained between 9,900 and 11,000 years ago.[8]
Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Moorhead MN
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select 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 School Time. But irrespective of the type 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Moorhead MN.
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