Medical Assistant Education Clinton PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Clinton Pennsylvania

Clinton PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Clinton PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Clinton PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Clinton PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. 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
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses

In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Clinton PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly 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

woman attending medical assistant school online in Clinton PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for those 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 degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Clinton PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the right option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Clinton PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided 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. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Clinton PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Clinton PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies 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 qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Clinton PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose 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. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 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 two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Clinton PA area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Clinton medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Clinton PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small 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 possible, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Clinton PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Clinton Pennsylvania?

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

Clinton County, Pennsylvania

Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,238.[2] Its county seat is Lock Haven.[3] The county was created on June 21, 1839, from parts of Centre and Lycoming Counties. Its name is in honor of the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton, however some sources suggest the namesake is Henry Clinton.[4]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.3% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. 0.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.0% were of German, 15.6% American, 9.6% Irish, 8.6% Italian and 7.4% English ancestry.

There were 14,773 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Clinton PA

Clinton PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, 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 Education. 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Clinton PA.