Certify Medical Assistant Harrisburg NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Harrisburg North Carolina

Harrisburg NC medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Harrisburg NC, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each 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 type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Harrisburg NC nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Harrisburg NC hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under North Carolina law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Education

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Harrisburg NC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Harrisburg NC There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Harrisburg NC area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Harrisburg NC medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Harrisburg NC medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Harrisburg NC with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when researching schools. To assist 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 ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Harrisburg NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Harrisburg NC area medical care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Harrisburg healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing that first job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Harrisburg NC 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 healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Harrisburg NC, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Harrisburg North Carolina?

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

Harrisburg, North Carolina

Harrisburg is located in southwestern Cabarrus County at 35°19′20″N 80°39′12″W / 35.32222°N 80.65333°W / 35.32222; -80.65333 (35.322295, -80.653331).[5] It is bordered to the north by Concord and to the west by Charlotte in Mecklenburg County.

North Carolina Highway 49 passes through the center of Harrisburg, leading northeast 57 miles (92 km) to Asheboro and southwest 13 miles (21 km) to the center of Charlotte. Charlotte Motor Speedway is 3 miles (5 km) north of the center of town, within the Concord city limits.

As of the United States Census Bureau estimate on July 1, 2017,[4] there were 15,728 people and 4,573 households in the town, with 3.16 persons per household. The population percent change between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2017 was 17.9%. The racial makeup of the town was 72.2% White, 16.1% African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.4% Asian, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino and 2.8% from two or more races. There were 926 Veterans.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Harrisburg NC

Harrisburg NC medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing 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, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certify Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend 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 in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Harrisburg NC.