Medical Assistant Training Online Clayton NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Clayton North Carolina

Clayton NC medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Clayton NC, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might decide 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 carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Clayton NC nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Clayton NC clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance 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 possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under North Carolina law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Training Programs

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Clayton NC health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Clayton NC There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Clayton NC area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Clayton NC medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Clayton NC medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Clayton NC with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when researching programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program 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 aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Clayton NC employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, find out 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 evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Clayton NC area medical providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Clayton medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Clayton NC area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before selecting a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Clayton NC, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Clayton North Carolina?

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

Clayton, North Carolina

Clayton is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States, and is considered a satellite town of Raleigh. As of 2010, Clayton's population was 16,116,[4] up from 6,973 at the 2000 census. By 2017 the town's estimated population was 21,405.[1] Much of that growth can be attributed to the town's proximity to the Research Triangle area and access to major highways such as I-40 and US 70.

Clayton is in northern Johnston County, with a small portion extending northwest along US 70 Business into Wake County. In 2006, construction began on the Highway 70 Clayton Bypass, a 10.5-mile (16.9 km) stretch from Interstate 40 along the southern portion of Clayton to Highway 70 business southeast of town. It was completed in June 2008. US 70 leads southeast 13 miles (21 km) to Interstate 95 at Smithfield. Downtown Raleigh is 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Clayton via US 70 Business and Interstate 40.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2010 census the town had an area of 13.53 square miles (35.05 km2), of which 13.51 square miles (34.99 km2) were land and 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 0.16%, were water.[4] The town is part of the Neuse River watershed. The town limits now extend northeast to the Neuse River and beyond.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Clayton NC

Clayton NC medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training Online. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Clayton NC.