How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Ripley Ohio
Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ripley OH, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Ripley OH clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Supplying general support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Ohio law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices offered 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 healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Ripley OH health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to finish, some 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 alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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 related field.
Online Medical Assistant Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent option for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Ripley OH area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Ripley OH medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Ripley OH with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to look at when researching schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Ripley OH employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
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 must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Ripley OH area medical care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Ripley healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Ripley OH area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Ripley OH, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Ripley Ohio?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Ripley OH area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Ripley, Ohio
Colonel James Poage, a veteran of the American Revolution, arrived in the free state of Ohio from Staunton, Virginia in 1804 to claim the 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) he had been granted in what was called the Virginia Military District. Poage was among a large group of veterans who received land grants in what was first organized as the Northwest Territory north of the Ohio River for their service in the American Revolutionary War, and freed their slaves when they settled there. Poage and his family laid out the town of Staunton in 1812; it was renamed in 1816 to honor General Eleazar Wheelock Ripley,[6] an American officer of the War of 1812.
Given its location on the river, Ripley became a destination for slaves escaping from slavery in Kentucky on the other side. Both black and white residents developed a network, making Ripley an early stop on the Underground Railroad, to help slaves escape North to freedom. A number of prominent abolitionists lived in the town in the 19th century, mainly on Front Street near the river, including John Rankin, former slave John Parker, former slave William Q. Atwood, Thomas McCague, Thomas Collins and Dr. Alexander Campbell.
Rankin moved from Kentucky to Ripley in 1822 and later built a house on Liberty Hill overlooking the town, the river and the Kentucky shore. From there, he signaled escaping slaves with a lantern on a flagpole [1] and provided them shelter. (It is now known as the John Rankin House (Ripley, Ohio), and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.) Rankin was the minister at the Ripley Presbyterian Church for twenty-four years.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Program Ripley OH
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, 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 Medical Assistant Technician. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Ripley OH.
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