Medical Assistant Job Description Sunbury NC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Sunbury NC medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Sunbury NC, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Sunbury NC nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the Sunbury NC hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative 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 at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under North Carolina law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Sunbury NC health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically 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 prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Sunbury NC There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible 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, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Sunbury NC area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Sunbury NC medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received 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 examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Sunbury NC medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Sunbury NC with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Sunbury NC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’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 school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Sunbury NC area health care providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Sunbury health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Sunbury NC area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator 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 offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the college you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Sunbury NC, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Sunbury North Carolina?

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

Glen Raven, Inc.

Glen Raven, Inc. is a fabric manufacturing and marketing company. The company is headquartered in Glen Raven, North Carolina and headed by Leib Oehmig, who took over after Allen Erwin Gant, Jr., the grandson of John Quintin Gant and founder of the industry advocacy group National Council of Textile Organizations, retired.[1] Glen Raven has operations in the United States, France, and China.

John Quintin Gant entered the dry goods retail business in Company Shops, NC (Burlington) in 1872 and opened the John Q. Gant & Co. Gant sold his interest in the company in 1880 and then partnered with Berry Davidson to build the Altamahaw Cotton Mills in Alamance County, NC. The company was founded as John Q. Gant Manufacturing Co. in 1900 by John Quintin Gant (1847–1930), and by 1902, the company’s name was changed to Glen Raven Cotton Mills.[2][3]

The company began manufacturing cotton duck awning fabrics in 1908 and developing pantyhose in 1953. Panti-Tights and Panti-Legs are introduced as the first commercial ladies pantyhose in 1959. In 1965, Glen Raven developed a seamless pantyhose that became popular due to the introduction of the miniskirt.[4] Glen Raven exited the hosiery business in 1996. The company was also known for making duck cloth used in tents for World War I and making tent canvas, power bags, and parachute cloth for World War II.[3]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Sunbury NC

Sunbury NC medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper 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 must obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Job Description. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Sunbury NC.