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How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Franconia Pennsylvania

Franconia PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Franconia PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to 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 Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Franconia PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Franconia PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain 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 Training Programs

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Franconia PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed 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 normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as 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 courses. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Franconia PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent option for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be completed in Franconia PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Franconia PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Franconia PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Franconia PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must look at when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about 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 ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Franconia 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 schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Franconia PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Franconia healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Franconia PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent 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 Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential 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 Franconia PA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Franconia Pennsylvania?

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

Bridge in Franconia Township

Bridge in Franconia Township is a historic stone arch bridge spanning Skippack Creek at Elvoy in Franconia Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The bridge was built in 1837 and reconstructed in 1874. It has two 20-foot-long (6.1 m) spans with an overall length of 100-foot (30 m).[2]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Franconia PA

Franconia PA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Programs Near Me. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Franconia PA.