Medical Assistant Training School Bethel Park PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Bethel Park Pennsylvania

Bethel Park PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bethel Park PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative 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 evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bethel Park PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Bethel Park PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible responsibilities 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 fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer 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

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Bethel Park PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to finish, 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 typically two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bethel Park PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Bethel Park PA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Bethel Park PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bethel Park PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Bethel Park PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Bethel Park PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Bethel Park PA area health care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Bethel Park health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Bethel Park PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, 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 indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bethel Park PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol 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 Bethel Park Pennsylvania?

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

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

Bethel Park, referring to itself as the Municipality of Bethel Park,[3] is a borough with home rule status[4] in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, approximately 7 miles (13 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 32,313 at the 2010 census.

The area that is now Bethel Park was originally settled around 1800 and was first established as Bethel Township, in 1886. Bethel Park was incorporated as a borough on March 17, 1949,[5] and became a home rule municipality in 1978. The name was most likely named after a meeting house.[6]

The first armored car robbery in the U.S. occurred on March 11, 1927 when a Brinks truck, heading towards the Coverdale Mine about a mile away was attacked.[7][8]Paul Jaworski and his 'Flatheads" gang destroyed the road with dynamite to steal a mining payroll.[9]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Program Bethel Park PA

Bethel Park PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools 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 sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training School. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Bethel Park PA.