How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Greenville Pennsylvania

Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Greenville PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean 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 issues as well. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Greenville PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

• Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
• Setting and verifying appointments
• Taking vital signs and weighing patients
• Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
• Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
• Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular 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 Education

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Greenville 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 generally 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Greenville PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Greenville PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 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

Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Greenville PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction 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 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Greenville PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, 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 means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, 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 fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Greenville PA area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Greenville healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Greenville PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and 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 important that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Greenville PA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Greenville Pennsylvania?

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

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Greenville PA

It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Exam. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget 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 gratifying career as a medical assistant in Greenville PA.

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