Medical Assistant Program Cost Hawley PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Hawley Pennsylvania

Hawley PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hawley PA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Hawley PA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Hawley PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. 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 tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health 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
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Hawley 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 generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hawley PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Hawley PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Hawley PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hawley PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, 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. Once those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Hawley PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many 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 intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Hawley PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Hawley PA area medical care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Hawley medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that initial job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Hawley PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can 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 prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend 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 Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Hawley PA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hawley Pennsylvania?

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

Hawley, Pennsylvania

The borough was named for Irad Hawley, first president of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. Early industry centered on the transportation and support of nearby coal mining operations along with manufacturing facilities. The Bellemonte Silk Mill, regarded as the largest bluestone building in the world, and J.S. O'Connor American Rich Cut Glassware Factory are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4][5]

Hawley is located where Middle Creek enters the Lackawaxen River, at 41°28′42″N 75°10′45″W / 41.47833°N 75.17917°W / 41.47833; -75.17917 (41.478225, -75.179154)[14] at an elevation of 1,033 feet (314.9 m).[15] Hawley students attend Wallenpaupack Areas Schools, with high, middle, and primary schools approximately five miles from town and located on the shores of Lake Wallenpaupack. Some kindergarten children attended school in the former Hawley High School, a WPA project and located in the borough, up until a few years ago when they were transferred back to the primary school.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (3.12%) is water.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant School Hawley PA

Hawley PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Program Cost. But regardless of the type 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 so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hawley PA.