Medical Assistant Certification Online Catasauqua PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Catasauqua Pennsylvania

Catasauqua PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Catasauqua PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You may decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Catasauqua PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Catasauqua PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with 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:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Catasauqua PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed 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 usually two year programs offered 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 general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical 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.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Catasauqua PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for students 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 solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Catasauqua PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Catasauqua PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 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 offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Catasauqua PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Catasauqua PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Catasauqua PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Catasauqua PA area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Catasauqua health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that very first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Catasauqua PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a school 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 college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Catasauqua PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Catasauqua Pennsylvania?

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

Catasauqua, Pennsylvania

Catasauqua is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, settled in 1805 and chartered as a borough in 1853. Catasauqua is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. Catasauqua is included in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New York City-Newark, New Jersey, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

Historically, manufacturing was Catasauqua's principal industry, and, in 1839, it was the location of the first manufactured anthracite iron in the nation. Catasauqua's population in 1910 was 5,250. The population was 6,588 at the 2000 census. The word Catasauqua is shortened to "Catty" in local dialect when speaking of the place.

Catasauqua is located at 40°39′11″N 75°28′3″W / 40.65306°N 75.46750°W / 40.65306; -75.46750 (40.652995, -75.467627).[3] Nearby large communities include Allentown three miles (5 km) to the south and Bethlehem seven miles (11 km) to the east.

Select the Right Medical Assistant College Catasauqua PA

Catasauqua PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Certification Online. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Catasauqua PA.