Medical Assistant Programs Ford City PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Ford City Pennsylvania

Ford City PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ford City PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may want to look into several 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 carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Ford City PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Ford City PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Education

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Ford City PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, some 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 option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often 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 Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Ford City PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Ford City PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary 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 mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Ford City PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Ford City PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like 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 comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Ford City PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to examine when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate 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 Ford City PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

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 must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Second, find out 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 evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining 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 closer to one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Ford City PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Ford City medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Ford City PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Ford City PA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy 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 Ford City Pennsylvania?

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

Ford City, Pennsylvania

Ford City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles (6 km) south of Kittanning, the county seat. The population of Ford City at the 2010 census was 2,991.[3]

Ford City was founded in 1887 as a company town by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (now PPG Industries) as the site for its Works No. 3 glass factory. The town was named in honor of the company founder, John Baptiste Ford (1811–1903). The factory employed as many as 5,000 workers in its heyday. PPG shut down its Ford City operations in the 1990s. The once largest employer in Armstrong County, Eljer Plumbing, shut down its Ford City plant in 2008.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.77 square miles (2.0 km2), of which 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 15.28%, is water.[3]

Select the Best Medical Assistant School Ford City PA

Ford City PA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges 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, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Programs. 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 provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Ford City PA.