Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Lowell NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Lowell NC medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lowell NC, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean 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 issues as well. You may choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Lowell NC nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Lowell NC clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under North Carolina law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices available 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 Programs

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Lowell NC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with 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 training. They usually have a practical component 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lowell NC There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Lowell NC area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education may be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Lowell NC medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Lowell NC medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lowell NC with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when assessing schools. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Lowell NC employers will not employ 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 prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Lowell NC area medical care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Lowell healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Lowell NC area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can 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 greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lowell NC, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lowell North Carolina?

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

Lowell, North Carolina

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (6.9 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.21%, is water.[4] The South Fork Catawba River borders Lowell on the north, and the city is part of the Cramerton Watershed.

Lowell was incorporated in 1879. It was named after Lowell, Massachusetts, in hopes the city would become a similar textile center. The settlement dates back to 1848, when the Woodlawn Mill[6] was built on the South Fork Catawba River. When grading was done for the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway in 1870 and a small depot was built in the community, it was given the name "Wright's Station", because the nearest resident was William Wright.[7][8]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,662 people, 1,085 households, and 748 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,011.8 people per square mile (390.8/km²). There were 1,137 housing units at an average density of 432.2 per square mile (166.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.40% White, 6.46% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Training Lowell NC

Lowell NC medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Clinical Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lowell NC.