How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Altus Afb Oklahoma
Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Altus Afb OK, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences 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 important factors as well. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Altus Afb OK clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many duties 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 fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Supplying basic support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Oklahoma law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Altus Afb OK health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed 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 normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Altus Afb OK area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Altus Afb OK medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Altus Afb OK with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when researching programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Altus Afb OK employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain 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 decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Altus Afb OK area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Altus Afb healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Altus Afb OK area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher 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 large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Altus Afb OK, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Altus Afb Oklahoma?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Altus Afb OK area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Altus Air Force Base
The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The wing's mission is to provide C-17 Globemaster III and KC-135 Stratotanker formal initial and advanced specialty training programs for up to 3000 flight crew and aircraft maintenance students annually.
Between 1945 and 1953, Altus served as a scrap yard for hundreds of World War II era military aircraft. In 1945 the famous B-17F "Memphis Belle" was discovered at Altus awaiting disposal. The aircraft was saved and transferred to the city of Memphis, Tennessee, where it was displayed until 2005, when it was relocated to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio.
The base sat idle for only a few years. The onset of the Korean War in June 1950 created the need for more men to fly and service aircraft. During the early years of the conflict, many World War II airfields were examined for reactivation. On 1 August 1953, Altus Air Force Base was reactivated as a training base for transport aircraft. The C-47 "Skytrain" and the C-45 "Expediter" were the main aircraft assigned to the base, run briefly by the 63d Troop Carrier Wing from 8 January until 15 October 1953 under the watch of the Tactical Air Command (TAC).
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Altus Afb OK
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish 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 obtain the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Online. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Altus Afb OK.
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