Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program Siler City NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Siler City North Carolina

Siler City NC medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Siler City NC, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach 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 nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Siler City NC nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Siler City NC hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending 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 responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under North Carolina law, some opt 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 Training Programs

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Siler City NC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Siler City NC There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for students who might not have the time to go to 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 attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Siler City NC area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid 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 classes and the clinical 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 choice for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Siler City NC medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Siler City NC medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Siler City NC with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm 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. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Siler City NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Siler City NC area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Siler City health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting that initial job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Siler City NC area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college 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 large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school 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 school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Siler City NC, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Siler City North Carolina?

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

Siler City, North Carolina

Siler City is a town in western Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town's population was 7,887.[4] The population of the small town has increased by 75% from 1990 to 2016. The population was estimated to be 8,444 in 2016.[1] |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census[5]

In recent years, Siler City has become a suburb of Greensboro and the Research Triangle Park. Since 1997, it has developed as a center of industrial-scale poultry processing, and attracted numerous immigrants and ethnic Latinos for the jobs. These tend to be arduous labor at low pay. The changing demographics have challenged the town as it works to absorb the new population and different cultures. In three years, the majority-Latino soccer team of the high school qualified for the state championship, creating a new fan base.

The Bowen-Jordan Farm, Cadmus N. Bray House, Bray-Paschal House, East Raleigh Street Historic District, Gregson-Hadley House, Former High Point Bending and Chair Company, Hotel Hadley, North Third Avenue Historic District, Siler City City Hall, Siler City Commercial Historic District, Siler City High School, Snipes-Fox House, William Teague House, and Burdett Woody House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6][7]

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Siler City NC

Siler City NC medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. 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 anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Siler City NC.