Medical Assistant Training School Elizabeth PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Elizabeth Pennsylvania

Elizabeth PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Elizabeth PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Elizabeth PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their job is to make sure that the Elizabeth PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Based 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 tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming 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 carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Elizabeth PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Elizabeth PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Elizabeth PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training 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 furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Elizabeth PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Elizabeth PA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Elizabeth PA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should explore when researching 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 choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Elizabeth PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get 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 opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Elizabeth PA area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Elizabeth health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Elizabeth PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Elizabeth PA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Elizabeth Pennsylvania?

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

Elizabeth, Pennsylvania

Elizabeth is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the east bank of the Monongahela River, where Pennsylvania Route 51 crosses, 15 miles (24 km) upstream (south) of Pittsburgh and close to the county line. The population was 1,493 at the 2010 census.[4] The borough of Elizabeth is entirely contained within the 15037 USPS ZIP code. The local school district is the Elizabeth Forward School District.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), of which 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 14.63%, is water.

Elizabeth has two land borders with the townships of Elizabeth to the east and northeast, and Forward to the south and southeast. Across the Monongahela River, Elizabeth runs adjacent with West Elizabeth and Jefferson Hills, the former with a direct connector via Malady Bridge.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Course Elizabeth PA

Elizabeth PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate 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 kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Elizabeth PA.