How Long Does It Take To Be A Medical Assistant Greencastle PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Greencastle Pennsylvania

Greencastle PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Greencastle PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might want to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Greencastle PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Greencastle PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Education

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Greencastle PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Greencastle PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Greencastle PA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Greencastle PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Greencastle PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, 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 begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Greencastle PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Greencastle PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Greencastle PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Greencastle medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing that very first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Greencastle PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high 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 employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller 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 sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Greencastle PA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Greencastle Pennsylvania?

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

Greencastle, Pennsylvania

Greencastle was founded in 1782 by John Allison from the Barkdoll House. The town was named after Greencastle, County Donegal, Ireland.[4] It was originally composed of 246 lots. By 1790 there were about 60 houses in Greencastle, homes to approximately 400 people. The town of Greencastle had grown by the mid-nineteenth century to 1,125 residents.

In 1845, following the succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement, Sidney Rigdon (one of the three main contenders along with James Strang and Brigham Young for leadership of the Latter Day Saints following the death of Joseph Smith) took his followers to Pennsylvania and formed a Rigdonite Mormon settlement at Greencastle. This settlement had approximately 200 followers.[5] They founded the New Jerusalem settlement between Greencastle and Mercersburg, published the Conochoheague Herald newspaper in Greencastle,[6] and made plans for the construction of a temple. The Rigdonite Mormon settlement at Greencastle only lasted a few years; some former Rigdon followers went to Utah to join Brigham Young, while William Bickerton, who had opposed Rigdon's move to Greencastle, would eventually reorganize the remaining Pennsylvania branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in Pittsburgh as The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite).

Early in the Civil War, Greencastle and neighboring Franklin County communities raised the 126th Pennsylvania Infantry. In the summer of 1863, the war touched close to home when Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia invaded southern Pennsylvania in what became known as the Gettysburg Campaign. From mid-June to early July, those residents of Greencastle who had not fled to safety lived under Confederate rule. On July 2, concurrent with the Battle of Gettysburg in neighboring Adams County, Captain Ulric Dahlgren's Federal cavalry patrol galloped into Greencastle's town square, where they surprised and captured several Confederate cavalrymen carrying vital correspondence from Richmond.[7][8] After the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee's army began its retreat to Virginia on July 4 and 5. He sent John D. Imboden's cavalry to escort a large wagon train carrying Confederate wounded. The train, nearly 18 miles (29 km) in length, wound its way through the streets of Greencastle, where a few men of the town attacked the wagon train with axes and hatchets. They succeeded in disabling several wagons before Confederate cavalry chased them away.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Greencastle PA

Greencastle PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Does It Take To Be A Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Greencastle PA.