How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Emporium Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Emporium PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Most future students begin by checking out 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, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of Medical Assistants
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Emporium PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Based 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 providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs
Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Emporium 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 essentially two options provided 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 a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to trade 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 frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 related field.
Online Medical Assistant Courses
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Emporium PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Emporium PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Emporium PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should examine when assessing programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in 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 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Emporium PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Emporium PA area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Emporium medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Emporium PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication 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 increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Emporium PA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Emporium Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Emporium PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Emporium, Pennsylvania
Emporium is a borough and the county seat of Cameron County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[3] It is located 100 miles (160 km) west-northwest of Williamsport. Early in the twentieth century, there were large powder plants and manufacturers of radio tubes and incandescent lamps (Sylvania Electric Products), paving brick, flour, iron, lumber, and sole leather.[4][5] In 1900, 2,463 people lived in Emporium, and in 1910, the population was 2,916. By 2000 the population had dropped to 2,526, and at the 2010 census, the population was 2,073.[6]
Emporium is located in northern Cameron County at 41°30′41″N 78°14′11″W / 41.51139°N 78.23639°W / 41.51139; -78.23639 (41.511288, -78.236418).[7] It is in the valley of the Driftwood Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek, flowing southeast towards the West Branch Susquehanna River. Pennsylvania Route 120 passes through the borough, leading southeast 18 miles (29 km) to Driftwood and eventually Lock Haven and Williamsport, and west 19 miles (31 km) to St. Marys on the Eastern Continental Divide. Pennsylvania Route 46 leads northwest from Emporium 27 miles (43 km) to Smethport, and Pennsylvania Route 155 leads north 24 miles (39 km) to Port Allegany, both of which communities are in the Allegheny River basin.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Emporium has a total area of 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), of which 0.69 square miles (1.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 5.51%, is water.[6]
Pick the Best Medical Assistant School Emporium PA
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Emporium PA.
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