Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Connoquenessing PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Connoquenessing Pennsylvania

Connoquenessing PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Connoquenessing PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting 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

medical assistant with Connoquenessing PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Connoquenessing PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities 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 samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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 Training

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Connoquenessing PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Connoquenessing PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Connoquenessing PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Connoquenessing PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. 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 take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Connoquenessing PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as 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 students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Connoquenessing PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing programs. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Connoquenessing PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Connoquenessing PA area medical providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Connoquenessing health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Getting that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Connoquenessing PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Connoquenessing PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Connoquenessing Pennsylvania?

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

Connoquenessing Creek

It rises in eastern Butler County and flows southwest, through the Lake Oneida reservoir and past Butler, then WNW in a meandering course past Eidenau where Breakneck Creek is received, and then continuing past Harmony and Zelienople. It receives Slippery Rock Creek from the northwest near Ellwood City, then joins the Beaver west of Ellwood City, approximately 3 mi (5 km) further downstream.

In 2000, a scientific study was conducted to determine the health of the creek. Researchers discovered that only the Mississippi River received more toxic materials than the Connoquenessing, making the small river the second most polluted waterway in the United States. "The Armco Inc. steel facility in Butler, purchased last September [1999] by AK Steel, ranked first nationally for the amount of pollutant discharges. The steelmaker legally discharged more than 29 million pounds of nitrate compounds -- a waste produced when nitric acid is used to "pickle" or clean the surface of raw steel—into Connoquenessing Creek."[1]

However, as of 2010, the Connoquenessing Creek was not listed in the national Top 10 for polluted waterways. Also, as of 2010, Armco Inc. steel in Butler was not listed in the Top 20 in regards to national pollutant dischargers.[2]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Connoquenessing PA

Connoquenessing PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Connoquenessing PA.